The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, August 22, 1879, Image 1
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A TALK WITH SEHATOR BUTLER. | **YVcll? Oonornl. tho imftpAmiAn r?nt nKmn.1 I u\vi?- 4^--- ?-m
The Late Fight in Congress and (he Present
Situation.
EDOEPrKLi), August G.? According to
instructions I have interviewed Senator M.
0. Butler, and have succeeded io obtaining
liis viows on some of the more important
subjects now before the country. I called
on liini at his residence, and after the usual
exchange of courtesies stated the purport
of uiy visit, and with a little preliminary
skirmishing, tho interview proceeded as follows
:
"After tho smoke of battle has cleared
uway, what is your opiuion ot tho result of
tho political couftict at the extra session of
Congress'("
"It is about what I supposed it would be
when tho controversy opened. The Radicals
sounded their gongs, raised a great
hue und cry, and frightened the timid
throughout the country; but, as it progressed,
tho Democrats gained on their
auvuiBuriu.i uuu cuucu 111 a SUOSIUUIIUI TIClory.
The Radicals have, lor some years,
concealed their real principles under attacks
upon the South, aud this great debate has
compelled them to throw off the mask aud
show their disregard for tho Constitutional
limitations which attach to our Republic,
distinguishing it from any other that has
ever existed, and boldly avow their purposes
to make the Government what they
choose to cull a 'strong government,' which
in reality means nothing less than a consolidated
Empire?built upon the destruction
of tho States. Of course tho leaders dcuy
kaviug any such purposo, but it is the inevitable
logic of their position. They cannot
escape it, aud the Democrats ought not
to allow them to escape it."
"Do von thinlr thnl llifik roll! ?!>
issue in the next Presidential campaign
"Unquestionably it ought to be, for if
the Radical party succeed in establishing
the doctrines announced iu debate, as the
settled policy of tbo General Government,
an eutire change of oar system of government
will follow A constitutional government
of limited powers, operating upon the
individual citizcu through the States, except
as to tlioso powers spocitioally granted
in the Constitution, or such as are necessary
to carry out spociQe grants, will be converted
iuto n consolidated centralism?if I may
uso tbo term?responsible only to the loaders
of tbo dominant faction, who wiold the
1 iiupiwiu {man1*'** ?h?' W
their parly aud for the distribution of the
spoils of office; and this change will lollow
'much more speedily than you suppose.
The cxcrciso of national authority, iu their
view, means the destruction of Stnio milJinr.
ity, except ns far as the Stato governments
may be couvcuicut instrumentalities for enforcing
the national will. The forui of
government is much more effectually
changed by this means than by a dissolution
of the Union, or separation of tbe
States, for in the latter case Republican
institutions ma/ be preserved, but in the
former they will be eutirely and hopelessly
destroyed."
"Do you think that Mr. Hayes sympathises
with theextrcmc doctrinesof his party
leaders, and is it your opinion that the rank
and tile of the Republican party coucur in
thorn V'
"I \vitl reverse the order of your quesliou.
T do not believe the rank and file of the
Republican party iu the North do concur
in such doctrines or principles as a general
thiug. The rank aud filq,of the Republican
party iu the South have no oniiii<?-.
i r ><io oi i
their owu. aud cah *? - .
VI. vn , uu ent|y can scarcely
Iviu responsible. 1 believe that a great
many of the more conservative Republicans
of the North arc really devoted to correct
principles of constitutional government, but
their leaders arc able, aggressive, nud, in
many instances, unscrupulous uien, who
lovo power for the sake of power and tho
emoluments and importanco that it gives
them, and not for the good that they may
do to their fellow man, and, uudor tho cry
of party necessity and party supremacy,
many of these inou will be borne aloug and
committed to a policy of government which
in their hearts they do not approve. Tho
battle-ground will bo at tho Nor',h, and
everything depends upon the pluck nud
energy of the Northern Democracy. If
Ihoy do not permit tho Radicals to raise
false issues and frighten the people by false
nlarms, tlicy can win. Ilut they will have
to press homo the real danger to liberty
toith untiring pertinacity and ta?t. The
nendulnui has heou swung back in the
JSoQth as it was when Mr. Jctterson went
into power in 1801 and upon similar issues.
