Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-03-28

the demonetization of silver by the
leading nations of the world. He
argues that this fall IS because ot
the previous government action
and no one can disprove this. He
has not lost heart in his fight fol
free silver. He has got his second
wind. The repeal law last fall nc
more ended the strife than Cleve,
lands defeat in 1888 was the death
of tariff reform.
But the strongest counts in his
indictment against the govern.
ment are connected with the gen.
eral appropriations and the rail
road question. In the past civies
have been created by the breath of
rulers. st. Petersburg has sprung
out of the marshes of the Baltic.
Berlin has taken on a second
growth through the confederation
Of Germany. What is Washington
itself but the stroke of Presi-
dents pen? How much have the
vast sums voted by Congress aided
in the upbuilding of New York?
Then add millions that have been
put into public buildings, into
river and harbor improvements.
The half million people in Balti-
more have public buildings many
times the value of such structures
in rural community of the same
population down South or out
West. Of course in all wise inter-
nal improvements the farmer in
directly gets the benefits, but the
profits-which are sometimes enor-
mous-all 60 to urban contractors
and dwellers. We must have these
expenditures, but they ought to be
as widely distributed as possible.
The congestion of people at a few
points is pretentious evil and the
engine of domination should he
careful not to encourage this Gen.
tralization.
In the postofice there is much
tender solicitude to serve the city
patron. A carrier brings his mail
before breakfast and keeps up his
kind visits all through the day.
But the farmer, who at bottom
pays for at least half of this lux
ury, can plod through alush and
snow in winter, heat and dust in
summer for one, three, five, ten,
is some need for an energetic
wholesale merchant to receive his
letters three or four times a day,
but no one can satisfactorily ex-
plain why deliveries should be
made oftener than once day in
the resident portions of a large
city. The average friendly letter
is a very airy affair, and it is safe
to say that not more than one in q
million of them grows stale by be.
ing a day older. If a country
family can wait not one day, bu'
one week, or one month for such
gassamy nothings, surely a city
family ought to be satisfied with
one daily mail. The money thus
saved could be spread for better
advantages in the farming dis.
tricts.
If a farmer wants a book he must
pay postage at the rate of 8 cents
a pound. On cheap paper-bound
volumes this is very serious ad.
ditional percentage. But people
in cities have the bookstore and
can buy without a cent of postage
Efforts have been. made to reduce
the postage, but the express lobbies
have always been strong enough tc
head off the farmer. For millions
of these farmers the only higher
education they can get is to read
good literature. Literature is g
university itself. Public schools
are freq and the mails ought to be
as near free as possible.
The farmer has absolutely nc
safe means of sending money
through the mails. At his little
neighborhood postof1ice he can ge
no money order. He musi trus
his money to registered letter
and if this is lost the postal off
cials complacently try to trace thu
loss, but very seldom or ever do
But in cities a man can obtain {
money order and be guaranteed
against even shadow of loss.
But the evil of evils for thO
farmer is the railroad. 1t wa