The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-10
THE BATESBURG DEBATE.
Tom Watson on the Subtreasury-Dr Stokes
not Present-Hutler Makes a Strong
Speech.

Special to The Herald arI News.1
BATEsEURG, S. G., September O.
$50 P. M.-The much advertised de-
bate between United States Senator
NJ. G.. Butler, Of South Carolina, and
Congressman Tom Watson is in pro-
gress here to-day. The crowd, which
so far seems good-natured, is not as
large as expected, numbering about
800 all told.
The meeting was held in q delightful
grove about one hundred and fifty
yards west Of the depot. The meeting
was opened at 1870 a. n. in the old
fashioned camp meeting way of wind
ing a large tin horn calling the clans to
order
Prof Nash, of the Bates!,uTg Graded
School, acted as master Of ceremonies
and called upon the Rev Mckain to
invoke the divine biz ssing upon the
meeting. The chairman after reading
letter from DR.. J. William Stokes,
explaining his absence by reason Of
previous engagement in the Eastern
part of the State, furnished the infor-
formation that only Messrs. Butler and
Watson would he permitted to speak
upon the matter.
Senator BHtler this morning called
on Mr.. Watson and rendered him the
choice as to how the debate should pro-
ceed. Under this arrangement, Mr..
Watson chose to open and close.
Being introduced by Senator Butler,
Congressman Watson said that If
neither were candidates for office he
(the speaker) would not be here, as that
would be matter Of home route for the
people of South Carolina to settle
among themselves, but this being an
occasion for the discussion Of measure
touching the interest of all the people,
he felt no delicacy in approaching the
task that was before him. Proceeding
to the subject Of the debate, he stated
that the sub-treasury, like all reforms,
must expect to meet opposition. There
was no reason why both lie and Butler
could not discuss the principle or plan
without the bill.
Senator Butler objects to the bill he
was bound to substitute or if he object
to the principle, then he would be in
the position which could he occupied
by no statesman. If any means Of re-
lief were offered, he could take either
horn Of the dilemma. Mr.. Watson
then assailed the national banking sys-
tenn, and quoting from the News and
Courier the report of Senator Buffers
speech at Prosperity, taunted the Sena-
tor with holding that seven per cent.
was the only decent rate of interest on
money, and that if reports were correct
the he had said that the man that bor-
rows money at per cent. never meant
to pay it back.
He proceeded to give his argument
on the sub-treasurv as legal and prac-
tica ble remedy. His argument was
lst, that it was needed; that it had
been in operation in the Amsterdam
and Hamburg bank The land loan
feature was in operation in Sweden and
Norway. y.-gg0verning particularly the
EnsesHen Bank of Sweden, none of
Which sub-treasury banks had sus-
pended payment, although other banks
of England and Germany had failed
He also mentioned Frederick the
Great and the Silesian banks as on the
principle Of a sub-treasury bank. He
denied that the national banking sys-
tenn was war measure; said tha, was
the use OF greenbacks that backed sue
cess, but plutocrats wanted to get rid
of greenbacks and then establi she'd
national banks so that the prosperity
of the people would be in other hands.
His main argument was directed to
establish the claim Of the land loan
and he assigned that lie SINE
would operate in case of nom
perishable home products. He depicted
in the worst terms possible the poverty
condition of the farmers, and
said in the demands of the Ocala plat
form was to be found the panacea for
all ills.
Tom Watson is forcible speaker, and
held the attention of his hearers. He
was frequently applauded. His speech
was quite eloquent.
SENATOR BUTLER
spoke for half an hour before dinner,
and at this writing he is still speaking.
He said in opening that he had been
severely censured for discussing the
bill at Prosperity. He had been berated |
and derided for exercising the right of
any citizen of expressing freely his
opinion and that in discussing the bill |
he was committing some crime. This |
bill had been decided upon as embody-
ing the wisdom and thought Of econo-
mists and lobbyists at Washington, and |
yet he should not discuss it without the |
of the bosses. He had never
expected the day to come in South
Carolina when he would not be allowed |
to express his opinion on any measure
first consulting the bosses. He
sal he had no intention Of acting in
bad faith.
Senator Butler said that he branded
as liar any man who said that he
said in his speech at Prosperity that
forty thousand farmers in South Caro-
Ina were thieves and scoundrels. Any
man who said that he said that those
who wanted to borrow at > per cent
lid not intend to pay back, is guilty Of
base falsehood and misrepresentation.
Senator Butler said he had lived too
long to pander to whims fdemagosues
and would not surrender
The expression Of his opinion for any
office within the gift of the people. He
the people would do him JUS
ice to say that when his services were
demanded in peace or war he had al
ways given them freely without stop
Ding to count the cost. They had
lonored him, perhaps, more than he
deserved, but he never intended to
sacrifice his judgment for office.
His friends had rebuked him fer not
Introducing bill that was impossible.
lie was not here to discuss the suhtreas-
iry plan. He had listened to his friend