The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 18, 1892 Page: 2 of 16
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"M rT* T"'
SOUTHERN MEftCUftY.
Feb. té. 1892.
Two Conventions.
By an oversight, mention of the
People's party convention, held in
Fort Worth on Feb. was not
made in our last issue. It was a
called meeting, and the delegates
were earnest and intelligent, most
of them farmers. After the com-
mittee on credentials reported, the
body proceeded regularly to busi-
ness. The following delegates
were e lected to represent Texas at
the People's party convention to as-
semble in St. Louis on the 20th of
February:
H. S. P. Ashby, Smithfield; W.
H. Pritchard, Hick?; J. M. Per-
due, West Mountain; E. L. Doho-
ney, Paris; Capt. Sam Evans, Ft.
Worth; Rev. James Hickley, De-
catur; H. Fewman, Montague; Dr.
J. B. Elliott, Bowie; Capt. W. L.
Robinson, Ft. Worth; C. J. Wil-
son, Callahan; Henry Jennings,
McKinney; R. H. Hayes, J. S.
Broun son, Ft. Worth; W. M.Lamb,
Rayner; J. D. Rankin, Groesbeck,
Bettie Gay, Columbus; C. A. Mc-
Means, Denton; Helen L. Dabbs,
Fort Worth; P. H. Golden, Dal-
las; W. E. Farmer, Sulphur
Springs; Capt. C. H. Fultcher,
Cae9eta; Maj. C. E. Birthright,
Sulphur Springs; Dr. Pat. B.
Clark, Big Springs.
A resolution endorsing Hon. G.
W. Jones for United States senator
for Mr. Reagan's unexpired term,
was passed, and a resolution to the
effect that all bills passed by the
legislature should be submitted to
a vote of the people was discussed
and passed with only one dissent-
vote. The meeting was harmo-
nious.
On February 10 the conference of
the sub-treasury or Jeffersonian
democrats convened at 10 o'clock
in Dallas. There were about 200
delegates present representing
every section of the state. A
temporary organization and ap-
pointment of proper eommit-
tess was effected and in due
time the committee on per-
manent organization reported
the following state executive com-
mittee, which report was adopted
'without amendment, hence at once
establishing a permanent state or-
ganization:
Chairman, J. T. Crawford of
Eastland county; for permanent
secretary, E. S. Peters of Robinson
county; for assistant secretary, T.
Bennett of Limestone county, and
the following as an executive com-
mittee: First, Wm. Lee; second,
E. S. Peters; third, John G. Nix;
fourth, Harrison McChristian; fifth,
R. V. Bell; sixth, Milton Park;
seventh, W. P. Laughter; eighth,
' S. O. Meitzen; ninth, N. H. Tracy;
tenth, Taylor McRe ; eh*Nfc th, C.
J. Monroe; state at large, H. E.
McCulloch and Harry Tracy.
The committee on resolutions
reported the following which were
adopted:
Whereas, the ruling of the chair-
man of the executive committee of
the democratic party of the state of
Texas excludes from participation
in the deliberation and proceed-
ings of the paity those holding to,
and adtocating the principle of the
proposed sub treasury plan; and
whtreas, the said ruling meets
with the approval of all the other
members of the state executive
committee, as evidenced by their
long and, to us, painful silence;
Therefore, we, your committee
on resolutions and permanent or-
ganization submit the following as
a short and full embodiment of our
principles:
1. We advocate the principles
enunciated in the Ocala demands,
more especially the sub treasury
plans.
2. We advocate the election of
all officers by a direct vote of the
people.
3. We advocate tne unlimited
coinage of gold and silver.
4. We advocate a reduction of
the tariff.
5. We oppose the present na-
tional banking system.
6. We favor reform in all de-
partments in our state government
and demand that expenses be re-
duced to the lowest point compati-
ble with efficient administration.
7. We favor a railway commis-
sion that will insure equal and ex-
act justice to the people and to the
railways. The commission to
be composed of three qualified cit-
zens of the state, elected by the
people in the same manner as other
officers.
8. We favor an alien land law
that will protect the citizens of our
state against the encroachment of
foreign land syudicates, and alien
ownership of lands within the lim-
its of the state.
A thorough organization of the
state will be perfected as fast as
possible. The meeti ng was a har-
monious body of determined pa-
triots.
It is said that work on the Fort
Worth and Dallas rapid transit
railroad will begin inside of 60
day8. The surveys have all been
completed and right of way has
been secured nearly all the way
from Fort Worth to Dallas. Con-
siderable donations of land have
been made tbe company. Yet we
see it stated that the alien land law
has driven capital out of Texas,
ruined the state! Bab!
