The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-18
A SUGGESTIVE JOY.
THE MONEY KINGS OF THE WORLD
REJOICE AT RRYAN's DEFEAT.


European Nc ney Kings op Account Of
McKinley's Election from tho New York
Journal.
The continuing joy in Europe over
the defeat Of the Democratic party in
the United States ought, it seems to
us, to move all Americans to sober
thought. The dispatches have told us
of the satisfaction of the London
press, the anxiety with which the roy
al family awaited the returns, and
smiled with gladness as they came in
showing the triumph of Mckinley
and the gold standard. Premier Sal>
isbury has announced the readiness of
England to take common action in
defence of the common heritage Of So
ciety" in case the Democracy should
happen to win Presidential election
hereafter Oh a platform unfavorable
to the fleeing privileges of the plu-
tocracy. His phrase at the Lord
Mayors banquet, in an address follow
lowing Ambassador. Bayard's unpa-
triotic and disgraceful speech, means
Just that or nothing. The bourses OF
Paris and Berlin and of allother Con-
tinental cities, as well as the newspa-
pers which speak in the interests OF
the ruling classes, have expressed 9
happiness as great as that of Wall
Street itself. To Judge by the dispatch
es, one would think that Europe is
solid for McKinly, the gold standard
and non. interference with the exploit
tation OF the masses by the predatory
rich. But the people Of Europe, the
multitude who do not operate in the
bourses and have no influence with
the respectable commercial press, have
no: been heard from at all. What
they think about the American
election has not been thought worth
ascertaining and telegraphing That
which we have learned with certainty
is that the aristocracy and the rich of
the Old World are in the most cordi.
al and intimate sympathy with their
brethren of America. They feel that
the earth is theirs, and that the small
est attack anywhere upon their exclu'
sive ownership must be repelled with
their whole strength-that the assail-
ants must be crushed into the dust,
lest the tiniest victory should en-.
courage them to more formidable as
saults. That is the spirit Of the plu-
tocracy everywhere. Progress OF any
kind is regarded with suspicion and
intense avertion. They would, as
Emerson said, nail the stars to the
sky, if they could. They know moth
ing of the wisdom of craftsmanship,
which yields a little in order to retain
much. Always they fear the deluge,
and always they encourage its coming
by their dull opposition to everything
that is proposed for the benefit OF 9th
ers than themselves.
The conservative instinct of great
bodies of the American people were
artfully appealed to by the Republi.
cans in the late canvass, and these
bodies, who have no community OF in
terest with the forces of greed, were
induced to vote with the party OF
the trusts. They were alarmed into
the belief that the moderate, constitu-
tional and American proposals OF the
Democratic platform concealed SIMS.
ter purposes hostile to property and
the national honor. Reflection must
cause these patriotic, if timid, Ameri-
cans to ask themselves if cause that
draws to its ardent support not alone
the money power of their own coun-
try, but OF the whole world, can be
cause the triumph of which is good for
the people of the United States as a
whole. If a political party in this
country may not propose any reform
without being reviled as if it designed
the destruction of civilized society,
what is to become of the Republics II
no party may propose the slightest
curtailment OF the privileges OF the
proving rich without being accused oil
loving lawlessness and anarchy, what
progress in the government can be
made? If opposition to the political
as we'll as the industrial rule OF the
trusts is to be ranked as disguised
treason, what has the future in store
for popular government in the United
States2
No matter what any man may think
about our currency, whether its basis
should be one of The precious metals
or both, none can deny that the result
of the Presidential election has given
qualification to and increased the
Sense of security of every trust in the
country. Neither is it to be denied
that the plutoracy and aristocracy OF
every European monarcy halls that
result with joy. Can it be held by the
thoughtful that a victory which
strengthens the trusts and cheers the
privileged classes around the globe Is
one that should please the pride and
encourage the hope of the patriotic
American, whatever his party may bef