Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-12-19
THE SOUTH IN CONGRESS.
What Representative Stokes Thinks About the
Result OF tho Recent Election.

What Representative Stokes Thinks About the
Result OF tho Recent Election.
Representative Stokes, Of this
State, after surveying the political
situation In Washington, says:
"No, I don't think the Democracy
has good reason to feel discouraged
at the result Of the recent election.
All considered, we did uncommonly
we'll to get seven million votes for
our Presidential candidate. The
Republican administrator had en-
trenched itself during four years
with mastery skill. 1t had fought a
foreign war to a successful conclu-
sion, and this alone gave an unusual
hold on the people, apart from the
tremendous additional patronage in.
cident to war. The patronage, it is
needless to say, was used for all it
was worth. The administration is
now fighting another war which tn,
common sense of the people realizes
is far from concluded, and there is
always an indisposition to swap
horses while crossing stream. True,
neither the Congress nor the people
authorized this most iniquitous war
on the Filipinos; but it is a trait of
Americans, in common with all other
races, to stand by their crowd until
the fight is over, and then inquire
about the equities Of the fight, and
who started it.
"Then, too, over and above all
this, there is no denying that times
are better than they were at the be-
ginning of this administration. Peo-
pie realized this, and while thought
ful people also realized that little of
the Improvement occurred as the
result of Republican policy or ad-
ministration, natural conservatism
restrained partisan enthusiasm for a
change. The great mass of unthink-
ing people sought no further than
he surface conditions and thought
better let well enough alone That
we could poll seven million votes
under such adverse conditions, sur
face conditions though they were,
should be an encouragement and an
inspiration to stand by our guns and
remain as we have been in the past,
a party of principles, the bulwark of
the Declaration of Independence,
the defender Of the Constitution OF
our country.
eyes, feel sure the war revenue
measure will be modified very mate
rally. So far as my section is con-
cerncd, VIC are more interested in re-
moving the stamp tax on bank
checks and on proprietary medicines
than upon any other features Of the
measure.
"The ship subsidy bill will proba-
bly, become law. 1t is wrong in
principle, but | can see where it may
possibly operate to the benefit Of the
Southern ports.
81 am opposed to the army reor-
ganization scheme of the Secretary
of War. / think we can do oul
fighting just as cffectually, and more
cheaply in the long run, with volun,
tcers. AS | took occasion to say in
my speech on the existing law when
pending III the House, it will un,
doubtedly cost more to call out and
equip a volunteer force for an emer.
gency than it would to fill in q
skeleton regular army organization
But once authorize an army of 100,.
900 men and there will always be
excuse found for keeping it up to tho
maximum. 1t is easy to see that &
fixed expense of 100000 men run
ming indefinitely would cost i'm.
menscly more than added cost once
in ten, twenty or thirty years of or
ganizing volunteer force.
ono, | don't think Mr.. Crum
packers bill to reduce the rerresen
tation of the South in Congress vii
become law this session but un
doubtedly tas is the beginning Of /;
serious effort in that direction. The
danger that confronts us was already
pointed out before the recent elec
ton on every stump, and in almost
every paper, but our people seem to
have been little impressed"
Chance for Charleston.