As to Nr. Hayes, I bavo no doubt lie is in
full accord and sympathy with tho extreme
men of his party on these questions. If
you will read his veto messages to the lato
appropriation bills of Congress, you will
discover that he pushed the right of Federal
interference with tho affairs of the
Htates further than any man has over ventured
in this country. No l'resident, not
cron Grant, with all his reckless disregard
or civil Mjsirutneuuuties iu ine auunnuiralion
of government, uud reliunco upon forc?
mid the strong hand of central power, ha.<i
ever d.irod to claim for tho executive arm
of the government tho power which Mr.
lluyas insist* upon, (tend his veto mexHagox
ourtfully, and ace if I exaggerate their
scope sod meaning."
. --J f h?. ?>/>VI>U
in the couutry, in the earlier stages of the
debate, that the Republicans outgcocralicd
the Democrats nod put them at n disadvantage.
flow do you account for that ?"
''It is due to several causes. As I have
said, the Radicals sounded their gougs and
uiade the most noise at first, and frightened
the timid minded of both parties. They
talked about 'revolution* aud 'rebellion' and
'secession* and slavery' and 'trcasou' and
'Coufederate brigadiers' and almost everything
elso, except the real issues under discussion.
But the country got accustomed
to this, aud as soon as it was discovered
that the revolution did not begin, aud that
the 'Confederate brigadiers' were the most
conservative and prudent 'men iu Congress,
the people began to look at (ho facts, the
scare wore off and the Radicals wcukcncd.
Auothor cause for the impression to which
you refer is to be found, I think, iu the
coloring which was given to the debates in
the Associated Press dispatches from Washington.
When I came home sick in June
[ was struck with the character of these
dispatches. Iu thcui the Rudicals wcro almost
alwavs made trt nnnoiir ?r> ...1
? _r, -vantage
than the Democrats, whether designedly
or not I cannot say. Rut having
a pretty correct idea of the drift of the debate,
I could see that there was a partiality
shown to the Radical speakers, aud the
people uaturally formed erroneous conclusions
from those dispatches. As to tho
Democratic management, of course there
were mistakes, but in the main the controversy
was managed with great ttkill and
tact aud ability by the Democratic leaders."
"I judge from what you liavo said that
the fiuaucial question will not occupy so ,
important a position in tho approaching
campaign us the political questions to which I
you hare referred?"
"I do not think so. Id my judgment
the Radicals committed a great party blunder
iu not forciug tho financial question
upon the Democrats, instead of permitting
the Democrats to couipol them to meet issues
which they (the Democrat?) uiado on
'th*> uso of troops at the polls,' aud the deputy
marshals,' 'supervises,' 'test oath,' &c.,
&c. Truo, the Republicans were divided
on financial questions as well as the Democrats,
bat not so much so, und if they had
foroed the fight on that issue at tho beginI
ing of tho extra session, and kept it up, the
in in ii 11 i f t'li 3D* it -ii~l jVVtifi
have been divided; but they did not ao so,
and the opportunity has passed. I think
the difTercuces of opinion among Democrats,
on the silver nucstion (Tor that is now about
the only financial matter upou which there
is a difference of opinion,) is more apparent
than real, and I hope and b'elievo that before
the Presidential canvass opens all differences
will disnppear and the Democrats
will be solid to go into the fight on the consolidation
doctrines of the Radicals. I do
not understand cither wiug of tho Democratic
party to be opposed to silver uor to
its equalization with gold."
"What then is the point of difference in
tho Democratic party on the bilvcr question
?"
