Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-01-01

the sooner, exercising those State
rights which we love so much, we
pass State laws to build roads, the
sooner we will get them, for l fear
if we wait for fruit from "the billo
which we have been promised as a
law, since 1908, we will never get
Federal aid.
That bill! It must be rotting In
the pigeon hole Of some Chairman
Of the Senate. Why not call it out
and have it discussed, and let us
have some practical illustrations of
how much the people of South Car
olina would get out Of it anyhow?
The Currency Question.
He who may represent the South
in either house Of Congress in the
near future, must be ready to cope
with and push urgent issues. The
present emergency on us in the mon
ey market, which necessarily affects
the price of cotton and manufactured
goods, as well as stocks, shows the
necessity of prompt Currency Re-
FORM 1t is shame that some Fed
eral statute is not enacted allowing
the banks to issue emergency cur
'ency on an efficient and safe basis,
It lis terrible spectacle to behold the
entire business Of the United States
at the mercy of the magratcs Of
Wall Street, and the Secretary Of the
Treasury, on the question of putting
currency into circulation. The gov
ernnent ought to rule Wall Street,
and not allow it to rule the people
any longer. The inelasticity and in
efficiency of the Currency system is
as great q detriment to business, as
failure of crops, for it reduces the
value Of all crops, and Congress
ought to proceed quicklysto furnish
some remedy for the relief of the
recent depression in prices in the
country. And some permanent
method ought.to be adopted to meet
future trouble. Congress should
rise above partisan politics in this
matter. 1t will not do to say that
remedy cannot be found, as an
nounced by Mr.. Latimer in his last
interview. The people demand a
permanent remedy.
Many of the States, notably South
Carolina and Georgia, by stringent
statutes have demolished the busi-
ness Of the Bucket Shops within our
borders, and kept a good deal Of.
money at home for legitimate pur-
poses. Congress by Federal statutes,
even to the extent of fine and i'm
prisonment ought to demolish the
greatest Of Bucket Shops and divert
tho money, which goes into illegal
stock gambling, to the avenues Of
honest trade.
Tariff Reform.
We have heard of "the tariff" all
our days; but if there ever was
time when the Democrats, and espe-
cially- those of the South should move
forward and demand tariff reform,
and that Immediately, now is the
hmo. All throughout the North,
there are many people inside of the
Republican party, who are ready to
join the Democrats in an effort to
rectify the fearful burden that rests
on the people by indirect taxation.
1t will not do to allow our people
to be lulled to sleep by appropria-
tions for local improvements, and
to acquiesce in the enrichment of the
Robber Barons and Trusts, who fat
ten, because Of the existence Of a
system of. protective duties.
1t is the settled policy Of the Uni
ted States to make appropriations to
maintain the rivers and harbors and
great water ways of the land; such
as the Mississippi river, and our har-
bors and rivers, and every dictate of
reason justifes the building of the
great Isthmian canal, but we should
regard with a great deal of susp;-
cion many Of the chimerical suggcs-
tions to build up private enterprises
at the expenses of tie National Gov
ernment. for it would prove too great
a precedent to perpetuate the tariff,
and to roll up big fund Of money
in the treasury, wrung from the peo-
pie by indirect taxation.
Fight Capitalization.
We are also told BIZ, the President
that he >has "turncd on the light"
and we are glad he has brought to
light the rottenness that exists in
high places, but VIC must not be de-
ceived by tho no uncertain and i'm
perativc call he makes to give the
Federal Executive greater power, even
to Capitalization. Hc wants not only
more power to manage and control
the implements Of Interstate Com
mcrce land there is no objection to
that), but he wants to bend and twist
the Interstate Commerce clause Of
tho Constitution, so that the FEEDER
al Executive should ben enabled to
seize upon and regulate even the
intra State activities and to subject
the products of her soil, The labor
and output of her mills and mines,
all to the touch of the Federal power.
The Drainage Question.
The irrigation Of arid lands in the
West By Federal aid, seems to have |
become a fixed policy, like the i'm