The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-06-25
GOLDBUGS ARE FEW.
They Cut Precious Little Fgure in
South Carolina.

They Cut Precious Little Fgure in
South Carolina.
A dispatch from Columbia says: One
who travels through South Carolina
cannot fail to come to the conclusion
that the state is in the hands of an
overwhelming majority of free silver
ties, The goldbugs still keep up the
fight, however, and they claim that
ssthe craze will soon die out soon
enough to prevent its having any Sc
rious effect on the future politics of the
state. At the present time one does
not have to go far to learn that the
financial policy of the national ad-
ministration is received with cordial
disapproval, and that President Cleve-
land could not muster corporars
guard of support in South Carolina in
race for third term.
In this connection it is interesting
to hear what leadingpolitician of the
state, and ore in good position to know
the sentiment of the people, has to say
on the subject. Said the gentleman:
ssSouth Carolina is undoubtedly an
overwhelming free silver state, and if
the other Southern States are as solid
for the white metal as South Carolina,
there can be but little hope for the
single standard advocates, as it is, [
believe, admitted that the west is solid
and the only hope of the goldbugs is
the South.
''Both the United States senators
and six out of seven congressman are
strong advocates of free silver, The
seventh congressman is from district
having on overwhelming republican
majority. The city of Charleston is
situated in that district and as that
city is probably in favor of the gold
standard, it controlled the selection of
the democratic nominee, and therefore
sent moDometallist, Colonel William
Elliott. This almost solid delegation
is conclusive proof of the sentiment of
the people. Probably in no other
state in the union have the free silver
ideas been more sedulously and sys-
tematically taught to the people than
in South Carolina.
:sThe reform party which controls
this state overwhelmingly is absolutely
a unit for the white metal. There are
parties, factions and schisms in the re-
form party that differ on every public
question except in their answering
advocacy of silver.
'sEvery reformer is an enthusiastic
advocate of free silver, while the oppo-
sition to the reform party IS by no
means unit for gold. In fact, If the
vote we're left to the conservative fac
ton alone to decide whether. South
Carolina should send a bimetallic or
single standard delegate to the next
national democratic convention, the
friends of silver claim that the free
silver delegates would receive decided
majority. There is no doubt but that
there is a growing sentiment among
the conservative faction in favor of
silver. This is due to two causes
First, to the depressed and distressing
state of affairs existing among all
classes; second, to the energy, enthu-
siasm and organization cf the free sil-
yer advocates.
ssThe free silverites are thoroughly
organized in every county in the state,
while the goldbugs are utterly unor-
ganized except that organization which
results from unity ofinterest, which,
of course, does not mean unity OF &C
tion. They seem to either rest con-
tented on resolutions passed by boards
of trade and the arguments of some
newspapers, which, however able, are
valueless IS they simply circulate
among those already enlisted II the
same cause.
son the other hand the bimetallists
have thoroughly educated the people
to their ideas. Low down on the bot
tom of the Peedee and the Edisto and
far up in the mountains of Greenviile
and Oconee, you find the commonest
and simplest people studying the fin
ancial problem. At every rural pic
mic, political meeting, church gather
ing or log rolling, you will find groups
of men and boys discussing politics
with the money question as the leading
and foremost topic. Such books as
Coins Financial School and Shy
lock- are read to the group by some
man, usually township alliance lee
turer, end the books are passed from
neighbor to neighbor until the book Is
literally worn out.
''The knowledge Of some Of these
people on the financial situation is tru-
y astonishing and the intelligent and
conclusive manner in which they dis
cuss and argue financial problems
with educated and well-resd men of
the towns and cities is noticed by
every observer.
'sIhat South Carolina will send
free silver delegation to the next ma
tional democratic convention is almost
beyond question, and it seems to he
pretty well understood that unless that
convention places plank in its plat
form advocating free silver in terms
clear cut and unequivocal, the delega-
ton from South Carolina will not con-
slider itself bound by the action of the
convention, for they will undoubtedly
withdraw from the convention