The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-14
- SUMTER. S. c., WEDNESDAY, MARCH IA, 1894.

year the shackles from 100000 white
political slaves, and We meet to-day
upon the level Of equal rights to all and
special privileges to none. Our Nation
al and State politics have become so
interviewer that it will be impossible
to discuss the one without the other,
and it is we'll that it should be, for our
greatest oppression comes from National
legislation. I do not propose to discuss
National affairs from any but Southern
standpoint Our country is too large
aud our interests too antagonistic to
think Of legislating for the whole with
out injuring one of its parts. The rule
should be to enact such laws as oppress
the fewest number of citizens, but the
reverse has been the case with our Con.
gress since the Civil War. :
The policy Of the North towards the
South and the West has robbed us
almost of our patrimony. Congress has
legislated for the robber barons to such
an extent that DOW Is, 600 people of our
sixty-6ve million own over one-half the
wealth Of our country, and one hundred
and twenty families in the North own
over one-twelfth of the wealth Of our
country ali obtained by financial
system Of government kept up for the
express purpose of robbiug the South
aud West.
When the Roman republic was
destroyed 1900 people owned all Of her
wealth. This state of affairs was sought
to be perpetuated by the government
issuing free corn to the farmers who
bore the burdens Of taxation, whenever
they threatened to overthrow it.
A like condition exist in our country
to-day. New York city is feeding
100000 unemployed, Chicago a like
number. aud nearly every large city in
the North is compelled to feed its starv.
ing laborers to keep down revolution
and anarchy.
Shall We not profit by the history of
past nations?
I thank God that such condition
does not exist in the South to-day. 1t
is not because the government has not
invited it, however.
We are blessed with country and a
climate where we can always be comfort
able and dig living out Of the ground.
and of this no one can rob us.
During the late panic I visited a
Northern city, and was asked if we
had a panic down South. I asked
what they meant by panic,
and I was told inability to get
money. My reply was that We had
seen no such thing for many years and
had learned to get along without it.
All we needed with money was to send
North to support the poor Yankee SOL
diers We killed during the war and to keep
Jay Gould and the millionaires from
starving and having their notes pro-
tested in New York.
It is wonderful to notice the growth
of these dead Yankees whom We planted
during the war. They have sprung up
like dragons teeth. 10 1870 there
were 198,686 on the rolls, and they
cost US S27, ,780,Sll.81. Last year
there were 966,012 and they cost us
S158, 5,342.51. Of this the South
pays one-third aud gets nothing in
return. We have paid since the war
enough pensions to buy State three
times as rich as the State of South Caro-
lima and ceded it to the North aud the
ball has just commenced. This would
not be so bad should it stop here. We
are being robbed more Systematically
by the present financial policy of. Grover
Cleveland than we were by Harrison
or the blacklist Republican living. We
were hooted at by the Democrats Of the
Nation for opposing the nomination OF
this man, and you heard great deal Of
Latimer resolutions, but they are with
us now and the Democratic party is
ready to pass similar resolutions. The
passage Of the bill demonetizing silver
vas the most iniquitous piece Of class
Legislation against the South and the
West that vas ever passed by any Con-
gress aud the result has clearly proven
it. The bill was passed by Cleveland
cuckoos and Republicans under the
leadership of John Sherman, aud IN
direct opposition to the silver plank OF
the Democratic platform which declared
for the free and Unlimited coinage Of
silver. The history of silver shows that
as it trises and falls SO goes cotton and
agricultural products. Our cotton crop
last year, based 90 the price Of silver in
1873, would have been worth over three
million Of dollars more than it actually
sold for had it Dot been for the passage
of the repeal BILL We have the
anomalous condition to-day of cotton
/