The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-07-27
WHY THE SOUTH is FOR FREE
SILVER.
Southern Lumbernan.

| Southern Lumberman.
A little bit Of history. covering a
period OF about seven years. from the
surrender at App0mattox to the
''crime OF 1873" will serve to explain
why it is that IA great majority of the
Southern white people favor the et
and unlimited coinage of silver.vand
We will endeav0r to give it in the
briefest possible manner. .s
When the Confederate, ldIers re-
turned to their homes, they found
their families almost destitute, their
farms grown up in weeds and bushes.
their fences wholly or partially de-
stroyed, their farm implements and
tools unfit for service from rot and
rust, not one serviceable work animal
to two families, and themselves al.
most naked and without money. That
was the actual condition OF seventy
five per cent Of the returned soldiers,
and outside the towns and cities they
composed three-fourths OF the able
bodied white male population.
Within three years time these peo-
pie had their homes comfortably fur
nished. their families comfortably
clothed, their farms partly under cul-
tivation, and sufficient work stock
Besides, they had paid their antewar
debts, and altogether, were in very
fair living condition.
Here Is a statement OF facts that
requires no proof. Everyone now liv-
ing IN the South who is old enough tn
remember those years knows the
statement is not overdrawn. 1t is
the most remarkable thing that ever
occurred among any people.
What was IL that enabled these
poverty-stricken ex.snldiers and their
families to achieve comparative com
fort in so short time? 1t was cheap
money-irrcdeemable legal tender pa
per money based upon nothing but
the military and taxing power OF a
government that would not itself ac-
ccpt it in payment Of taxes on i'm
ports, and its own creditors would not
accept 1t in payment OF interest on
their bonds. From a gold standard
point of view this money Called
"greenback") was the poorest form Of
money ever invented since the days of
John Law but at the close OF the
war there was lots Of it IN the South
crn States, and it was drug on the
market ir. uHs sNorthern StNtes; and
IL was printed in sums to suit all
from a Scent 'shin plaster" up.
The plentifulness Of this fat mon
ey, which was discredited by the gov
ernment that issued 1t saved I'll,
Southern people from what Colone
Hardy, z. :. A., designated as "ster
liz poverty" The money was w0rtl
less than forty cents on the dollar II
gold, and prices ruled high. The lit
tie lots Of cotton hidden away on tn,
farms were put on the market ant
brought a dollar u pound until hate
inspired Congress could meet and pu,
u tax upon each pound equal tO three
dfths the price cotton has since solt
for under the gold standard. (Byath'
4 by, this tax ON cotton that was, year
ago, declared by y Supreme Court, OF
ganized by the very rarty that levie'
| IL, 70 be wholly Illegal, has never beef
refunded. 1t was clean steal fr0u
\ a conquered and bankrupted people,
The cults and calves that escaped con
flscation s0On grew TO working ant
beefable sizes. and brought higl
prices. The hogs that succeeded 4
outrunnlng the spoiled pets Of "
"Trecdmen's Bureau got fat on th
masts III the woods that had not the
been cut down, and brought ten cent