The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-16
THE LIBERTY LOAN.

mittee for South Carolina:
Reports from the twenty-five most
important cities and towns in the State
show subscriptions to Liberty Bonds
are only TWO MILLION. SIX HUN
DRED THOUSAND at the beginning
OF this week. Amounts unreported
will doubtless bring this to Three and
one-hah Million. or one-third of the
amount allotted to South Carolina Ac-
tive campaigns are going forward in
every community in the State to ut
least double this total by June 18th.
Please boost your local campaign to
the utmost
This statement covers the matter as
fully as 1t is possible to be stated in
words. South Carolina has subscribed
for only one-third as many Liberty
Bonds as was confidently counted on.
The amount allotted to South Carolina
was based upon the banking resources
ed as a fair index of the financial abil-
ity Of the people. To discharge their
obligation to the government the peo-
pie of South Carolina must buy $10,-
10000 Of the Liberty Bonds. # they
fall short Of the allotted amount the
people of this State will leave a part
OF the burden that is justly theirs to
be carried by the people Of other sec
tions. New York, Chicago and the
other great financial centers have been
called upon to subscribe for bonds in
exactly the same ratio and upon the
same basis as the people Of South
Carolina. This State has been asked
to do no more nor less in proper
tion to their financial ability than the
people Of New York. The question is,
will they do their duty, or will they
shirk It?
The list of Liberty Bond subscrip-
tions for Sumter County. printed yes
terday, shows what Sumter county
has done and who did It, There are
approximately $500 white men Of vot-
ing age I'm Sumter county and IL aver
age subscriptions Of fifty dollars per
man could be secured the allotment
of Sumter county would be more than
made up. This estimate does not
take into consideration at all the hun
dreds OF women. children and negroes
who have taken or will take Liberty
Bonds. 1t Is not expected, Of course,
that every white man in the county
will buy a bond, for hundreds OF
them have not the money. nor can
they obtain 1t to buy a bond. But
there are more than enough rich
and we'll to-do men in the county to
make up the average-for instance the
subscription OF Col. r. d. Lee alone Is
equivalent to three hundred sutscrip.
tions Of $50 each--and a reasonable
number of liberal subscriptions to sup
plement the many small subscriptions
by men Of small means would take up
the allotment of the county and have
something to the good besides. A.
we have heretofore said. every man is
= expected to and should do his full
duty I'm this emergency. according TO
his means. That is all that can be
expected of or demanded of any mar
rich or poor.
The purchase of Liberty Bonds by
capitalists, sfien who have money for
investment, or who enjoy incomes in
excess Of their actual needs, is
simple matter. They only have to de-
eide that they are willing to lend q
part Of their surplus funds to the
government. 1t is just a matter OF
patriotism. without the element OF
sacrifice. They are either willing TO
lend TO the government to help 1t in
the great struggle for human liberty
or they are not. They are either Will
ling to lend to the government at t"
l-2 per cent. interest to save their
country from overthrow by a military
despotism or they are selfish enough
to say to the government. Go hang
my money must be loaned at seven
or eight per cent. or not at all
The purchase Of Liberty Bonds by
the poor man and the wage~earner Is
different proposition, for to buy
bonds out of a meagre income is
sacrifice. since itinecessitates economy
and perhaps deprivation. 1t Will rt
found that many a subscriber for oni!
$50 makes a. greater contribution ac'
cording to his ability, than the buyers
of big blocks of bonds. The many
men of small means who are willing
to make, and are making the sacri-