The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-10-04
The Finance Question Concluded.
EDITORS INrELL1aENcER: I ha

EDITORS INrELLIaENcER I have
never cared to engage in personal con-
troversy. For this reason [ have not
seen fit to reply to certain criticisms
made upon my first article. Twill not
be side-tracked. If there be any
thrust in my former articles, they are
aimed at the political issues Of the
times rather than individuals. [ pro-
test that I have not thrown at any
particular individual, and I do not
know that I have hit any one. If any
many ask "did you mean me ?" my
only reply is, do.you recognize your
own picture in the group and if the
cap fits you, then wear it.
The money question is big one,
and upon its proper settlement de-
pends the future prosperity Of the
commerce and wealth of this country.
Should discredit be thrown upon our
currency by false step, the laboring
man, as in the past, will be the one to
suffer most. As to gamblers and
spectators it makes practically little
difference with them. We need not
trouble ourselves as to the result OF a
fight among sharks. They will not
bite us if we keep out of their tolls. |
am somewhat surprised to learn that
the vehement rantings of certain
Congressman are taken as facts. The
Sgures I furnished were derived main
ly from the reports made by the late
Comptroller of the currency and direc-
tor Of the mint. So far as [ know,
Mr.. Preston, director Of the mint, had
but a short time submitted state
ment from which some of my fig
ures were taken, and | supposed not
many of the Congressman had seen it,
so as to disprove it, as 1 have not seen
any reference to it in any of the
speeches on the silver question. I'm
til John J. Knox, late Comptroller Of
the currency, Edward 0. Leech, direc-
tor of the mint, and Preston, acting
director of the mint, are proven to be
frst-class liars, utterly unworthy Of
belief, and that those Congressman,
who it is claimed have disproyed the
facts, are the embodiment Of all truth
and honesty, then 1 shall believe the
former. It will have to be demonstra-
ted upon higher authority than the
average Congressman, whose principal
business seems to be grinding his po:.
liticaz aces rather than legislating in
the interest Of all the country. Our
people would do we'll to take little
salt when asked to swallow, without
question, such authority.
The only apology, therefore, have
for appearing once more before your
readers is that, I may, if possible,
give some information and suggest
some thought towards enabling such
Of your readers as may seek informa-
tion on the question Of money, to ar
rive at reasonable conclusion as to
what is to their best interest. Proba-
bly, all may not arrive at the same
conclusion that I have reached, and
may not be willing to apply lessons
from the past as I would apply them.
But I believe that the heretofore
staunch Democrats of Anderson Coun-
ty, and of all the whole State, are go
ing to be importuned to throw away
their allegiance to their party to cast
their lot with the Populists Of the
West and Northwest. To such as en-
bark upon the sea of Popuzism, [ be-
lieve they will find their ship under
the control Of cranks, who are driven
about the sea of politics for no other
purpose under the sun than to get the
people to put them into Office. The
time seems to be ripe for their nefari-
GUS schemes. The discomfort among
laboring men is being famed into a
hame-passion is appealed to, riots,
murders, arson and mob-law have
been, and are now, the legitimate
fruit Of the sophistries of the dema-
gogue.
In my last COMMUNICATION I referred
to some Of the wildcat hobbies of the
past. Let US examine them a little
further and then try to learn lesson
from the experience of others. I am
aware of the fact, however, that "the
world don't ask to be instructed, they
simply ask to be amused and cheated. !"
The main authorities shall rely upon
are the historian, Macauly, and Judge
Thomas M. Cooley. They are as high
authority as we ordinary people need.
I say ordinary people because it seems
we have few extraordinary men,
whose preconceiyed notions and preju-
dices are the zenith Of all human wis
dom and knowledge, and therefore
they accept no authority that is not
measured by their Procrustean bed.
AS wisdom will die with these men,
they will not care for authority, much
less for facts, because they can manu-
facture facts on the shortest notice to
base sophistry, which with the ig-
norant is better than argument or rea-
son.
After the dissolution of the House
of Commons and the new election in
1895, Macauly says: "It was Of the
highest importance that the House of
Commons should at that moment be
disposed to cooperate cordially with
the King, for it was absolutely ncc-