The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-31
had not been in twelve years, was at

| had not been in twelve years, was at
the Indian Spring. Also was there
Governor Troup. He was resident of
Laurens County and large cotton
planter, having several plantations.
There would be quite a company sur
| round the ex-governor at Intervals IN
what we then called the piazza, now
the veranda, to hear him talk. He was
q very interesting talker, and knew the
inside history of many important
events that had taken place at Wash
iueron city which he would relate. The
glorious news of the rise in cotton
ccme during one of those conventions.
Well" says the governor, sit comes
st a caod time for me. have two
crous on hand, besides the one grow
ing" General Hartwell Fl. Tarver was
present, who was larger planter than
the governor, his plantations, being in
Twiggs and Baker, but the general was
always q reacher out for more lands
and slaves, and did not hold his cotton,
He spraug up from his chair as sudden
as could be, and said: ''By the eternals,
I always said you were the w!sest man
in Georgia" There is no doubt we
have fallen upon "hard times" and
the future looks dark, but in this, as in
other things, I take consolation from
the good old wife who had discoDso-
late husband who could see nothing
but disaster in the future. She would
console him by saying: "Never miud.
old man; somehow we will get along"
have confidence that ''somehow we
will get along"
RICHARD 81. CLARK.
Atlanta, Ca, October 20, 1894.
HARD TINES FIFTY YEARS AGO.
The reminiscent article from the pen
of Judge Richard II. Clark, which we
print in another place, has two-fold
interest. It not only recalls the memo
ries of the past, but has q tendency to
encourage those who are disposed to
take disconsolate and hopeless view
of the hard times that are now upon
US. The moral of it lies in this-that
no matter how hard the times are peo-
pie will get along somehow. In their
entirety-in their large results--events
continue to be shaped, as In the days
of the prophets, by hand that is
mightier than any human force, by
ruler that is wiser than presidents and
Congresses; and in some way or other,
and in good time, that mighty hand
will lead this people out of the troubles
and difficulties that are 80 burdensome
now. There is immense consolation
in this for those who are inclined to
take rational view Of human affairs.
When all is said and done we come at
last to the truth that lies at the bottom
of the we'll of bitter waters: Man pro-
poses but God disposes; and all troubles
and hardships shape themselves to bis
inevitable purposes in the end.
Historically, Judge Clark's article is
as interesting and as timely as any
thing we have ever printed. He re-
calls the financial troubles and tariff
agitation of fifty years ago, and to those
factors ascribes the low prices and hard
times that prevailed. In 1887, cotton,
which had been selling for II cents and
even 20 cents pound, began suddenly
to decline and for more than ten years
ruled at 6 cents-sometlmes falling to
and less aud sometimes going little
above.
What was the cause? Ifary impar-
tial student will examine the dua. ial
history of those years, he will be struck
by the fact that the same cause that
produced low prices aud hard times
from 1887 to 1s49 is active in producing
them now-namely, the contraction Of
the money supply. This contraction
was due partly to natural causes and
partly to artificial causes. The natu-
raj causes were the gradual exhaustion
of the gold and silver mines OF the
world, and the relatively small addi-
tions that were made to the stock of
gold and silver-the money of final
payment. The artificial causes con-
sisted in the efforts of the United States
bank and its branches to embarrass
Andrew Jackson, who, with the people
of the country behind him, was en-
deavoriug to abolish the institution.
The bank finally fell, but it had man
aged to obtain so much influence that
it was able to contract the circulating
medium of the country, and thus inJure
the best interests of the people.
We present here little table show
ing the highest and lowest prices of
cotton 10 New York city from 1887 to
1850, inclusive. The figures are official: