The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-04-20
Mr.. WATSON'S VIEWS.
CURRENCY REFORM. TARIFF REOUC
TON, TRANSPORTATION.
The Democracy Divided and Inc compel ent
to Adjust These Great Questions Salts
factory.
1nterview in Atlanta Constitution.

/ Interview in Atlanta Constitution
Il think that Mr.. Cleveland ough'
| to be judged like any other pub
lie man. | think that we ought Il
concede that he means what he say,
and honestly entertains the views he
expresses. That being the case, il
Is utterly impossible 70 believe that
he is IA bimetallist in the sense that
or The Constitution are bimetallists
He may be willing to have silve,
coin, but he wants gold to measure its
value, or wants it as token money.
The belief is based on his Warner
letter of 1854, upon his letter of last
year, and upon his inaugural ad.
dress itself. think that NJ. Cleve.
land Is thoroughly imbued with what
we call the Wall street idea of f.
nance-that gold ought to be the
only money 50 far as measuring val
ues is concerned, and | think that he
intends to build up a party on that
line, for every member of his Cabi-
net was thoroughly sifted on that
question, and such men as Blount.
Bland, Culbertson and others, who
had deserved recognition by twenty
years Of faithful service, were passed
over and man with a thirty day
reputation, like Mr.. Smith, was la
borously hunted up and thrust to the
front, as a Presidential adviser.
my own opinion is, from observa-
tons made during my service in
Washington, that the Southern and
Wester Democrats are heartily in
favor of an increase of our currency
and the adoption of some method
which would give the people "a
chance to get some of it, but the
Eastern and Northern wings of the
party represent almost exclusively
the creditor class, the money-lending
interests and the national banking
interests, and those men do not IA
vor the continuance of the system
by which the national banks have a
monopoly of the issuing of the eur
rency and charging the business
world what it pleases for it.
WHERE MR.. CLEvLAND STANDS.
"Mr. Cleveland evidently sides
with the North and East. His dec
larations show it, his appointments
show it, his affiliations show it and
the legislation which he is endeav-
oring to press forward emphatically
shows it. There never was an ad-
ministration more favorable to what
we call the Wall street money pow
er than Mr.. Cleveland's former one.
Tie report of the Secretary of the
Treasury in that administration
shows that at one time the enormous
sum of 500 ,000, 900 of the tax money
of the people was a free deposit with
the national bank, fund which they
could lend to the business men at
enormous profits at the very time
when these tax-papers were clamor-
ing against high taxes, for more
money and for some method by which
they could escape the exactions of
the creditor class.
Mr.. Cleveland being strong man,
firm in his convictions, he will un-
doubtedly adhere to his previous
policy and public declarations. That
being SO, the Southern and Western
Democrats have either to submit to
seeing all their views disregarded
and the interests of their constituents
ignored, or they must seek other af-
fihations which will give them the
opportunity of carrying out convic-
tions that are as dear to them as Mr..
Cleveland's can be to him.
''There is scarcely plank in the
national Democratic platform that
can be truly said to voice the feelings
of the South on the questions of f.
nance and taxation.
THE SPLIT ON THE TARIFF.
Take, for instance, the tariff.
The platform declares for reduc-
ton of tariff duties. What the South
means by this is so material re-
duction that it would eventually
lead to free trade, which is the ira
ditional position of the South on that
question. Interpreted by Mr.. Cleve-
lands letter of acceptance, free trade
is merely an impossible specter, and
what he means by tariff reduction is
a little trimming of tariff schedules
with no very substantial reductions.
AS matter of fact, The Constitution
is right when it says that we must
have an income tax and for the simp-
lest OF reasons-Our national eXpen-
ses for four years have been $500, ,0O0,-
600 per year. Knowing how things
are done at Washington, and how
irresistible are certain tendencies in
legislation, dc, not believe that our
annual appropriations are going to
be materially reduced, We must.
therefore, consider that we have to
tax the people $500, 900, 900 per year.
The present method of raising income
is by internal revenue taxes and tariff
taxes, and both these sources of in
come are now insufficient and some
of the most reliable calculators figure
out an actual deficit this year. That
being the case. how are we TO reduce
the tariff taxation by free trade or
any other sort of bills unless we
adopt some other method of taxa
ton! Ii the national Democratic
platform had called for an income
tax we could see pledge of sinceri-
ty In the statement that tariff taxes
are to be reduced, for we could see
where they We're to get the money
to make up this deficit. But as long
as the millionaires themselves frame
the platform, as they did last year,
and do not make any reference to an
income tax, how are we, as reasonable
men, to think they will reduce the
taxes that even now are insufficient
to support the Government!
THE INCOME TAX IMPERATIVE.
"These enormous fortunes are con-
sidered everywhere as a source of
danger to the republic. One hun
| dred millions of dollars are not nee
essary to any mans comfort or hap
piness- They do the individual no
good and they are a standing menace
they have been accumulated mostly
| in great financial centers by reason
1 e II, L.