"As I said awhile ago, I think the difference
is more appureut than real. Nobody
objects to silver as a currency, and to its
heiujj made ecj'Uil! wilu gold? but tho question
l? hvw this is to bo accomplished. One
j set of Democrats, more notably those who
favored tho "Warner Silver Kill/' as it was
| origlnallv i^'?,-o<iuccd, thiuk that the unlimited
free coinage of silver by .the Governuiout
is tho best way to briug about the
equality?that is to say, if you havo $20,000
worth of silver bullion, which is worth
in reality but eighty-five cents in the dollar
of 412 J grains, you shall be allowed to
carry the bullion to a United Stated mint
and have it coined into standard silver dob
lnrs, so that the inoincut the Uovcrnmcut
stauip is put upon it that which was intrinsically
worth but eighty-five cents becomes,
by this artificial appliance, worth one hundred
cents. Ou the other hand, there are
those who think,that silver having been
fully rcnionctized an 1 invested with unlini*
ited legal tender power, it is best to limit
its coiungo for the prcsont, at least, and
gradually restore its equality to gold. They
think that tho two metals, if lei alone in
their present relations, will rendjust themselves
to each other, ana to the business of
the country with, perhaps, such modifications
as trade and commercial interest and
timo will dictate and justify. This is the
Icadiug difference, only as to tho means to
accomplish the sauio result, and I agree
with those who hold the luttor opinions.?
It is a very difficult, complicated subject,
one of tho most difficult in governuicutal
science, is this question of finance, and vory
few men in the world understand it, at least,
in tho nnnlirntinn nf its nrinninlna In irnv.
crnmeut. And jet you bear men talk ubout
it as glibly and confidently as if it were as
simple as "The Ruloof Throo." 1 confess,
very frankly, that there aro many branches
of the subject that I do not fully comprehend
and grasp, but I prefer in this, as upon
all other questions, to tako a conservative
position, and in the meantimo give tho sub
jeet candid consideration and tho exorcise
of my best judgmont."
''In what respect do tho advocates of the
1 unlimited free coinage of silver cluini thai
, it will be beneficial to the people?"
#
??iij, mcjf say it win tnako money uioro
abundant, .stimulate business, enhance prices,
employ labor, and iu that way relieve the
pressure of the times."
"is it your opinion that it would have
that effect?"
"No, not to nuy appreciable degree. I
believe that business will revive more surely,
perhaps somewhat more slowly, and reach
a normal condition uiore certuinly?that
prosperity will be restored in all parts of the
eouutry upon a more substantial and healthful
and pcrmnncut basis if the fiuauccs
should bo let aloue, (save one change in the
system which I c:uld suggest,) than by incessant
tinkering, and the preparation of fioaucial
nostrums,at each session of .Congress.
Money is tdic most timid and eouser-_
vativc of all tlio elements and instrumcntulitios
of business, and requires to be placed
upon a firm aud certain basis, and then to
disehargo its proper fuuctionR. Those who
are deuiandiug more money, an inflation of
the currency by the unlimited free coinage
of silver, the issue of more greenbacks and
Slioli tnmnnmrt? u*??l?Ai>U54Vo ...!! - *
?wm|/vi?? j iiianucuiiio, win uui nucouiplish
what they desire, until one and only
one, very important change shall have been
made in our fiuancial system. In the silver
war both parties are fighting at a shadow,
and I should be tempted to read tho
'Oouiedy of Errors' to some of uiy political
friends, who have gono daft on the silver
qucstiou, if I were not afraid of giving offence."
"What is the change which you would
suggest?".
"Abolish the national banks, and repeal
the ten per cent, tax on the issues of iState
banks, and the financial problem will be
solved, in uiy judgement."
"In what way would that benefit the
country 1"
"In more ways than I shall be ablo to
iudicatc at present. One thing, 1 think, is
clearly demonstrable, that the unlimited
free coinage of silver will benefit, no class
of people other than the bulliou speculators.
They would make fifteen cents ou tho dollar
at tho prcsuut value of bullion on every
dollar coined, and men like you and I would
have that fifteen ceuts to pay, and in an
operation of two or three hundred millions
it would amount to something. Silver bullion
from all parts ot the world would Hood
the mints. Every government with a surcommercial
centres. And how arc we to
get it out ? No easier than we can now
yet money, aud no more readily if there
wero two thousand millions of silver coined
in the next six months. Abolish tho ua
tion.il banks, so that uioucy can be inure
properly distributed fur the benefit of tlic
whole pooplc, and then the loosening of the
floodgates of silver coin would not do so
much damage. Hut turning in an increased
volume into the old currents would not bcuedit
the people at large. You must first
eradicate the evils of the system, before
attempting to build it up to a healthy, vig,orous
growth, by administcriug stimulauts.
