Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-02-26
CONFIDENCE.
Sam Jones Moraliges on the pros-
ent Financial Depression.
How Toss OF Confidence Affects tho Bnsi.
moss, Social. Church and Individual
Lfs-The Strained Condition
Cannot Last Long.
tCoPYRIGHr, 1851

Confidence lost and confidence re.
stored are two expressions that we hear
oft repeated from the lips of men. How
few OF us realize the infinite distance
between these two.
There is no :nofe wretched condition
OF things FOR the human race U.ah to
say chat, as man between man, con-
fdence Is lost or confidence is lacking.
Confidence enters as an elemens into
nearly everything. To say that con-
fdence Is restored when It really Is,
then you place humanity In It's best
condition, and man toward man in
their very best attitude. Men condone
and forget many offenses, and it is
down long hill to the bottom when
confidence is lost. 1t Is up and up
long, slick weary hill back to where
confidence can be said to be restored.
The trouble with our country to-day
Is that the people have lost conf
dence in the party in power, and the
party In power has lost confidence in
itself, and hence the paralysis that
rests upon the country to-day, the
condition Of things which calls forth the
most distressing message ever sent
from the white house to the legislative
halls. Mr.. Cleveland pleads like PEN
itent and philosophers like a states
man in that paper. This thing we call
want Of confidence seems to get in the
air; we imbibe it as we breathe, and,
like the subtle thing we call malaria,
it creeps into every fiber of man and
paralyzes his vital forces, lies his
brain and makes him do the wrong
thing at the right time and the right
thing at the wrong time. 1t is bad for
the creditor and worse for the debtor;
1t cripples and hurts commerce, stops
the machinery of manufacturers and
throws upon the country idle workmen
by the thousands. Confidence lost
either in the ability or willingness of
men to do what they have prom
ised to do, or ought to do, prom
ise or no promise. may have
confidence in mans ability to pay or
to do, but it takes both ability and riN
iagness to do, to restore confidence be-
tween man and man. Many men are
willing to do and willing to pay, but
they are not able. Many people are
able but not willing.
There is no phase of human life that
Is not affected in times like these; our
national life is affected involving our
national credit; our commercial life is
involved and the great currents of
trade are checked and checkmated.
Social life is involved; the church life
is involved; the individual life is in
volved. These various currents in
which the human life flows, each is af
fected, and will make man lose faith in
man. 1t hurts the social life and the
church life just as it hurts the CONNER
cial life. Whatever restores faith in
humanity is blessing to the social life
and benediction to the churches
themselves. Human nature at its best
Is not always sweet and good and ami
able. Whatever produces resentment,
crossncss and meanness affects charac-
ter, and the character of the people de-
termines the character of the nation.
If every man knew that every other
man was honest; If every man knew
that every other man was true; if every
man knew that every other man was
pure, such knowledge as this would
not only change the relations Of men,
but it would change conditions and
make life worth living.
To go into the sacred precincts of the
homes, as many business men do, care
worn, with business trials staring them
in the face, never made a man better
husband, a better father or a better
Christian. We worry more than we
work, as there seems to be more worry
on hand than there is work to do. To
worry every day and to have to worry
every day is discredit to our religion
and our hopes. Rats never carried corn
into their abodes and dens with more
selfshness than the capitalists are TAX
ing gold from the treasury OF the
United States.
The average citizen looks upon the
depletion Of gold in the United States
treasury for the last few months with
much curiosity and much contempt.
This is what cuts the foundation from
under the structure; before the build
ing is finished the superstructure falls.
Wheat has touched its lowest point;
cotton lower than ever before; the
staple products of the west and south
have already reached point that de-
mands the attention of all our people.
The cry is: less cotton to be planted,
less wheat sowed; but the ex-
changes in Chicago, and Wall street,
and London, and Liverpool all settle
the price on every pound of cotton and
every grain Of wheat raised by the
sturdy, honest farmer, all the same.
We want work for the laborer, GUS
toners for the merchant, traffic for the
railroads, demand for the products OF
the manufacturer, converts for the
preachers. Along these lines when the
farmer shall be paid price for his
product that will enable him to meet
expectations of the merchant, and the
laboring man shall receive wages which
will make him q good customer to the
merchant; when tho interchange OF
traffic shall keep the railroads busy and
men will be guided to conviction OF
the right under the voice OF the minis
try, and SO on, and so on. then oui' con-
f3dcuce will be restored as between man
and man and prosperity will come to us
again. We are not doing enough with
what we have got. Idle mules IN tne
lot are consuming the reserve forces OF
the farmer; idle clerks win break down
any mercantile house; empty trains
will bankrupt auy railroad; empty
seats will sidetrack any preacher; ioie