The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-09

He SAYS we are blindly fighting against the
gold kings as a benefit measure for the silver
kings, while cur interests stand unprotected.
Well, let US stop and see as to the. ~soundness
or falsity of that assertion. At the hrst
will remind the reader that it is conceded by
all that supply has nothing to do with liking
prices on the worlds staple commodities, SUCH
as wheat, corn and cotton. For instance,
men starve and lose their homes raising wheat
or corn for market, and we down South go
almost naked and deprive ourselves most aw.
fully, in attempting to furnish the world with
cotton at 6 cents per pound.
Now, why is this the case? simply because
the Sholocks have decreed that nothing but
Is $40 grains of gold shall be a legal tender
for a dollar. Now, who owns the worlds
gold? Why the creditor Of the world. And
how conservative be seems and benign,
when We come and own up that we have no
gold to pay Without we have silver, cotton,
corn and wheat. Well, says be, India, Mex
leo, Russia aad South America are Offering
the same, and at less than you desire; how
about it? we'll we will have to take q little
less, and when we come again the competition
is 6ercer, and we take a little less, and so will
we c%ontinue to do, until just such as Prof.
Means will in time advise Us to take 3 cents
for our cotton instead of risking a war with
England, for you know the English collect
their interest if Necessary at the muzzle of the
cannon.
How different would our conditions be if
our government would coin silver as we'll as
gold. Instead of languishing in the confines
Of q single market, we would be free to trade
direct with a thousand; the power OF gold
--.t5 h--z-.1~S L.@<L> soon.,nns4r- 3
silver it would bid strongly for our BUSH
ness against the silver people, who, by the
way, comprise three-fourths of the earth's
soon be free from entangling debts, the torch
of liberty would soon blaze forth, and this
great nation of sincere workers and true pa
triots would again be free. The South alone
would have ESQ millions of silver annually
to coin or for use in exchange form TO settle
foreign balances or other debts.
He, the Professor, says the silver men de-
sire nothing more or less than to sell 40 cents
worth Of silver for $l.29. Now, as a matter
of fact, it costs more than so cents per ounce
to mine silver, and at that price two-thirds of
the silver mines in the United States have
been compelled to shut down. And further,
if that is the only motive which actuates
them why do they stand by the South for
free and Unlimited coinage of silver and not
demand what they can easily get, the coinage
of Americas product. The professor offers
as a paaacea for all cur woes, an issue of
bank notes. Right here let me ask, was the
condition of the slave bettered by the return
of his master from the springs? Notone whit,
neither will our condition be meliorated by
bringing closer to our doors that fell Destroy
er of human liberty-banks Of issue. The
only effect would be to hasten dissolution.
The Banks own the world to-day and the in
crease thereof, just as absolutely as the
Romish Priests did during the dark ages.
We want no more banks of issue, but the
crying need of the hour is to broaden the
basis of exchange with foreign nations, so
that our export producers can realize a profit
on labor expended and capital invested.
Local currency issued to the depth of three
feet throughout the South would not add
one-eighth of a cent per pound to the price
of our cotton, we would still be under the
necessity of going to England and buying q
gold dollar in order to handle one local dol
lar. Time checks never have to my knowl-
edge, increased the wages of mill hands.
Extend this bank feature no farther, but.
rather let bank and state be at once divorced.
W. A. JAMES, il.
Christian Adcocnte please copv.