The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-11-16
Hagood Reflections.

Mr.. Editor: There are many burn
ing questions nowadays and people
here and there are advancing opin-
ions, expressing convictions and dis
cussing theories respecting them. 1t
is not my purpose in this article to
treat of these various people, some Of
whom though vastly in the minority
are worthy of highest honor while
others merit only contempt. Some
questions are popular, everybody dis
cussing them, some are threadbare by
reason of overmuch discussion, while
others, some, not less important, are
not considered one way or the other.
The other day an old fellow was
tearing a aronnd in much buster
when he passed close his SOD. Said
son, "Do you wish to make a dollar
ouick?" The old man paused in his
mad career" long enough to answer
eyes" The best way, the only to
some, to reach many, (ought ! to say
mostly people is through the money,
question. Money has always had a
power, has always been burning ques-
tion.
If Longfellow had rendered those
immortal lines.
ssLives of some rich men remind Us
We can cut up quite shine aDd on
dying leave behind US.
An estate that is not "mine"
And our record 10! some other,
Striving for dishonest gain,
Some shrewd unscrupulous brother,
Seeing will take heart again.
In the parlance of the day
he would have made a
lucky hit, if not for all, at
least for these times. A great, good
mar, whom the world accords wise
has said. 'The love of money is the
root of all eyil.'' That was away back
'yoDder before mine and your grandpa
were little boys. A greater than be
|had gone into the sanctuary and with
a scourge driven out the money chang
ers saying, It is written my house
shall be called the house of prayer
but ye have made it den Of thieves. :"
On17 last winter church dignitary
said 7he thing above all we must
meet, at threatens danger alike to
churc. and state is "commercialism"
What is that? The effort to get gain
from every source, if | may be per-
mitted to define.
Said a man 81 began life a penni-
less boy and when I saw how the man
who commanded money commanded
respect I determined to have it at all
hazards - That man is one of great
army. Another said, "Why 1 would
be tempted to kill my father for a
dollar Still another killed his
father, not for one, but for only few
dollars. Do I hear some one say
"Enougb?' Brother, one sold bis
Lord fer thirty pieces of silver, and
wheu men do that they reach point to
which there is no beyond. Just now we
hear much of graft, corruption i'll
government; how does it almost, if
not entirely manifest itself but in
greed for gain. It does seem that at
times people 60 wild, l might say
mad over things, to the utter dis
regard of all things else. Have you
not seen it heard, its cry been caught
up in it's mad rush and felt its breath,
if not it's spirito AZ such times the
ignoble crushes the noble, the base are
exalted and men of high degree are
lie.
l am no pessimist; have faith in
the invincibility and success Of truth
and righteousness, but | remember
that what has been may be.
Some people never 9row alarmed
till danger is at the door. We can
conceive of no danger Of the money
question, commercialism' if you
plesse, though they will not allow it
that more nearly concerns us touches
is that the perversion Of Justice ID
our courts. On every hand where one
goes he hears the Judgment, almost a
pronunciamento, that the courts are
farce, where money is at command.
Only the other day some men discuss
ing a notorious case now In the courts
told how justice would be defeated,
the case being thrown out only be-
cause the criminals counsel bought.
up juror with the snug sum Of FIVE
hundred or a thousand. AL this is
common talk on the streets at the
crossings around the freside and it is
working, has worked evil.
Years ago in Chesterfield | think it.
was a rich man was trying by fraud
to take poor widows land and bad
so lar SUCCSSuSO ttS ~ COA1o oP4 AOA
counsel Suspecting this she secured
the help Of Mr. r.-afterwards Judge
McIver through whose help aicne she
gained the case. When an appeal
was talked of he said to ber Be easy;
you shall have justice al for the FIVE
dollars you have paid me. -
We have good men today at the bar,
but to one such there seem so many
had ones. What else should We call
the man who can and does subvert jus
eice? Let such take warning for
"Their violent dealing will come
down on their own pate.
Hagood''
WILL GO TO SUMTER.