Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-10
Mls.issippi-The sub.rreasury Scheme


Mississippi-The Sub-Treasury Scheme
IL 10 hard for a new organization Of
voters, strong in numbers and claiming 10
be strong in she measureswhich it presents
for the public appreciation, TO keep out of
the political field. In fact. one Of the first
things which such On organization is
tempted 10 do is to throw down the gage
of battle and challenge oil corners to aeon
test before the people.
The Ocsla platform of the Farmers ALI
ance has been thrown into the election
campaign now so hot in Mississippi The
hope which had been SO generally INDUCED
that thia organization of farmers would
prove 10 be Democrats first aud Alliance
men afterwards has not been realized in
that State. To say nothing Of other places
Of honor and profit. we may call attention
to the fact that in Mississippi the prospect
Of an election for two United States scna-
tors has proved to be q strong factor in de-
stroying the unity of the Democratic
party. The glitterIng prize Is held mp by
the Alliance men before the eyes OF ambi-
| tious Democrats, who are warned that they
must join the new organization and stand
upon its, platform on penalty of be-
ing left in private life. Hon. ETHEL
BARxsDALx has announced himself as
candidate for United States senator
upon the 0cala platform, including the
sub Treasury scheme. This sub-Treasury
scheme, let us remark here. has never been
endorsed by the Virginia Alliance, we
think, though no doubt there are some
advocates Of that platform amongst the
members Of the Alliance in this State.
Mr.. BARKsDALY declares that it is fight OF
1.-THE masses against the classes" which IS
now going on in this country; that he has
enlisted for the war, and that victory will
perch upon the standards OF the masses.
This kind Of demsgogism tells in contest
before 1.-THE masses" and BODIES no good
TO the Democratic party IN Mississippi, or,
we might say, anywhere. Think what 1t
would mean for the Democratic party to
be defeated in Mississippi. The "solid
South" would have been dissolved, and
the people of all the southern States
might we'll feel that chaos had come again.
Governor STONE and Senator GEORGE,
both sound Democrats and both hoping to
be elected 10 the United States Senate (of
which the latter has for years been one of
the ablest members), have boldly declared
their opposition TO the sub-Treasury plank
of the Ocala platform. Governor STONE
says truly that the farmers would be the
first victims of an imitation of the cur
rency. He is certainly right. 1t may be
said that they would be the first to suffer
in their pockets for the vagaries of their
heads. To unsettle the currency would be
to wrong all classes Of the community ex-
cept those who deal in money in one form
and another. TO initiate the currency is TO
feed the public upon the east wind. To
try TO make paper money plentiful and yet
as valuable as real money is as hope
less task as ever sane men en-
gagged IN. Lands, tenements, and
hereditaments are the last things to
rise in price when that rise is to come from
an abundance of paper money, 80 called.
The southern people learned that lesson
from experience. The farmer and the
workingmen of every name stand no
chance, says Governor STONE truly, to
profit by a disturbance of values. They
need for their welfare currency as steady
aud as stable as themselves" To substitute
the proposed sub-Treasury scheme for our
present circulating medium would be as if
one should cut off and throw away his legs
in the expectation of finding wooden legs
better than legs supplied by nature.
In these latter views Senator GEORGE
concurs. Heis too sensible a man to be
misled by wildcat money-schemes; and
too true a friend of the people to sit in
silence and see them humbugged by dema-
gogues.
The Democratic party OF Virginia has so
far found nothing to complain of in the
movements of the Farmers Alliance orga-
nization in this State. A large majority OF
our Democrats are farmers. They need
not go outside of their own party in order
to accomplish any good objects which
they may have in view. Surely we can
POSTPONE contests such as that now going
on in Mississippi until after another presi-
DENTAL election. Would it not be I'M
speaksbly foolish in the southern people
to be the means of electing another Re-
publican President of the United States2
The man who tries to find the end of a
rainbow that he may there find also bag
of money is wise compared with the men
who, being southrons. are ready to sacri-
hce their principles and their fellow-citi-
zens in the effort to make the sum of two
and two more than four, or, in other
words, something out of nothing.