The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-08-05
Very Embarrassing.

Under the title, "Would Support
Mckinley, But - the Sumter
Item of yesterday says
ga good many democrats would
know what to dc in this crisis-if the
other party were not unhappily the
most corrupt and corruptipg political
organization on the face of the earth. !"
News and Courier
1t is easy to see in what direction
the News and courier would 60 did
it dare follow it's inclination TAX
ing the above paragraph as an express
sion of the opinion now entertained
by the News and Courier, we should
put that paper down as supporter
of Mckinley and the republican plat
form, but it is deferred from going
over bodily and openly to the repub.
lican party. elf it were not the
most corrupt and corrupting polit
ca! organization on the face of the
earth ?' Since this is "unhappi!y"
true tie News and Courier dare not
openly defy the public sentiment
of the state and become republican
organ. We persume that the
predicament in which the News and
Courier finds Itself at this juncture in
it's checkered political career, is, un-
happily, most embarrassing The
sympathetic may proceed TO sympa-
thize
We do not know what the News
and Courier is going to do about it,
we believe that the News and Cour
ier will "stick to the party" but we
do know that The Post finds itself in
most embarrassing predicament "
We freely confess that We cannot tell
what our course will be. 1t is al
together a pulling state of things
that confronts Us aud the way out Of
the difficulty is not clear.
We believe, in the first place,
that the passage of free coinage
act by congress and its approval by
the president would be followed by
by consequences most disastrous.
We are firmly convinced that it
would involve immediate financial
ruin upon thousands and millions Of
people in every part. Of the United
| States. 4 panic unparalleled, we
think, would be at once precipitated.
Every creditor would foreclose his
mortgage or sefl his securities, all
business operations would for long
period cease and the spread Of pov.
erty and want would know no limit.
The destruction would alike fall upon
the rich and poor, the strong and the
weak, and the CONDITION Of labor.
capital, and commerce in the United
States would be as though it had
been struck by some devastating
cyclone prostrating everything in its
path. Furthermore, we Go not be-
live that this calamity would be fol.
owed by times Of special prosperity
We do not think that the free coinage
of silver would prevent the corner
ing of money in the money centers,"
that it would give elasticity to our
currency system or that any Of able
to the demonetization of sil1 er
Even if silver coinage should result
in general rise in prices, the wage
Garner and the drawer Of salaries
would be the last to benefit by it and
the large producer and manufacturer
would for long time rap the increase
while the laborers suffered. 1t is
indisputable that rise in prices is
never quickly followed by rise in
wages.
If hard times prevail, it is not be.
cause there is scarcity Of money in
the country. 1t because the money
is unfairly distributed The evil can.
not be eradicated by making more
money
Here we are confronted with objec
tions to McKinleyism. There is a
"plutocracy" A high tariff has
created it Tariff legislation for the
benefit of the classes, legislation
which under the specious and swind-
ling pretense Of protection American
labor distracted dollars from the
farmers and producers everywhere,
and for which the Western free silver
farmers and mine owners are largely
responsible, has built up the colossal
fortunes of the East, constructed the
hidous money power" of which
pcpulists prate, and made possible
the enormous trusts, which, in the
lurid language Of Mr Bryan, "cru
city mankind on a golden cross >
1t is difficult in view Of this to sap
port Mckinley
We repeat that free silver offers 40
hope and 40 help It nenaccs all
hns;ness and promises to assist only