The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-01
rsr THE ISSUE TOBE BE wEEN PROP
rvrv Ann AGRAKIANI-M?

| 1HE JSSIE III DE DE
EKTY AND AGRAKIANI-H?
Amongst statements that southern MEM
hers Of Congress have made concerning
the veto OF the seigniorage bill, Mr.. Den
son, OF Alabama, said;
"rhe patronage heelers and the post
masters editors will approve tne
President; the other IS per cent. OF the
people will repudiate him.
Mr.. Talbert, Of South Carolina, saiu;
..The Democrats Of my State Will sun
be Democrats. but they VIII not be uphou-
ers of the President We must part from
him on the silver question. He ana ms
marty are ygorshiping at the shrine o. the
| golden calf of Wall street ana the money
power. We must make silver the issue. Inc
question being whether the dollar or the
citizen shall rule the country, whether
manhood or money shall make the laws
of the land. Unless the temper OF the
American people has changed there Is
no doubt as TO the result. We can no
longer follow the so-called leaders, VINO
have departed the Democratic faith.
This is n very fair sample of what is
generally said OF the veto by the south
| ern congressman.
We assume that when Mr.. benson spoke
| OF the IS per cent OF the people who
would repudiate the President, he re-
ferred to the people OF the Southern
States. We cannot of course. believe that
he had in his mind the great body OF
| the people contained in the territory north
of the Potomac river and east Of the
Rocky mountains. because the seig-
njorage bill received very little support
in Congress from the representatives and
senators from that heart and centre Of
the business and property Of the Union.
We suppose. likewise. that it WAS to the
heelers and postmasters' editors in the
southern States that he referred.
Now we want. as gently as possible, to
break It to Mr.. benson that he totally
underestimate the character of the sup
port which the President will receive in
the South, and its numerical strength as
well. For instance. the President will
have the unyielding support of The
Times. and we do not believe that esen
Mr.. benson would claim that The Times
is either ''postmasters' editors paper.
or that it belongs TO the ranks Of the
"heelers." Mr.. benson had as well un-
derstand right away that if he forces the
issue in the Southern States the President
is going to have the support Of an over
whelming majority of those people who
own their homes. or have a stake In any
other way in life. and. when the ranks
| OF that great body that he expects TO be
| with him are critically inspected, We
shall not be surprised If it turns out that
a large majority of them are nothing.
and owe debts that they are seeking
TO pay with moonshine To our mind the
| indications are all that the free silver
| politicians are forcing on the country
an issue between property. stability.
order and vested rights upon one side,
and the bankrupt and the rabble upon
the other The issue will amount to moth
| ing in the Northern and Central States,
but the free silver Popuiist party will
have powerful support in the Southern
! States, considerable support in the far
Western States, and the almost unanimous
support Of the silver States. Here we have
drifted along so negligently that the
machinery Of politics in the South has
| fallen almost everywhere into the hands
of machine men. The weapon with which
the machine politician fights is the stuff
| ed ballot-box. II, with the impending
shadow OF negro domination always at
elbow to alarm them, the people Of the
| South. who have q stake in life. are
going to sit supinely by and see the pOliu-
cal bosses rob them OF their rights at
the ballot-box, then the South may be
wheeled into line to support revolutionary
| rule. reputation of debt violation OF
contract. suspension OF all business. and
universal dry-rot.
But if these people realize what the
| contest means for them and rouse them
| selves 70 assert their natural rights OF
influence in society, then the South will
be held in line with the other conservative
parts Of the country. But II the fight
must come. The Times place will be
| no uncertain one. We shall cry aloId
| for maintaining what is, and spare not
| The Times banner shall float in the
breeze inscribed An honest ballot and
an honest dollar"