The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-10-14

Had Mr.. Bayard made the grand
speech which he did, emitting the
scathing exposition of protection, and
Its attendant evils, no hue and cry
would have been raised against him.
| but this pet measure of the plutocratic
autocracy must not be exposed, even
by an Ambassador.
1t is painfully apparent to the stu
dent of American history, that our
freedom is being fette1ed in the halls OF
our national legislature, especially SO
in its lower branch, where, through
the adroit tinesse of the speaker, the
will OF the chant ber is being guided by
his dictum-he being per se' it's force,
and expresslon-its 'ipse facto'.
Should ever the chafferers succeed in
their unholy crusade OF fastening their
pet policy of protection upon our ma
tlonal system, then adieu to the free
dom, prosperity, and happiness of the
masses will of the few being the
curse of the many.
This Unbalanced policy has already
destroyed our merchant-marine, de-
pleted our treasury, and invited fraud
and corruption.
Mr.. Bayard very truthfully says, at
has perverted taxation from its only
true justification and function-creat-
Ing revenue for the support of the gov
ernment OF the whole people into an
engine for the selfish and pri-
vate profit of allied benefclaries called
trusts Under Its dlctation, individual
enterprise and independence have
been oppressed, energy and invention
debllltated, and discouraged, and poll
tics placed upon the low leyel of mer-
cenary scramble"
A condition running parallel with an
ignoble paragraph OF early Jewish his
tory wherein the prophet, with right
eous Indignation declared, that "Judg-
ment had been turned away backward,
with Justice standing afar off Truth
fallen in the street and Eqity unable
to enter"
Dating our appreciable decadence
back to those fateful years 1912,
wherein two of the strongest pillars in
our financial fabric were torn asunder,
the repeal of the income tax Ga most
radical departure from rectitude and
equity and the equally untenable pol
icy OF demonstration of silver a metal
recognizable in the seons past as being
twin companion Of its richer brother
gold, thier mission Of usefulness run
ming In parallel lines, in the ratio OF
of its users decreed, subject to slight
variations, with the march OF the as
cendlng centuries.
Its entire elimination or divorce
ment was never a scheme, or dream,
of our financial fathers, but the yenal
product of the one sided brain of our
maladroit, up to-date Solons.
But for the unwisdom of those years
action in Congress, our country would
have been spared the humiliating, and
lamentable spectacle, of playing the
role of suppliant to private enterprises.
and running to cover at the instance
of every recurrent reserve depletion.
It Is the most anomalous, and strange
lv paradoxical condition OF affairs that
a country with the largest material re-
sources, should be the weakest in its
financial relations-de as it Is,
OF the veal of the masses, and confid-
ence in her fiscal policy.
Admitting the premises as set forth,
there can be but one conclusion ::
either, the imbecllity, or venality OF
our fiscal, and law-making agencies.
The interminable and i'll advised
scramble for the adjustment of our
metallic currency arises from the ex-
cesslve cupidity OF the few, and the
uncompromising hostility of sectional
diversity.
Let wisdom, patriotism, and true
craftsmanship, adjust the balance
wheel, and matters will once more
move smoothly in it's orbit, as in the
days of our ante-bellum- history.
As illustrative of the detective and
venal legislation of our latter day
Solons look at the immensity of our
resources productive, annual ca
pacity.
AS estimated the crop of 1895 ag-
gregated the stupendous amount OF
twenty hundred million of dollars, e
blllions), yet through peculation, sub.
sides, and unnecessary appropriations
we are reduced to that strait the only
propulsion given the wheels of Govern.
ment is through the issuance of bonds
which fattens the plutocracy, pauperises
the masses. and saps the vitality OF ou1
system.
Bond issuance is an indefenslble, and
untenable policy under any republican
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