The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-08-19


uals snail l:at Ec permitted to t'crsinGc the
financial system OF the na;lol III oTti@r -
collect Il premium ii c,ss'' they succeed II
forcing cS:c kirt; of iaolcE' 70 Il premium:
There is ;.n"tncr ;;c.yulncno to which |
ask yn;." attention. Some OF the mcc,'
Zcllous opponents Of free coinage point %
the fact th:.o 13 mcnt!.5 1nUs5 claEse be
tween the election and the first r2gu!a"
session of congress ard asscrt that daring
that ti.uc. in case rcoDlc declare themselves
in favor. OF free coinage all leans Will DC
Withdrawn and al mortgages forc"loscl.
If these ;.;o merck prophecies il!dulged in
bv thoss, Who have forgortcn the provisions
of the constitution, it will bc sufficient to
remind tkc::: hat the president is cmpow-
cred 70 c93Vc::e congress in extraordinary
session vhcnercr tho public good requires
such actian II ii November the rcopie
by their ballogs declare themselves in favor
Of the Immediate restoration of binct;4l-
1is1n, the system can &c inauguratcti with
| in I. few months
If, however. the assertion? that loans will
be withdrawn and mortgages foccclos-i:
/ is made 10 prevent such political action ;:S
I the people may believe 70 be necessary for
| the preservation Of their rights, then a
new and vital issue is; raised. Whenever it
is necessary for the people as (; whole u
obtain consent from the owners Of money
I and the changers OF money before 1hc!- Il
legislatc upon financial questions, we shall
| have passed from {; democracy TO Z pll
tocrucy. But that tine ll;;:; rot yet arrived.
Threats and intimidation Will Ec Of no
avail. The people who ii 1916 rejected
the doctrine th"e kings rule r. right t.i
vine Viii roa i. this generation :ab;"rihc
to {. doctrine t@o meme: IS cnlnipotcil-.
International 3i:ncoo!!:sn.
In Co:,1ij: "a, remit nc to say word
IN r>cuIl t. i:ltcrn&sic:l:l Eimc-allis'n.
VIC are 1o; cppcs:.i TO III international
ocrccr:cnJ looking; to the reservation Of
bimctulliSll throughout the wori;l. The
advocates of free coinage have on I'll occs:
sions shown thcir Willingness to cooper
ate with other li:uio.::s in the reinstatc-
mcnt OF silver bnt the: ere not willing to
await tic PIE. .S,irc ~ other governments
when immediate relief is needed by tl:c
,corlo C the United States. &rd tEoy fur
thcr F.cl;cvc that independent action cffc1s
better ;s-;:ra!:ce oc International Eiclct-
allism than scrvilc dependence upon for
cign aid. Fer more than 20 years we have
invited the assistance of European nations.
but al progress, in the direction Of inter
national !5inetallisna has Eecn blocked by
the opposition OF those who derive Il pccuil-
iary benefit from the appreciation of gold.
How long must VIC wait for biInctallism
to be brought to us By those who profit by
monomctallisIn? If the double standard
will bring benefits to our people, who will
deny them the right to enjoy those bene-
fits? If our opponents would admit the
right, the ability and the duty of our peo-
pie to act for themselves on all public
questions without the assistance and re-
gardless Of tho wishes of other nations
and then propose the remedial legislation
which they consider sufficient, we could
meet them in the field of honorable debate,
but when they assert that this nation is
helpless to protect the rights Of its own
citizens we challenge them to submit the
issue to Il people whose patriotism has nev-
er been appealed to in vain.
We shall not offend ether nations when
we declare the right of the American peo-
pie to govern themselves, ard, without let
or hindrancc from without. decide upon
every question presented for their consid-
Grafton In taking this position we SIM
ply maintain the dignity Of 10000. 900
citizens who arc second to mono in their
capacity for self government.
The gold standard has compelled the
American people TO pay an ever increasing
tribute to the creditor nations &. the world.
q tribute which 10 enc dareS to defend.
I assert that national honor requires the
United States to secure justice for all its
citizens as we'll rs do justice to all its cred
tors For Il people like ours, blessed with
natural resources Of surprising richness,
to proclaim themselves iInpotent to frame
financial system suited to their own
needs is humiliating beyond the power OF
language to describe We cannot enforce
respect for our foreign polity so long as
we confess ourselves unable to frame Our
own financial policy.
Honest differences OF opinion have al
ways existed and ever will exist as to the
legislation best calculated to promote the
public veal, but when it is seriously as
serted that this nation must bow to the
dictation Of other nations and accept the
policies which they insist upon the right
of self government is assailetl, and until
that question is settled all other questions
are insignificant.
A Word to New York Citizens.
Citizens of New York, have Travelled
from the center Of the continent to the
seaboard that might, in the very Begin
ming of the campaign, bring you greeting
from the people Of the west and south and
assure you that their desire is not to &c
stroy, but to build up. They invite you to
accept the principles of living faith rath-
er than listen to those who preach the COS
pei of despair and advise endurance CT the
ills you have. The advocates OF free coin
age l,eljcye that u striving to secure the :
inlincdiatc restoration Of bi!Hct;sllisln the?
are laboring IN ycur behalf Is well IS IL
their ov;-a behalf. y few OF your people
may prosper under present conditions. but
the perl,sarel:t welfare Of NeS York rests
upon the producers of wealth This great
city is b;ilt upon the commerce Of the ma
ton and must suffer II that commerce is
impaired. You cannot sell unless the pee
plc have money with which to buT. and
they cannot obtain tho money with which
III x7-,,