Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-30
WHAT EVANS STANDS FOR.
Platform on Which Ex-Governor Would Go to the
United States Senate.


Following Is a pretty full outline of
the platform on which Hon. John Gary
Evans is basing his senatorial candi-
dacy:
l believe the most important issue
to be pressed before the people is that
Of the tariff. l have, lin former cam
paigns, endeavored to show the in
iquity and injustice of the Republican
tariff policy so far as the south is con-
cerned and shall continue to do so.
We are still an agricultural people.
Cotton raising and cotton manufactur-
ing are our principal industries, and
will ever be. These industries furnish
ed the United States last year bal
ance in trade without which our coun-
try would have been debtor to the
rest of the world instead of creditor.
Since the war between the states, the
south from its cotton crops alone has
brought into the United States approx
imately fourteen billions of dollars OF
foreign gold. This sum represents
enough money to purchase at their as
sessed valuations for taxation today
the states of Maine, New Hampshire
Vermont, Massachusetts,, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey, Delaware and Ohio, and surplus
sufficient to add 100 per cent to the
taxable property of South Carolina. If
this money could have been kept at
home the south would be the richest
country in the world. Where has 1t
gone? The answer is easy; to fatten
the protected interests Of the states emu
merated. Our farmers, who manufac-
ture nothing, have been forced to sell
their cotton in Europe, compelled to
bring back gold only to be robbed at
the custom house and forced to pur-
chase their ploughs, boots, shoes, but
tons, coats and supplies from home
manufacturers Of prices from fifty to
800 per cent higher than they could
have been gotten in the markets where
they sold their cotton, and yet, are
told that the southern farmer is lazy
and indolent. The time has come for
made for fair treatment.
The Republican party is fast becom-
ing divided into two hostile camps on
the tariff. New England is thoroughly
developed, her manufacturers no long
er monopolize the home market; they
are dependent now for dividends upon
the surplus product which they are
forced to sell in foreign markets where
the south sells her cotton. The west
ern Republican has become the ex-
treme high protectionist and Massa-
chusetts is now for free trade in the
raw material which she manufactures.
The shoes we formerly bought in Mas
sachusetts now come from Ohio and
Missouri. The factories have gone to
the hides just as they are coming to
the cotton, and the east can no longer
compete in the home market with the
west. You cannot protect cotton so
long as the home market consumes but
one third of the raw material. 1t is
our duty, therefore, to combine with
the free traders Of New England and
thus secure fair treatment for our far
mers.
Our cotton crop for the past year is
estimated to bring into this country in
foreign gold seven hundred millions OF
dollars, while our cotton manufactures
bring in only thirty two millions. This
condition should not be allowed to eX-
q
every pound Of cotton We raise and in
stead of exporting raw cotton we
should export cotton cloth. Our pros
perity will never be permanent until
this is done. We should stand by our
cotton manufacturers and demand for
them fair treatment. 1t is an anon
alous fact that England last year built
more new cotton mills in three coun-
ties than were constructed in the en-
tire outside world. Cotton machinery
can be purchased in England so per
cent cheaper than our mills can buy it
in New England, and yet we are forced
by the iniquitous tariff policy to pay
the price. The southern cotton farmer
and the southern cotton manufacturer
should go hand in hand into this fight,
for their interests are the same. The
gamblers in cotton futures who attempt
to fix the price Of our crop before 1t
is even planted should be outlawed and
treated the same as other criminals.
Cotton is still king, but he is taxed to
death and enslaved by party intent
upon making him pay the expenses Of
the government and to fatten their in
satiable financial cormorants. I believe
it is time for the young southerner to
demand a voice in the government Of
this nation. The men who now con-
troll the politics of our country were
not in the civil war and it is nonsense
and cowardly for the press Of the south
to continue to print the fear Of So
called rebel control as a scarecrow to
southern brains and ambition. The
most loyal Americans today live in the
south and the fight now being made by
the president Of the United States
against his own party for honesty in
business and governmental affairs, and
against pISudlOly "CCllIli anu NiiN ~
pidity Of our millionaires and trust
magnates finds its ablest champions in
our section.
Pensions.
Another iniquity that 1 shall endeavor
to blot out is the pension policy of the
Republican party. The ease with which
every freebooter and camp follower
now gets his name upon the pension
roll is appalling. We have paid to
northern soldiers since the war ended
s&,551, 1,O2565117, or enough to buy the
states of Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana at their assessed values for
taxation. The south pays the major
portion of this tax and gets nothing in
return. We were not the aggressors in
the civil war. The refusal Of the north
to accept the decision of the supreme
court of the United States upon con-
in a Scott