The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-08-12
THE SILVER KINGS.
PhoDhetS of EVil-FaISe Prophets.

Politicians often claim to have the art OF
seeing into the future. They generally see
great ghosts and terrible tigers in the path oil
! their political opponents.
extravaganza from lists TO 1916 the taxes IN
creased with the passing years. untll the pur-
den became unbearable. In 1876 the people
revolted, and determined to overthrow tne
corrupt party, and the rule Of the strangerand
| the alien should be stopped. ava,
| In 1876 Hampton taxes were small. WIN
| the passing years they increased. lie tunded
| the public debt at SIX per cent. ,
In lSJ0Tillman succeeded 10 the leadership
OF South Carolina. Aiter making great
promises about taxes and haranguing the
people about high taxes; he was elccted %a, moa,
dIstaSteful TO the toney set and their Doot'
| licks. The taxes increased under Illlmai'
as they did during Hampton s Administrator
and are now higher than they have peen s''e'
| 1876 >or
Tillman's crowd committed an unpai, y
donable sin in presumng to refund lne :, T'i.v ~,
debt at a rate SO much below the rate Pniu ~
newspapers did everything in their power % 70
, prevent the refunding of the dept oy 81 sn D.
ing the lack OF esteem In whicH VIM; hv @ Secret.
form Government was held. ,, Ruc Uara ny nm.
rnoSn in he newspapers, the State debt was
refunded at three-fourths the i1h.lp,on 'G Sr
The patriotic and orthodox neWspaPers ini ",
reasons unknown to US. deferred CON nieII
mon the act of refunding the STATE ueoC uhCil
one of the chief actors in saving the pe0ple
SSO OtO a wear sought election 10 the Ohlteu
states Senate. All sorts OF chatges are now nov,
made, but the people as a rule believe that
these charges have little foundation. except
that which is based on hatred, prejudice, or
the wish or hope that the new officers nave
been corrupt.
The opposition papers said. perhaps thou
sand times, that the rule OF the Reformers
would drive away home capital and prevent
Northern capital from coming here Tor In
veStment.
Instead of verify ing the words of the proph-
cts of evil, we presume the fact might be reg
iStered In history that more money mas oeen
put in manufactures within the last siX years,
than had been put in Cotton Mills Tor all tlfne
from the beginning of the world, down TO siN
years ago. Important lines OF railway have
been built. Banks have been established.
Cotton Seed OIL Mills have been set IN mo
ton. and progress on all the lines OF luduslry
has been made. Never in history has there
been such progress. Only dire evil had Deeh
predicted.
When we remember that politicians always
see the country going to the bow-wows II II
does not 90 their way, we may look on uh-
disturbed or untrouoed about the future.
The expected event never does occur;
The great mass of the people may pc really
and truly anxious 10 coin sixty cents worm
of the millionaire miners silver lnto ool-
lar, which the government must redeem IN
gold or other lawful money or the Value OF
one hundred cents to the dollar, but we 40
not believe 1t.
1t may he we'll to coin an unlimited amount
OF silver and send 1t around In cart loads TO
the needy, but we think the governmet Will
wait until II Is ready to carry out the hopes o.
the darkey about forty acres and mule.
When the government gets the mule lor tne
negro, it may then get free silver ior Us Soia
and Banner may wager their bottom ooltar
that the editor will be there, and II ne doGSnt
get his share he will blame nobody. rms
editor will likely light on his feet. II ne
doesn't take in at least one wheel barrow ioad
of the free and unlimited" stuff, please
write to US. Let the free silver come, II you
please. Any man who Is sagacious can max
money out Of the disturbance OF values, anu
the promised initiation offers hopeful pros
pect. Let the "iree and unlimited' stun
come.
While the Press and Banner believes that
the creation of distrust in the minds OF tne
people, as we'll as any disturbance OF tne u.
nances or money values OF property would oe
calamity, yet we may be mistaken, anu
those who demand an iDflation OF the curren-
cy may be right. We do not understand Inc
great financial question of the county, anu
have found no man Of intelligence, VINO mas
properly managed his own money VINO even
claims TO understand the question. III may
be well for men who have nothing 10 sell out
their labor, to demand cheap money In sellle-
ment of their services, but senslDle reason
for preferring such money has not been maze
clear to US. . .
The Idea that people want to pay their
debts Is falacious. Very few OF tnat CLASS
paid demands against them when Confederate
money was about as plentiful as oak leaves
in the autumn. SO we have not been con-
vinced chat that class of people Will be oene-
fitted. The only men who have rational rea-
son for making silver free and unlimltod are
the silver miners. They have tons OF silver.
II they can get q dollar for sixty cents worm,
or can manage 10 increase the price OF thelr
bullion to one dollar they have a mountain ol
wealth. And we presume there Is not silver
miner on earth that would not favor the IN
crease in the price of their ore and metal.
The object Of the silver miners IN gettins
up their movement in favor of their metal Is
legitimate and proper-viewed from their own
standpoint. And we presume all the silver
Kings are In II.
IL may be of immense value to the country
IL the farmers, laboriDg men, and mechanics
accede to the proposition of the Silver Kings,
but we think IL is about like The white man
and the negro In settling the question OF d.
vidiug the turkey and the crow. The white
man said he would take the turkey and the
negro might take the crow, or, II the negro
would take the crow and he would take the
turkey.
But whether the Silver Kings get the turkey
or not we are trusting and supporting the
Democratic party, even if we do eat crow ID
advance.