The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-02-04
ALLIANCE NOTES.
RETRENcHMENT NEEDED.

DAYS ago, on the Holman resolution pro-
vidiug for retrenchment in expenditures
Mr. Livingston, president OF the Georgia
State Alliance, among other things sad
that from one end of the land to the
other, there existed to-day more destitu-
ton and distress than had ever before
been known in the history of the country.
1t was time for congress to call halt in
the making of unnecessary and reckless
appropriations. The cause of this dis
tr ess was large increase in taxation,
which to-day was five times as much as
it was in 1860. How could the produc-
ers of the country live under such sys-
tenn of taxation2 While the rate of taxa
tion had been increasing, the price of
products had been decreasing. Cotton
had gone down from 10 cents, 1860,
to 81 cents, in the city of Au-
gusta, Ga. What had gone down
in propol ton? The Legislation
of congress had increased taxation, and
had decreased the means of paying it.
Was it not time that the farmers and
laborers should be heard on this foor2
The resolution offered by the gentleman
from Indiana, Mr. Holman] not only
contained sound democratic principle,
but it was honest and statesman-like.
He did not see how any gentleman,
whether he belonged to the first, second
or third party, could do aught but sup
port it. The people were looking with
their eyes and listening with their ears
for some sign of relief from this congress.
Would they receiveit, or would they be
sent word, as they had been sent during
the last twenty-five years, "work on and
we will take care of the government" !"
The passage of this resolution would en-
courage the workingmen of the country,
and he gave it his earnest support.
~
THE sUB-TREAsURY BOILED DOWN.
Under the above headline the South
ern Alliance Farmer says: This one
plank in our D latform has caused more
contention among the old party hacks
than all the rest of our demands. 1t has
been the great drawback to our woul-be
democratic friends. They view it with
a perfect horror, a system which would
ruin the country at once, they say. Oh,
YES, they will tell you, we can take the
rest of your platform, but the snh-treas-
ury, we can't stand it. These same par.
ties and papers who pirate against tn.
su0-treasimy, know Simply nothing
about it. They have been lighting thu
air and have not succeeded in making 1
very lurried with common sense. Th'
sub-treasury system boiled dowr
and shorn of detail Is simply
this: The government should issue
direct to the people, upon good security,
sufficient amount of currency, at cost,
to do the business of the country upon
a cash basis.
This is all there is in.this demand, and
who can object to it2 Would it benefit
the merchant. the lawyer and the doc
tor9 Certainly, if the people who sup
port these professions are benefited.
There is no reasonable objections that
any honest man can urge against the sub
treasury system. Everybody had rather
do cash than time business, for in the
end both the customer and the mer-
chant are ruined when the credit
system is adhered to. Then let us all
ioin hands for the sub-treasury system
which means q sufficient volume OF
money direct from the government to the
people at a low rate of interest. All
men can stand on this plank except those
interested in robbing the people through
our present financial system. This is the
main plank in our Ocala demands, and
one that the country must have. Let us
accept nothing as compromise, but in
sist on having the government to control
our financial system instead of national
banks and plutocrats.