The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-03-07

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! The lrrepressible Conflict
| The worst calamity which can come
to country is for the masses OF the
people to be steeped in poverty.
Poverty means utter dependence and
absolute slavery to all who suffer fro
| it, and it is the fact that this sort of
poverty is being forced npon the Ameri-
can people that has set in motion all
manner of absurd and impracticable
socialistic notions OF securing relief.
1t would be out of place to attempt
here to catalogue the various unreason.
able devices suggested to arrest the
coming of the impending poverty; but
the most perniciors and the most incap-
able of giving any relief is the one that
appears to be most popular. namely,
the flooding of the country with depre-
ciated monev.
The idea is that, through the enact
ment Of laws creating and fostering
monopolies, the wealth of the country
is rapidly being gathered into the hands
of few. and the remedy proposed is,
not to fight monopolies, not to use the
power Of the people as centered in Con-
gress to break down the despotic and
Overwhelming trusts but to pour out
= Hood Of deprecated dollars, so that
the debtors can pay their debts at half
price, or some other reduced figure.
What would be most astonishing, If
there were not reason for it, is the
fact that the United States Senate is
the head and front of this deprecated
money movement. The Senate is tell
ing the people that their only hope to
meet the vast concentration of wealth
in the hands of few. and to protect
themselves against the overwhelming
power of the great trade inonopolies,
is to pay out deprecated dollars.
But nobody ever hears of the Senate
taking action to down the trusts, and
that is the secret of the Senate's won
derful advocacy of 5O-cent silver dol
lars for the people. The United States
Senate has long been ch aracterized as
the Government Rich Mems Club,
and it has rightly acquired that title
The Senate is always working in the |
interest of the wealthy and powerful
classes, and never for the poor. Every |
business man knows that no matter
what sort of money may be current,
the biggest part Of it will always flow
into the Golfers of the rich, and they
need not care whether it be gold, silver
or paper. 1t is the poor man who has |
but few dollars and who needs to make |
the most of them, that wants the best |
money that is made.
1t may be easy for people who have
been taught for thousand years that
classes of society are better than
and are entitled by right of
birth and descent to superior privileges
TO accept class distinctions and control:
but it is far otherwise with those who
have been taught that all men are
EQUAL before the law, and that no man
Is better than another simply because
of his superior wealth. When they
come to see that not only do riches
secure greater amount of luxuries
,nd indulgence. but that they receive
consideration from the law,
lnd gain for their possessors increased
power aod influence in public and pri-
rate affairs, and that there actually
rxis's in the country q privileged class
'r moneyed aristocacy, it is not
strange that there should be growing
up throughout the country a strong
ceiling of dissatisfaction at and dis
rust of the growing power of money.
In democratic country, where the
,eople rule. every avenue of advance
nent is open 10 everybody, and men
nust rise bv their talents ard their
,ersistsnt and well-directed exertiops,
md when, in that way, an Individual