The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-06-17
RHETT ON the ISSUES.
GIVES HIS VIEWS ON QUESTIONS
OF NATIONAL POLITICS.
His Platform AnnOunccd-in His
Judgment the Country Needs More
Business Methods I'm Government.


Business Methods in Government.
Charleston. June15.-Mayor Rhett
gave out the following statement of
his views tonight:
There is. in my Judgment, great
need for more business methods in
government. 1t is significant that
the Democratic party has not been in
power. with the exception of eight
years, for almost half q century, al
though the solid South constituting
almost one-third OF the country, has
almost invariably cast it's. votes for
that party. I believe 1t is largely due
to q lack OF confidence on the part OF
the people OF the country in the ca
pacity Of the Democratic party to
manage the government upon a busi-
ness plane and by business methods.
The South does not lack men Of bus
iness capacity. and there are not a
few Of them at present In the halls OF
congress. but they have been following
political and not business lines. NV
belief Is that IL they subordinated
their political to their business talent
they would regain the confidence OF
the entire country. More than this.
my belief is that they would once
more secure the leadership and guide
the policies Of the Democratic party
and, through that party. the govern
ment of the nation. II tf~@
"As business man. who has found
that the application of business meth
DDS to the problems. governmental, as
well as others, has effected the best
solution, am Offering myself as
candidate for the United States SEN
ate. beliving can be Of some use to
the people OF my State. to the South
and to the country.
"The present currency laws of the
United States are framed for the BEN
eft OF the bondholding fraternity Of
New York and New England and
against the interests Of the farmer.
the manufacturer and the producer
generally, Under these laws, the
Southern bank. from whom alone the
farmer can obtain the currency to
gather his crops. is now compelled to
buy this currency In New York. Every
fail the stock exchange speculator
runs up the price OF money and thus
makes It dificult and expensive, and
at times impossible. to get. the curren-
cy needed. The farmer is driven to
pay high rates. issdriven to gather his
cotton under spur and whip and to
sell It. not AZ his judgment dictates.
but as necessity demands. have
prepared currency plan in detail,
which enables the Southern banks to
obtain this currency when II is need
ed by the farmer. without going 20
New York or depending upon bonds
Ia currency based upon the credit Of
the banks themselves, which means
the credit OF the communities in
which the banks are located. BY
making It condition that every
bank to obtain its charter shall guar
antee the note Of every other bank,
the currency Is made the strongest in
the world. do not believe it IL real
tied now materially this currency
question affects every interest in the
country. The intricacy of the ques-
ton has made It 80 difficult to UNDER
stand that the representatives or the
large monied interests Of the North.
east have blinded the people OF the
country and enabled them. through
the present currency system, to levy
tribute upon every industry to
greater or less extent. For instance,
there was a panic last fall, and no
currency could be obtained at any
price. The reason was that all bank
note currency had to be secured by
the deposit OF government bonds and
the government bond market was
cornered In New York. have con-
structed a system on the lines of our
federal government--a system of the
people and for the people, system
based upon the credit of the country,
tts industries and commodities dis
tributed throughout the length and
breadth Of the land-a system from
the proportionate BENEFITS OF which
no community can be excluded-yet
q system behind which stands more
than the combined currcncies. Of Er-
rope system which will constitute
not only boon TO ou- people, but
bulwark Of strength to the govern
ment--a system which will forever
- a.~s