''Who in Congress is responsible for the
agitation of the silver question ?"
'The Western meu, in great uiea*vuo. ' '
Thty ure more largely in debt, I believe,
than we are, aud the shrinkage of values
and reduced price of their products, (a result
which sueccods tho feverish, speculative
character of values after a great war
such as ours, as iuevitably as day follows
night?we have felt it keenly at the South,)
hus dimiuished their capacity to pay, aud
they uaturally clamor for somelhiug for
relief. There is great force iu their appeals,
but, in niy humblo opinion, they aro not
pursuing tho effective course to ovcrcoun
tho difficulties which cuvirou us. You sec,
it is so plausible to say, as most of the free
coinage men do say, 'that silver has been
degraded, and ouuht to be restored to the I
position it occupied betoro the war/ 'that
it is the people's money and they want it/
'that it was the dollar of our daddies/ &c.,
See. Now this all seems very fair ttud reasonable
and proper, but those who claim
this for silver, forget, or overlook, the
changed coudition in the commercial world.
In the ten years intervening bctweeu the
years 1852 and 18G2, the auuual average
production of silver throughout tho world
was estimated to bo ouly from forty to fortyfive
millions of dollars, and very little of this
from Amcrionu mines. Whereas in 1875
tho aggregate production throughout the
world is estimated to have been seventyfive
millions of dollars. Silver has depreciated
much more than degraded in value,
owuing?io the largo additional supply producoi
by the American mines iu recent
yoars. Tho entire revenues of Indian are
now collected in silver, and I commend to
the extreme silver uieu tho cxpcricnco of
the Indian (joverunjcnt of lato years by
reason of it. She lost in exchanges in ouo
jeur 915,000,000, because of her having
i nothing but silver, llcsides Germany has
demonetized silver. The Latin Union has
suspended its coinage. England, the great
i financial ccntro of tho world, adopted tho
gold standard years ago, and sho is to day
i the riu)icst nation in the world, with nil
douiitrics paying tribute to her sagitcity
i and superior financial foresight. Moreover
I inter commuuicnt ion in the commercial world
required Weeks and months, wbcti only
minutes and hours uro now required since
the adoption of the submarine telegraph
The balance of trade in our favor for the
last fiscal year amounted to some two hundred
and fifty odd millions. I speak from
memory. Suppose this amount could be
paid iufeilvcr at eighty-five ccuts iu the
dollar?instead of gold?and you will have
some idea of our immense Josses. If these
balauccs should be paid iu silver, at it*
present value, instead of gold, our losses
would be uiore than thirty million dollars
So that we have not the same conditions us
when silver was the "Dollar ol our Daddies,"
and it is much easier to talk about restoring
it to its toruier relation to gold and tc
tho business world, than to accomplish it
For the life of mcj 1 do not comprehend
bow any man who has a pound of cotton
to sell can desire any other than a gold
standard. The price of cotton in this country
is regulated by tho price, in gold, in
Liverpool. Why then should I be required
to take for my cotton u currency which is
depreciated in England as well as America,
when 1 ought to get the best price in the
best eurreucy ? Let us see how it affects
the chief market crop of the South. The
value of uumanujitctured cotton exported
by us for the tcir mouths ending April 30,
1879, was one hundred and fifty million
eight hundred and suveuty-uinc thousuud
three hundred and forty-five dollars (?150,879,345.)
