The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1895-01-05
A PROSPECT AND RETRosPECr.
Thoughts That Come to Reflex as the
Old Year Dies.

Thoughts That Come to Reflex as thu
| Old Year Dies.
: Are we. as People. as Well and Wisely
| Governed ~ we Think.
GRAYsPoRT, MISS, Dec. 81, 1894. !.
| Editors Sentinel: "A mother Christina,
has come and gone, and we find our
selves upon the threshold Of q new
year. The old year with its joys and
sorrows, Its burdens and cares, its
successes AID failures will soon be nun'
bered with the things that we're. 1t ii
a time for meditation and for thought.
All classes and professions review
! their lives at this season of the year.
| The merchant, the speculator, the
farmer, the plesaure seeker, the politi.
clan, in fact all who think at all, find
themselves reviewing the past year.
This night find us philosophizing
thusly: Asa people how and where do
we standp Arc We on the high road to
/ prosperity and content, or are We face
to face witha q national decadence? Is our
! civilization failue, and our finan-
cial system y humbug2 Are wo the
well-governed, happy and prosperous
people that in the years past was the
proud boast Of every American citizen!
These thoughts intrude upon us as the
dying year goes out with a thousand
other thoughts and problems difficult
! to solve. Many things that we thought
we knew, when carried TO the last anal
ysis, are but imperfectly kapwn. We
have passed and are passing through
an ordeal that has severely taxed the
American people. No such complica.
tion since the days that marked our first
struggle for independence has been
thrust upon US. The most astute busl-
ness men stand appalled, and utterly
confused when they attempt to grapple
with and solve the grave questions
daily coming up. Our lawmakers. from
some cause, are utterly powerless to
give the necessary relief through legis-
latitn. The chapters Of crime us pre-.
sented through the columns Of our
news e'apers day by day are simply APP
palliug. Murder, arson, rape, embez-
element, forgery and highway robbery
are the common occurrences Of each
day. What has caused This carnival Of
crimeY What has driven them into
this whiripooly II II abad legislationy
II 50, in.sAeu;lne ol God .lnd justice, in
proad record Of an hundred years, let
our statesmen pause and consider the
ruin, disorder and violence tina: has
come upon US. Day by day strong men
with willing hands are driven into the
ranks OF the great army Of tramps and
criminals. Millions of our people find
it difficult to get starvation wages, and
in their desperation their hand is
turned against every man. They kill,
butcher aud steal, hold up and rob rail
way trains, murder their own families
and finally end the mad career in sui
eide. This condition Is 'derlorable, and
If created by the government, as many
contend, we need new deal, a purging
out, u general oserhauling from bottom
to top. from head to foot. Are we gov.
erned by Shylocks insteud Of states
menY Are our representatives there to
carry out the decreas Of Wall street,
and ..all street to obey instructions
from the money kings OF Europe II
such are facts, then indeed has the gov
ernment deliberately created the hard
times of which We complain. IN maxi
ing the gold standard they have affect.
ed every producer and wage-earner III
the land. Commerce and industry
has been paraiyzed, confidence has been
destroyed capital has retired to the
strong vaults of the few, and men have
given themselves up to doubt and des-
perution. The snrinkage Of values and
sudden fnll Of prices created panic
widespread and fearful IN Its results.
II IL \ question now, not how we shall
prosper, but how shall We existy
The people have waited and waited,
and trusted their public servants tor
some measure ot relief, but the presi.
dent and tho Congress are at cross
purposes. When one will, the other
won't, and SO 1t goes. Talk, talk. all
talk, and nothing done, and was there
ever II Congress assembled that pre-.
sented 20 pitiable spectacle as the b: es-
entY Was there ever such an Opp0r.
tunity for the grand old Democratic
party to pull US through the present
troubles Ms II has often. done In the
past, and made for itself an honorcd
name as the party Of the people, and
with banners proudly floating Ii could
and did proclaim itself the United
Democracy, the party OF the people, for
the people and by the people. Did we
make y mistake when We elected Mr..
Cleveland IA a Democrat. His stub
born opposition 70 many Of our cher
ished Views would indicate that We
did. AZ some writer puts It, almost
10 better than the present
state Of affairs. A foreign war, an 10
Aated currency, fiat money, anything
that will revive trade and industry and
give the people plenty Of work al good
wages would be preferable 10 the stu
pid policy which 10 rapidly turning
this O0untrv intO 4 land ri iiso,,3er