Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-20
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PANIC
Congressman Finley Rubs Salt on
Republican Raw Places.

congressman FInley nupS SaiI VII
Republican Raw Places.
Congressman Finley of the commit
tee on postoffices and post roads,
spoke on the postoffice appropriation
bill on Tuesday of last week. He ex-
planned the bill at length: but the prin-
cipal feature of his remarks was an
excoriation of the Republicans for try
ing to saddle a ship subsidy appro-
priation on the postal service instead
Of meeting the issue squarely and TAX
ing the responsibility of passing ship
subsidy bill open and aboveboard. In
conclusion, he charged the Republi-
cans with responsibility for the pres
ent depressed condition Of the country.
What he had to say along this line is
reproduced from the Congressional
Record as follows:
This country Is great in every way.
Particularly in it's citizenship, ac-
| complishrnent, material wealth, and,
may add, in appropriations gener-
| ally for the support OF the govern
ment, and particularly for the sup
port Of the postal service. It's mater
| ial wealth amounts approximately TO
one-quarter Of the wealth OF the
world, and, as ] remember, our ex-
penditures for postal facilities amount
to more than thirty per cent Of the
| total expenditures for this purpose
| by all the nations Of the earth.
l am not a pessimist. / have faith
In the people and believe that the
progress and development Of the
country is best assured by the show
| ing made by the postal service. The
receipts from this source are the sur
est indications and constitute the very
best business barometer to be had.
Receipts and expenditures In the postal
service have practically doubled within
the past nine years. Nine years ago
receipts amounted TO a little more
tons of the postoffice department
have not been carried out by the post
office committee in the preparation
| of the bill under consideration by
something like $9,000000. The rea-
son given for this generally by the me-
| jority of the committee was that we
have a panic on and that there will
necessarily be a falling of in reve.,
nues and in demand for increased
service. This falling off has not
amounted to much as yet.
In all of my experience in congress
nine years-this is the first, time
have heard Republicans cry panic
The only song I have heard from
them heretofore Is that panic and Re-
publican rule do not go together; that
Republican administration means
prosperity of a high order and con-
tinuous duration. Often I have heard
my friends on the other side Of the
aisle tell of the hard times under the
rlax,alond od icfr ffnn and
| then in grand peroration eXclaim that
Democratic rule must Of necessity re-
suit in panic. I remember particu-
larly the tale of woe told by one Of
my Republican friends as to how
during Cleveland's last administra-
ton he was compelled by the stress
of the times to eat clams-to eat
them and eat them to such an extent
that his stomach rose and feft with
the tides. l would like to know what
diet he has been regaling himself on
during the past six months. Laugh
ter and applause on the Democratic
sidel l should say that 1t is about
clam time again. One thing Is GER
tain, the Republican members Of this
body no longer sing Of prosperity
caused by the Republican party being
in power Republicans now claim
that panics, like death and taxes must
come.
At any rate, we have a panic, the
most far-reaching that some sections
Of this country have as yet experience
ed. l may say, however, in passing
chat this Republican panic has not af-
fected the postal revenues, as 1t other
wise might, for the reason that there Is
no real cause for panic. 1t comes at
time OF profound peace, when the coun-
try was never more prosperous in It's
fields, mines and industries. 1t comes at
a time when there was never so much
money in the country-in fact, when
the circulation per capita is greater
than ever in the history Of this coun-
try. 1t comes at time when the
stock Of gold in this country exceeds
billion of dollars. 1t is a panic
brought on by reason Of the distrust
with which the masses Of the people
in this country have come to regard
the government, and they regard 1t
with distrust, high and low, rich and
poor, because the government Is in
the hands Of the Republican party.
The panic of 1891 to 1879 was
widespread. The present panic is
only as wide as the rule Of the Repub-
lican party and only extends where
the blighting effects Of that misrule
reaches. l go one step further and
state that this Republican panic, con-
fined principally to this country, has
been more severe and more disas-
trous in it's consequences in those
states where the Republican party is
in power. We felt it to some extent In
my state, but not bank closed its
DOORS not a single failure resulted in
South Carolina to my knowledge on
that on account Of the policies and
practices of the Republican party,
including the close connection be-
tween the government and special in
terests, the people are in a condition
Of panic. That is, they have lost con-
fidence in the Republican party.
There will be an end to this. In No
vember next the people VIII nave
say. Republican orators and polltl-
clans may disclaim responsibility tor
the panic, but the fact is the panic is
on. You claim that the way to end
this panic is to re-elect your party
10 power. l tell you that the people OF
this country are not fools. The panic
being caused by misgovernment on
the part of your party, how can the
people expect to better conditions by
giving the Republican party new
lease of power? Puffed up with sue
cess and pride of power, you have in
the past called attention to the soup
houses. workmen without work, and
distressed conditions generally dur
ing the last Democratic administra-
ton. 1t is with sorrow for the con-
ditiOn of the laboring classes and poor
people in the great industrial centers
that | call attention to the fact that
there are probably 100000 out or
permanent employment today, all on
account of your panic. In the great
cities in this country during the pres
ent winter thousands have been fed
by the hand of charity.
Confidence will be restored, but 1t
will not be until the people have had
their say in November. [Applause on
the Democratic side.
Mr.. Sherwood. And what about
the full dinner pail?
Mr.. Finley. Mr.. Chairman, the full
dinner pail song has served It's pur-
pose. l do not think that in this
year of grace we will hear any song
of that tenor. What the song will be
| do not know, can not surmise, but
1 will say this, that the Republican
politicians are-to my mind-about
the smartest on the face of the earth
[laughterl, and they will sing a song
that will suit If they can find one.