Run fifteen cents in the dollar
>i t. .i . - -
wuuugii mat suu>, (jiuu 1 merely adopt that
to roproecut the depreciation of silver, by
way of illustration?it may be uioro or less,)
and the measure of loss to the cotton produce
may be approximated. This, of course,
would not happen if we could control tho
price of silver iu England, Frauco, Geruiauy
and other countries with which wo
have commercial transactions; but wo cannot
make eighty-live cents' worth of silver
worth ono hundred cents in England by
placing the government stamp ou it, as wo
can at home, for when it gets to England
it rates simply as bullion aud passes there
only at its bullion value."
'Do 1 understand you, then, to favor a
single standard of coiu currency ?"
. "No, not absolutely. 1 think that it was
wise and proper to rctnonetizc silver aud
to limit its coinage, as I believe, with proper
limitations upon the coiuago of silver, to
be regulated by circumstances, the two
coins might be made to supplement each
n arngpiouMjy - -vr-nm -cu
t fre tflnfoHTOCi Iflttti' si
matters now staud, would hare the effect
o'' driving gold out of the country and entailing
great losses upon our people, as I
have cudcavored to illustrate by the losses
ou cotton alone."
"llecurring to your suggestions abonl
the National Daaks, would not their abolition
tend to unsettle bnsiucss and produce
confusion in monetary circles?"
"I think not. Tho repeal of tho provision
of the National Dank act, which imposes
a tax of 10 pur cent, ou State issues,
would settle ihc troubles, at least so far as
wc in the South arc concerned. The comparatively
small amount of capital invested
iu South Caroliua in National banks would
be transferred, no doubt, to institutions organized
under State authority as bunks of
SSUC, aild become much more satisfactory
to investors in bauk stock. Wo should
thou have a currency answeiiug all the purposes
of our people iu their business operations,
as uudcr Stato banks before the war,
aud would be all tho better by being kept
at home if such should hn its fnin Our
merchants and business men would have
no difficulty in arranging their cxchaugcs
with New York, Baltimore, or even with
Europe, as thoy had uouo before tho war.
The government issues of greenbacks would
remain in eircululion. 1 have no doubt oi
the ability of the government to maintain
| resumption upon the present amount in
| circulation, or perhaps on a larger amount,
| in the progress of the development of our
iucreased specie paying capacity. The reopening
of State banks would aid resumption
and supply the deiaaud lor more currency,
bccauso it would bo more generally
and equitably distributed than is tho case
with the National bank currency."?Special
to the News and Courier.
To Remove Dandruff.?To remove
dandruff tako an ouuco of powderod borax,
a piece af unslaked lime the size of a chest
iiuc, ana a isuiespooniui or spirits oi amuionia
; put them iu a quart bottle and fill
it up with boiled or pump water Aflei
twelvo hours apply this wash to the scalp
Ladies can apply it best with a fine sponge
Hinso with tepid wator. After n few ap
plications the scales will disappear, the hail
becomes soft and brilliant, and the younf
hair bo seen to start out. Dandruff shouh
be cured gradually, so as not to pro
duco sick headache or dizziness by it
suddcu suppression.?Exchange.
- - ? - ? ?
JilNIMKNT FOR IX BUR ALQ1 A.?ttqiia
parts hartshorn, sweet oil, chloroform, spir
its of ammonia; dip into this a cotton clotl
doubled the size of a dollar; lay it on th
spot where the pain is, and hold nuotho
cloth over it to confine the fuuics. Do no
let it remain on long nt one lime, or it wil
. .cause a blister. Shako the bottle well nm
.kt'sp corked tight. Also, good for rhennis
thnn ?Mfs. Mary Olio; in Gcrmantou>\
Tctrgraplu
MIXED FARMING AND STOCK RAISING.
l'mf. Jno. It. Page, of tho University
of Virginia, contending iu the Southern
Plauter for the abuudouuieut of the systent
of cultivating two or three crops ou largo
areas of poor land, at a considerable expense
in fertilizers and labor, aud f ir the adoption
of a system of mixed farming and rearing,
of stock, by which half a dozen or more
crops may bo cultivated in rotatiou ou a
small scale nud at less expense, says ;
It will be contended that this system is
only applicable to communities with dense
populations and a ready market for everything
that can be made out of tho soil
aud produced in the form of meat, dairy
products, &c. I admit that it can only
| attain the highest perfection uudcr such a
condition of things; and have mentioned'
these fuels simply to illustrate the principle
. involved. Hut that an aualagous system,
in which all products that cannot be sold
shall be converted into salable meat, milk,
wool and manure, is the safest and surest
method of obtaining prolit, aud permanent
improvement of the soil, cannot hn son.
