The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-24

markabe condition of political feeling
and nebulous state Of mind on the
part of many men on both sides of the
Chamber. The Republicans by com
mon consent, under stress CT party
orders, suppose, given by the caucus
sit quietly by and vote. Tney saw
nothing. They seem afraid to say aDv.
thing. The iniquities they are per.
petratlng upon the American people
are so outrageous that tney prefer not
10 discuss them even, but they press
relent'cssly forward with the intention
OF carrying out their compact with the
trusts aud mon0polies; and every
scheduie prepared by the party caucus
Is voted for by them unanimously.
Inc Democrats are in u condition OF
transition. They do not know exactly
where they are. Tue older, more re-
nowned, more experienced leaders Of
the party stand up and proclaim their
allegiance to the old doctrine, time
honored, ancient. We had an cxhibi-
tion yesterday of an impassioned
speech based upon the Walker tariff,
brought forward at this late day as
true Democratic doctrine. Secession,
notification, and other ISSUES which
have been settled and have passed ont
had just as we'll be brought IN here.
The tariff is not a principle unless it
be that it rests on principle. 1t is
merely a question OF policy as to how
the Government shall derive it's
revenue. 1t has been talked about so
much aud SO long and so ably that [
can not expect to present any new
phase Of it but propose as one hum,
Bile representative Of State on this
floor, to give some views that may be
mine only, but which appear to me 20
be those which should obtain in gov
erning men who come here tU frame
tariffs.
What Is the true doctrine Of tariff
taxation, the American doutrinr, the
patriotic doctrine, the statesman's
doctrine? | for one stand ready to
confess and announce my faith iu the
belief that it is 10 tue best interests Of
the American people as d whole that
everything consumed by our people
should be produced by our people, if it
is possible. If that be Republican
doctrine, then | am Republican. If
it is not Democratic doctrine, it ought
to be Democratic doctrine.
1t is not necessary for me to state,
because it is known to all students of
history, that those nations which con-
fine all their labors to one product. or
to agriculture only, are pauper nations.
They do not progress they do not
achieve any place in history that
amounts to anything. They 90 not
gather wealth they do not produce
culture they have not advanced civil
lization. Therefore, l announce as q
hypothesis that we ought to diversity
our industries as far as we cau give
employment to as many men Of as
nrnnnat,lnnS af
a profitable figure.
We do not want all farmcrs in this
country. We want to have manu-
factures. And why do we not want
any more farmers just now? Because
we are to-day producing more Of
the staple crops of export raised
on the farm than we can get q living
or decent price for and why in
Gods name should we undertake by q
taritf policy to drive from the factories
and from the cities to the farm more
competitors to produce cotton aud
wheat to export at q loss ? We do not
want any more farmers. What we
want is tariff so levied that the farm
er shall not be robbed for the heneft
Of the laborer in the cities and that he
shall have an equal chance in life to
get that for his family and for his com
fort that the Declaration Of Indcpen-
dence declares is the inalienable right
Of every freeman.
There is reciprocity of interests
here. The farmer wants q market for
that which he produces; the manu-
facturer wants q market for that which
he produces. There is no conflict of
interest between these two when their
interests are weighed in an equal
balance by honest Legislators. 1t is
only when you throw into the scale in
favor Of manufacturers your laws
which give them undue advantage,
when you rob the producing farmer
for the benefit of the manufacturer,
that any man has right to complain
From the foundation Of this Govern.
ment there have been those who con,
tended that the manufacturers should
be protected and home interest built
up which would supply the American
market with all the manufactured
articles necessary. On the other hand
those engaged in agriculture have de-
clared that they were unjustly deal
with and were forced to buy from these
men at q higher price than they coulC
buy in Europe. The tariff discussion
has gone on along those lines from the
beginning of the Government until to
day.
Now, for the first time in our his
tory, when this protective policy has
borne its fruit and the pauperizet
farmer stands here with his skinny
bony hands begging justice and equa
lty, and the opportunity is given you
by bounty on his exports, to Civ
him some compensation for the rob
bory that he has undergone for cen
tury, you sit in stony silence, yo
sneer, you elevate your eyebrows, yo
refuse TO discuss the proposition as un
worthy Of debate, and you expect t
see this idiotic farmer not know tha
you had the opportunity to give hir
some need of justice and you refuse
it.
But pledge you my word and homo,
gentlemen, you are face to face wit