The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-03-13
DIR. FELTON, DISCOURSES.

DIR. FELTON, DIsCOURSES.
Strength in Retirement from Active
Work lie Manffcsts His NigOr.
Near Gainesville, Ga, February 2I.-Edi-
tor Constitution: Although L am out OF
politics, feel constrained to thank you Tor
the noble defense you have made Tor SOUTH
ern people and southern business interests
during the fight against silver and the de-
termination of goldbug politicians to "recH
the finances of this government
believe the attitude of The Constitution
in regard to these matters has zone more
to educate the people Of Georgia than any
other one influence in the country curing
the present administration.
began to fear there would be no voice
raised in protest. II seemed as if we were
in the grasp of the "wreckers." False lights
and treacherous signals lured the people OF
the south into the support OF Mi CleVe-
land The people have been deceived by
the eastern leaders of the democratic or
SANITATION. Their confidence has been out
RACED and today the country STANDS IN the
presence of the most terrible financial crisis
known to this republic. The failures IN
business have heen innumerable-the loss
from shrinkage in values has been meal
culable; the suffering from reduced wages
has been appalling. Homes, comforts ana
even the necessities of life have passed
and grinding poverty is pressing our cltl-
zens in every section of the country, IN
every avenue of trade and production.
Railroads and banks are being wound up
by receivers, savings institutions are ais
apDearing furnaces and factories are sus-
pending, mining property is burden to the
owner, merchants are being driven by the
thousands into bankruptcy, employees are
standing "all the day idle" because 10 man
is able to hire them. Farmers, the
strength of the country, the primary source
of all wealth, have been reduced TO the
greatest straits. The farmers OF the south
are not realizing from the sales OF their
cotton the cost of production. In many of
the states after paying for labor fertilizers
and other necessary expenses, they nhu
themselves ineXtricably in debt.
Last year Georgia's taxable values de-
creased millions of dollars. rms year, III
my Judgment, the decrease will be much
greater.
1t is even worse among the productive
classes of the north and west. The shrink
age has been greater and the sufIerlhs
more intense than even in the south. Whhe
the south is not ACCOMPLISHING ana cannot
accumulate wealth under these depressing
influences, yet there is no one starving Tor
bread as in the north. Every man, white
or black can, if he WILL earn food and raj
ment.
Since the 4th day of last March there
have been more real values plotted oIt
of existence than were destroyed by the
late civil war.
The destruction of financial values during
the past year has been greater than was
ever known to this country during any
previous year of its history. The situation
has become so serious, the damage to prop
erty and wage labor so heavy that 1t be-
hooves every citizen to take steps TO reheVe
the country of the burden that is Cypress
how
any citizen of the state, of the United
States, who dares to question the policy or
the administration is insultngly repuked
by the beneticiaries of this Administrations
Any critic of the president is Immediately
branded as a traitor to democratic principles
and TO the best interests OF the southern
people. With regret l have also noticed
that democratic principles and the platform
of the democratic party sink into lnsignit-
canoe when the office seeker ana MS con
gresham unite to obtain the coveted posi-
ton 1t is deemed rank hereSy to advocate
democratic principles when they come III
open conflict with the supreme authority OIL
Mr. Cleveland and his high officials.
believe Mr. Cleveland and his trucking
followers in the house and senate are re-
sponsible for all the financial disasters
that are overwhelming this people, ana the
question arises, how long shall we Sacfilice
all that is valuable to US, 70 permit tins
c,1,, wearing the name Of democrat 10 be
able to wreck the financial prosperity OF
the United States
If any European premier had exercised
this authority against the rights OIL the ma
tion he would have been retired, but it ap-
pears to me that a hopeless supsefVlencE
to official autocracy has sett4eQ
down upon our representatives ana
senators in congress. l have not heard or
read Of an organized protest against TINS
usurpation by President Cleveland. Some lew
patriots it is true, have made mu'F4ouai
protests on the floor Of the house ana SEN
ate but the great majority are as help-ess.
and i1npotent as if bound III chains.
When a president OF the United states,
i'm the wear ISlt betrayed the party that put
him in power, the congressional representa-
lives and senators belonging to mat party |
in congress Immediately assembled In eau |
cus and among other things adopted the |
following resolution and ordered twenty |
thousand copies scattered among the |
American people. Mir. Kennedy, OF Mary |
land read the report of the committee, |
and .'proclairned to the nation that from |
that day forth all political alliance between |
them and john Tyler at end" |
that from that day those who brought the !
president into power, could no longer i'll |
any manner or degree, be held justly re-
sponsible or blamed for the administration |
of the executive branch of the government" |
Every member of his cabinet but one imme- |
diately resigned. Thus the wing party pro- |
tected its platform and preserved its inteSri-
tv to it's constituents. 1 am panied to say
there is no such political manhood yet ap-
Darent in Washington. We have reached |
a place where the desire to hold Office and |
weak subserviency to those who can be
stow office, has swallowed the instincts of
manhood and genuine patriotism and the
country is left to its present hard fate.
/ sat by my tireside few days ago and
watched the blizzard from the windows.
A storm Of seet and snow covered every
thing in sight, but the blizzard was not
colder or more general than the gloom and
distress which envelop every industrial
pursuit and business enterprise in the south.
Old Nero fddled as he watched Rome in