The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1893-09-13

the price of silver and OF cotton
which no one can intelligently ex-
plain. Last year when the anti op-
/ ton bill was under discussion the cry
was that the main cause of the low
price of cotton was due to dealing in
futures. This fallacy was exploded
by the rise in the price Of cotton and
the discussion of that subject when
it was shown by an array Of indisput-
able figures that the range Of prices
from 1850 to 1860 averaged 10 s5-l00
cents per pound, when in 1S6o'6l
the production of the country Was
| four million bales, and from 1880 to
1890, the average price was 1924
cents per pound, and the production
from 1e90-'91 was nine million bales,
with the further fact that the bales
of today are heavier than they were
thirty years ago. If prices were
effected by the quantity of silver
money in circulation, they would be
greatly higher now than they were
thirty years ago, for there is now
nearly fifty times more silver in the
country than then; and if prices
were determined by the amount OF
circulation, as would seem to be nat
ural, prices should be higher now
than in 1873, when the alleged crime
was committed against silver and
when the ejaculation per capita was
S18.04, while in 1893 it is S23.S0.
These indisputable facts should con.
vince usthat the Lack Of prosperity
among our agricultural classes isd9e
lasaasaaassar' s:;sh
of silver or the contraction Of the
currency.
While it is true that our farmers
can buy larger amount OF such
things which contribute to their COM
fort with the produce of their farms,
even at the present low prices, than
ever before, it is fact that they are
not prosperous and that the low
prices of their produce is one Of the
elements of their misfortunes.
The sixth d fusion is that there is
a creditor class in this country seek
ing to oppress the debtor class and
is in combination with corporations
for the purpose of reducing the re-
mainder of the people to poverty
and slavery delusion founded on
ignorance and prejudice the child Of
ignorance.
The truth is that Railroads, manu-
facturers and industrial corporations
are urlargest borrowers andit is their
interest that farmers should have
plenty of money SO that trade and
traffic and travel be increased. The
money lender is always unpopular, it
has always been SO; when in need and
we want to borrow he is benefactor
and friend, but when pay day comes,
he is tyrant and oppressor. Hate
full as he may be let him live that We
may borrow from him,
He made no pretentions to inan-
cering or political economy for bis
way of life led to other fields. The
business of making laws is serious
one and he realized the unavoidable
uncertainty which attends every
measure of legislation. The multi.
tudious facts of all recorded expert
ence tend to dispel the popular Nc
ton that the suferings of our people
are removable and that some
I body should remove them. The hare
worked and overburdened people O.
our land are looking to us with eagel
faith, their passions have beer
aroused and sheir desires infamec
by builders of political air castles
who have dilated upon the possibili
ties of relief, and developed delusiv'
and groundless hopes being 81
aroused are not disposed to listen tt
those who are somewhat acquainted
with laws which govern human affair
and are accustomed to consider thei
mandates and limitations. Their
never was time when men shoult
be more tolerant of each others opin
ions. This is an age of doubt AM
uncertainty, the whole world seem
out of joint. The vast change
wrought by new inventions with thei
accompanying displacement of labo
} and disloeation of capital have III
settled everything in the materia
world. The foundation of religion
> beliefs have been shaken in th
} moral world and there is an anxiou
sense of impending change through
/ out Christendom. What will be th
/ outcome of these moral and materi,