The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-05-15
GORDON TO THE FRONT.

/ SAsDoIN NJ CItSNAs
Why No Commonweal Armies Are
Marching From the South-The Re-
peal of the Ten Per Cent. Tax the
Simplest Remedy.
WASHINGTON, d. O., May 10.-It re-
manned for General Gordon, from his
seat In the Senate today, to call the at
tention OF the country to the fact that
the South was furnishing no troops to
the Gommonweal armies marching up
| on the capitol, and to drive home to
the minds of the people the fact that
these foolish and incendiary move
ments were the logical result of the
twins, protection and paternalism.
| When the Coxey resolutions, offered
| by Allen, wero called up this morning,
Georgias senior Senator was recognize
| ed. He spoke for twenty minutes. The
| galleries were crowded when he COM
| menced, and he was soon surrounded
by his Democratic colleagues. He
spoke without notes and his speech
was splendid in temper and exalted in
tone.
His reference to the South and her
devotion to the constitution were full
of eloquent fervor, frequently eliciting
applause from his auditors. General
Gordon said in part:
Looking at this movement (refer-
ring to CoXey) from Southern stand
point feel that a great political les
son might be learned from it, which it
becomes Congress to heed. The in
spiration of this movement is in pater-
nalism, theory of government which,
II adhered to, will increase this brood
OF illonened movements. Its origin
was in great central State (Ohio), its
father and force came from people
noted for their intelligence, enterprise
and wealth. Its divisions and corps
were moving upon the capital from
every section, save one, the South
1t Is the duty of Congress-" he con-
tinued, to note this marvellous OK
emption of whole section from the
new born and widespread agitations,
and inquire into the reasons for such
marvellous exemption.
1t matters not whether the lesson
taught by such exemption comes from
one or another section, whether it was
taught by the North or the South,
every wise legislator and every lover
OF this whole country would heed that
lesson and profit by it when he under
stood it.
This exemption" he continued,
lis not due to the presence of wealth
or the absence of poverty for tho South
is still poor. 1t is not due to a redun-
dancy OF the currency for there is a
great dearth OF it. 1t is not due to in:
ternal improvements and it is not due
to bounties Or pensions for we receive
neither, directly or indirectly, from
protected industries.
Let 1T be conceded If you will, that
this exemption is due in a measure to
the contented negro laborers whose
wants are few, in part to the genial
climate and prolific soil, in part to the
TACT that the white population are of
purest Anglo-Saxon blood, devoted to
law and order as we'll as liberty. Still
the overshadOwing reason remains to
be given. 1t is that the war and it's re-
suits taught our people to look else
where than to general government for
relief that the sternest of taskmasters
was necessity; to lean not upon the
legislative arm but upon their own
right arm; to trust not to Congression-
al PROMISES but to Gods promises that
the rain should fall upon, and the har-
vest come, to him who labors.
This thought has developed the
self-reliance and manhood of that peo-
plea people loyal to the country, it's
ilag, its traditions, its forms, it's con-
stitution and its laws. Their funda-
mental thought is not that the govern
ment Is to feed them or relieve their
wants, but that the government is the
agent, the paid agent, of the people,
to which the people must contribute
from their substance to it's support, and
their blood, if need be, in its defense.
In this monumental fact is found
the reason that the South does not fur
nlsh any recruits to the so-called army
OF tho Commonweal of Christ, moving
upon the capital to demand visionary
and unconstitutional measures"
General Gordon, after developing
this fact at some length, and with
great force, declared that the proper
and only remedy was to de-centralize
the government as far as may be con-
sistent with safety, to divert public at
tention from the general to the State
government, to clothe the States with
the power as the founders of this gov
ernment intended they should be to
deal with these socialistic problems,
and to furnish sufficient local cur
rency to meet the wants of local COM
munities.
He said that the first and prime
necessity in this program of de-centra-
llZation as well as relief was to remove
the tax from State bank issues. He
showed the ability of the States to fur
nish safe and sufficient currency for
esii ''Stti iosbhfoaSVioilo. os I1C lIlVOkcQ INC
immediate attention of the finance
committee and of the Senate to the
necessity of such action in view Of the
present threatening condition of the
| country. He stated that if such a pri-
vilege wero granted to Georgia he
would answer for the result. That it
would put an end to the panics and
make his State absolutely independent
of the financial centers.
This would be the local effect" he
concluded, "while it will save the re-
public from these threatening move
ments which are in so many sections
filling the public mind with uncer-
tainty and alarm"
General Gordon was warmly ap-
plauded when he concluded, and con-
graduated by his colleagues. He was
in excellent form, and his remarks,
necessarily curtailed as they are in this
dispatch, will show that he has added
to his reputation as an orator and
thinker and above all defender of his
section.
1T is TOTAL PROHIBITION.