Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-23

act not forbidden by the state consti
tuition. When an act Of the congress
Is tested as TO constitutionality by tn
court, 1t asks the question, what sec
tion and article permits the congress
to pass this law?
when an act Of the legislature 1
tested, the court asks what article
and section Is the legislature prohib
this act? AN OF the reserved right
| in the people are vested in the legis
lature, and the court resolves doubts
In favor of the constitutionality. AT
ticle x. section 6, says, the credit o
the state shall not be pledged for th'
benefit Of any individual, company ol
association or corporation" etc.
II take 1t that the question turn!
on the Interpretation Of the meaning Of
the word credit
I'm Webster's dictionary l find tht
word used In twelve different senses
It Is plain In the section of the consti.
tuition referred to that credit Is uset
either in the commercial sense: &
transfer Of goods In confidence of fu
ture payment, or of money loaned or
the credit of the borrower; or the pub
Ilic credit sense of the ability and dis
position of the state to redeem 1t!
promise to pay. This being so. there
can be no question that the bill Is con-
stitutlonal.
THE state does not loan its credit;
there Is nothing said about borrowing
money or selling cotton. 1t does no.
guarantee or endorse for anyone. i
merely provides a warehouse where
cotton Is stored, and charges so mucf
per bale for storing cotton. The re-
ceipt II gives Is a receipt for so many
pounds Of cotton with the weight ant
grades Where Is the prohibition ir
the constitution? The state Is no
holding the cotton 1t stores. The farm
er or cotton merchant Is holding fol
his own benefit, and pays the state
for storage facilities. Again, the state
has nothing TO do with the certificate
after It Is issued; II the holder borrows
money on 1t, 1t Is no concern Of the
state and the state does not guarantee
repayment Of the money: 1t guaran'
tees the delivery Of the cotton wher
demanded by the holder Of the certifi'
cate.
Section II provides that the state
debt shall not be increased except by
constitutional amendment. This Bill
does not increase the state debt. Tht
state appropriates outright and pro
vides a sinking fund for the return ol
the money in fifty years.
The legislature certainly has 9
constitutional right to appropriate
money for this purpose. The state
has owned and operated a railroad
Why not a warehouse? The state ha!
operated a great whisky business
Why not a warehouse? The state !!
farming and producing cotton In com
petition with its own citizens. 1t gave
receipts for the royalty on phosphate
and II the receipts had specified 9
grade and the party holding the re-
ceipt had borrowed money at Char
lesion bank. would that have made
the phosphate industry an offense tc
the constitution Of South Carolina?
IF the state provided warehouse:
to store their phosphate. would tha
be unconstitutional?
"I suppose that when the dispen'
sary law was passed, rs per cent o,
the lawyers in this state exclaimed
against the constitutionality OF the
act. Yet the supreme court OF the
United States found enough room fol
the exercise Of reserve powers In the
state to guarantee the chemically
pure and conduct business for prof1t
or graft, just which has never yet beer
determined.
The Currency Question.
"I confess that I have a reason why
II favor the plan adopted in Louisiana
that outweighs in my mind the direc
benefit to the planter from storing
cotton.
1T Is evident that the controlling
powers in this country are determined
to make a radical change In our cur
rency system. The so-called Aldricf
bill Is the basis which Is proposed
This is neither the time nor place tc
discuss this measure; 1t has some
fundamentally bad features and some
that are good. The bill proposes thai
the basis for the issue of currency
shall be changed from the present
per cent circulation bonds, to certain
classes of corporate securities. A
change of this character Will be far'
reaching, and fear that in the soutf
there will not be much paper that Will
meet with favor in this new currency
scheme.
"They are bound to include state
bonds in any scheme Of that kind ano
could not refuse state warehouse
certificate such as Louisiana would
have to offer. 1t will certainly be or
a par with United States Steel bond!
or any corporation security.
Your lands are an unwieldy, I'M
possible sort of a security, but thu
product Of your lands, cotton, Is al
ways convertible into gold at a mo
ment's notice. II put into commercia
shape these state warehouse certih
Gates are an ideal basis for a currenc!
issue. and they will impart an artih
cial value to every acre OF cotton lan(
that will make the south rich In TIT
next twenty-five years beyond ou
widest dream.
"I have heard the Louisiana plar
called socialism; I say no, 1t Is JUS
tice.
What chance have unorganiZec
millions scattered over thirteen state:
in a contest with expert financial STRAIT.
egy backed by unlimited capital
What the people individually canno
do for themselves, Is within the prov
ince and the duty Of the government
to do for them. The government help:
the citizen to help himself. This II
not socialism-it Is patriotism.
Another says, 1T Is paternalism.
TO WHICH L dllS"Si' HciS "Sf' H>
your choice.
"Shall 1t be agricultural impover
ishment, or governmental patern2i
ism? Shall cotton wear the crown o.
king or the shackles Of slave?
shall we follow Louisiana anc
strike one brave blow to right wront
against righteous political economy
or shall we cringe and cover betor'
an ever invading money tyrant?
Cheapening Cost OF Living.
There is sinister drift to public
discussion that / don't like, IT bodes
Ill to agriculture. The president OF the
United States in his 10000 mile cam
paign trip at public expense, gave
voice to 1t, and the magazines anc
newspapers are full Of It.
Living Is too high, 1t must pe
cheapened." That is all very we'll, blu,
what about the profits Of productive
labor, hear nothing said about them
All for the relief Of the consumers
nothing about the profits Of producers
Certainly If the mills don't get all the
profits we should have cheap clothes
next year. l do not see the difference
now, when 1 go to buy shirt, l pay
Just the same price as when l solo
cotton at $40 per bale, and / am won
dering where that $50 Is, which ough'
to be in my pocket.
.,Tba ,>nIiticiops follow the votes, anC