cessfully denied. While no system can bo
made universally applicable, every farmer
ought to cudeavor to work out ouc for himself,
according to the location, soilnud character
of his farm. Iu doing this the following
principles must be kept in view :
1. The cultivation of small areas of land
iu a rotatiou of crops?primary or staple
crops for sale directly, and secondary crons
to be converted tuio meat, wool ana uianuro
for udditiouul profit and improvement
of the land.
2. That the land cultivated must be made
rich in plant-food, chiefly by the stock
which consume the secondary products,
aud fertilizers only purchased to supplement
the deficiency.
3. The grain crops ought net to eneoocd
eech ether, but thut there eught to be enalternate
sucecssiou of grain, grceu and
grass crops.
4. That a long course is more favorable
to the soil than a short one; that a five-fieldsystem
is better thau a three or four-field,
and that u six or seven-field system is pro
lerablc to either lor the improvement of
the soil aud the carrying of stock.
5. That the free use of lime or plaster
with green crops, plowed in in regular rotation.
furnishes t ho cheapest method of improving
a largo class of lands; while pure
*pn08pnHlCJ WHn tHlmlc vi bOOo Or BUIplllllC
of ammonia, and sulphate or muriate of
potash, mixed in proper proportions aud op-plied
in reasonable amount, will generally
secure a remunerative crop and a good stand
of clover and orchard grass seed (a good
foundation fur the permanent improvement
of the field.)
G. That the making, saving and applying
to tho soil of all the manures and waste products
of the farm and household should be
made a regular business.
Fixed principles of uetion are as necessary
in tbc most exact avocations of life, and
it is necessary to adopt thcui and to study
them, in order to achieve a successful farm
practice. To this cud, these imperfect remarks
are iutended. The relations of the
laboring class in our midst to the existing
I cotuuuou oi agriculture ftho wages of
those who work und the large numbers of
those who are idle and preduccous) and the
change that will bo produced by a change
in our system, I will not attempt to discuss,
but will close with the expression of the
! 6rm belief that the only basis for a profita,
blc aud improving system of mixed fnrm|
ing, in Virginia is the system of mixed farm-ing,
the rearing of stock and the adoption
of rigid economy in the use of labor, fertilisers
and domestic affairs. This is tho
only way by which wo will bo able to create
capital at homo, without which we can never
be independent or highly prosperous.
i How iie I)n? It.?Around the Sea
Peach Palace are handsome baskets of exotics
suspended about half way between the
' upper and lower piazzas. The other day a
sharper thought he would amuse some companions
by guying nu employee of the cs-1
tablishuicnt.
I suppose, lie commenced, you have to*
havo a good roach to water thorn plants ?
No!
1 Perhaps you stand on some one's shoul1
dor to get at them ?
No we don't!
1 dure say you climb up tho pillurs and
throw water into the pots out of a clam
shell?
No sir ; wc do not.
Woll, hew do you water them ?
And tho employee replied :
r We hang by our toes from the upper pi;
azza and pour tho water on the flowers out
1 of silver cbaticea.
The gnycr departed highly satisfied with
8 the man's technique.?'New York Ufar.
Fan Scarlet-Fever Sore Throat.?
I A decoction of sage and blackberry-roofr
'* unudo vory strong; thon to a pint of the doII
coction add 1 oz. pulverized borax, 4J oz.
o pulverized alum, 1 oz. gum myrrh, and
r sweeten with loaf sugar. To bo used as a
4 gargle and a very little to be swallowed.?
II This has never been knowu to fail.
d ?- ? .> - ??
* ' f Take trno view of life i fee rfrood thai
n ytid hWd Work iu Ihe wdtld's tjusy path,
, end do it well and honorably.