Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-09-04

say, this involves quite different
course to that necessary to a discussion
from a political standpoint. The for
mer must acknowledge no party nor
partisan boss, while the latter has for
it's foundation. no business principle;
but the prejudice which is necessary to
catch the voter.
Business and politics, especially par
tisan politics, do not mix very grace
fully, and If any discussion of this
question from business view has not
the snap and fire in 1t to whoop up the
masses, 1t will be because 1t Is based
upon hard sense, facts and solid bust-
ness principles. Our friends would have
you believe that we mean by expan-
sion war, bloodshed. robbery and pelf.
This is not true. OF all men under the
sun, business men want peace. harmo-
ny and good will, for In these trade
is born, nourished. enlarged and ex-
panded. In enmity, hate and discord
trade cannot thrive either between In
dividuals Or nations. We must deal
with our friends and be friends to those
who deal with us. Expansion, as the
mill men understand 1t, is the reaching
out from our own shores and extending
into the marts Of the world, with our
own ships sailing under our own flag,
ladened with American products of the
loom. of the shop, Of the mine and OF
the field.
You may ask why do we want this,
as was asked and answered by one Of the
speakers at Union the other day. "sell
your goods to our own people at home y
This country Is producing more cotton
goods, more iron, more wheat, corn and
bacon and almost of everything else
than we can consume at home, and
here the question arises, what are we
to do with the surplus? There Is only
one solution Of the question. We must
have an outlet for this surplus on
terms Of equality with other nations
that will enable us to compete with our
competitors in foreign countries, or
curtail our productions. which means
fewer wage earners at lower prices,
stagnation in trade and a check to the
industries of the south, and especially
the cotton mill industry.
American inventive genius, skill and
industry Is producing textile products
far in excess Of the need Of our increas-
ing population and that Of the trade
we have in other countries. This being
the case, Is it not natural that we
should strive for a wider outlet, estab-
lish new trade centers and hold that
which we already have and safeguard
the same and continue our onward
march in material progress? Do the
farmers, merchants. mechanics and Ia
borers Of this country want any check
or blight in the enterprises springing
up in our midst daily? I would not rob
one industry or business to build up
another; but I think with open doors
to the world, with a well regulated
merchant marine to enlarge the facil-
tiles Of trade and commerce that VIII
lessen the cost Of transportation to the
producer, we can compete with the
world and build up trade with countries
we cannot now reach. I do not say to
the benefit of the reduced cost to the
producer. These matters are important
and require craftsmanship to formulate
laws to meet the emergencies without
favoritism to the strong and harm to
the weak. To these we must look for
Just and impartial laws, and at the
same time, use every effort In our pow
er to enlarge, extend and expand our
trade and commerce with outlying
countries.
We want to build more cotton mills
with more northern capital; make more
mills as easily and in the way one of
our friends said we could, the other day
at Union. He said that all that one OF
these mill presidents had to do when he
commenced to build mill was to GO
north and say he wanted to get money
to build a cotton mill with which to
coerce the poor white men of our state
and turn them over to the Republican
party, he could get all the Republican
money he wanted. This Is not my ex-
perience and not true. I have never
had the misfortune to meet northern
Republican or a southern Republican
who was such fool as this, and I was
surprised to hear the statement from
the gentleman. Just here wish to
make this statement, that with all my
intercourse with both northern and
southern stockholders, the matter of
politics was never discussed. believe
this is the experience Of all the mill
presidents. These people are not in the
business for politics or politicians.
1t was asked at Union by one Of the
gentlemen who boasted that he owned
$4,000 in mill stocks: why don't
these mill presidents divide their 10C
per cent dividends with the poor opera
tives?" I wish to say do not know OF
any mills making any such fabulous
profits. If such was true, no mill pres
ident has the right to divide any mill
dividends with any one or to use funds
from his treasury for any other pur-
pose than mill purposes. The stock
holders declare the dividend and the
presidents pay them out. When paid
to the individual stockholders they can
do, Of course, as they please with their
money, even to returning 1t to the
operatives. I would ask this stockhold-
er why he doesn't divide his dividend
with the operatives of the mills In
which he Is a stockholder? The presi-
dents and treasurers stand on the half
way ground between the stockholders
and operatives. First comes the tax
gatherer, then the operative, and last
ly the stockholder If this rule Of CO.
partnership obtained, how would the
gentleman do when the mill made no
profits, as is the case sometimes?
Would he have the operatives pay back
to the mill their proportionate part OF
the loss? No, gentlemen, 1t Is very
easy for a politician to tell his consti-
tuents how they must run their busi-
ness and how they must vote.
I wish to say word in behalf OF
the mill operatives who have been in
suited by the intimation that they
could be coerced into voting in the way
the mill presidents dictated. The man
who intimated this is certainly ignor-
ant of the sentiment Of the very people
to whom he proposes to go at night
and stir up. They have manhood, inde-
pendence, do their own thinking, and
no man dare to attempt to coerce them
at the ballot box or stir them up at
night in the mill village. These people
love freedom of thought and action
and exercise the same.
In conclusion, I will ask you to re-
member that the mill presidents Of this
state believe in the peoples ruling; that
every man should cast his ballot ac-
cording to the dictates of his own judg-
ment without fear Of punishment or
hope of reward. We believe in building
up the waste places of our Southland,
in dignifying labor and In obeying the
laws of our country and our God; In