The Queen City (Tex.) Iron
Company has filed a charter, capi-
tal $400,000, for the purpose of
manufacturing pig iron, fire briok
and tiling.
The Sooial Economist's Errors.
In his criticism of a communica-
tion on "Money and Currency"by
J. H. Jones, the editor says that
the "three 'great truths of green-
backism;' 1, that it is an essential
function of government to supply
the currency. This theory is nei-
ther new nor true, it is not essen-
tial that the government should do
any thing except it can do it better
than private citizecs can. Private
citizens now furnish 95 per cent of
our currency, and they supply it
much better than the government
does the remaining 5 per cent. The
next step in the evolution of fin-
ance should be towards taking the
remaining 5 per cent out of poli-
tics and not putting Ihe other 95
per cent backagian."
This is the position taken and
contended for by all the single gold
standaad advocates. Tney desire
ihe poverty of the masses rather
thAn universal prosperity. We
affirm that it is both "essential"
and "true" that the government
can furnish money direct to the
people to a better advantage than
if that high privilege be farmed
opt to favored individuals. The
léss of the material functions of
government (especially any control
of the currency) committed to in-
dividuals as such, the better for
the people- We know that "pri-
vate citizens" (national banks)
now furnish 95 percent of the
currency, and this is ju&t what is
the trouble. These gentlemen have
the power, under the law, and ex-
ercise it vigorously to expand or
contract the currency as they see
fit. They have contracted it to
less than $10 per capita at the dic-
tation of single gold standard ad-
vocates, speculators and bondhold-
ers. In the next breath this gold
bug gives the whole schem* away,
by saying "the next step ity|)ie ev-
olution of finance should be to-
wards taking the remaining 5 per
cent out of politics, and not putting
the other 95 per cent back again.''
Plainly, it means to turn over the
entire management and issue of
our money, the amount, kind and
all details to the national banks.
Such utterances are unofficial treas-
on. It is noticable in this connec-
tion, that no bill has been intro-
duced as yet, in either branch of
congress, by any democrat or re-
publican to repeal the national
banking law.
This learned servant of the sin-
gle standard element commenting
en the idea of a "basis" for money,
asserts that "nothing but the coin
the paper represents, or the com-
modity of which the coin is made
will fill that function. Therefore,
no Other form of wealth can be a
safe taris for representative cur-
rency." Here again he varies
widely from facts and precedents.
The treasury note is not redeema-
ble, the bank note is not redeema-
ble, nor is either of these two kinds
of paper money based on coin. The
bank note is based on United Seates
bonds, and if a bank fails the gov-
ernment reaeives the notes that
bank has issued in dues to the gov-
ernment, the government holding
bonds as security. The govern-
ment simply acts as security. The
treasury note is based on the wealth
and patriotism of the people, and
is receivable for all dues ex-
cept interest on the public debt.
But in close keeping with the gold
standard theory,he farther declares
that "spot cash is the method of
barbarism, ana credit that of civil-
ization." If having the money to
buy and pay for what one wants
makes a man a "barbarian," the
masses all prefer tobe "barbar-
ians." The studied purpose of
these gold bugs and their hench-
men is to befog the minds of the
people and hold them tó their
prejudices. «
Some three months agft Attorney
General Culberson filed shit againit
the Galveston, Harrisburg & Safe
Antonio Railway Company to
recover 58,912 acres i of land
located by that company in
Jeff Davis county. The ha*
sis of the suit was ithe alle-
gation that the location was made
on the Texas & Pacific reservation
and was therefore, null and void.
The railway company through its
attorney, asked for time to make a
survey and ascertain whether the
location was as alleged. It turned
out so and no contest was made.
Judgment was agreed to, and to-
day it was entered up in Judge
Robertson's court restoring the
above number of acres to the pub-
lic domain. It is understood that
part of the land has been patented.
Patents will of course be cancelled.
The result of the suit adds quite
a nice sum to the public school do-
main of Texas. The argus-eyed at-
torney general will ferret out other
unlawful appropriations of the pub-
lic domain, we opine. He is de-
termined to have the laws complied
with regardless of who may be
the offenders.
We heartily endorse the plan
suggested by the superintendent of
Buckner Orphan Home, to estab-
lish a printing office in connection
with the Orphanage, where the in-
mates of that charitable institution
may be taught the art of printing
practically. The Mercury will
contribute liberally to the accom-
plishment of this end, and would
suggest to the press throughout the
state to lend a helping hand to this
enterprise. Speak out brother
craftsmen and let the work begin!
■
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Park, Milton. The Southern Mercury. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 18, 1892, newspaper, February 18, 1892; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth185452/m1/2/: accessed June 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .