Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-12-09
THE MAN WHO TOLLS ;
BY THE BLUFF TALLER.


v-coMBISATIoS AND CONSPIRACY.
After close glance into the curiosi-
ties of society and n peep at its patch.
work of characters, one is not in the least
surprised why the poor toiler seems to be
perpetually kept in the bottom of the
boa. during the voyage of life, while the
puffed-up dandy or the useless idler is
permitted to handle the helm and steer
whatever course be pleases. IL might
reasonably be supposed that in free land
the honest toiler would occasionally come
to the surface and show his face, but the
truth is that nowhere else is he subjected
to so many taunts and jeers nor so much
at the mercy of knaves and tricksters.
All around him sharpers grow like mush'
rooms, and shavers come and 60 like
q scks of birds. 1t is sereuely grand to
see Gulliver Crowbar put himself forth
on all political and festive occasions as
the peoples representative" the work
iugmap's friend" and the advocate OF
equal rights" while in his place in the
legislative hall he becomes tough stick
Ter for conspiracy laws and strong
talker in favor of clipping as close ss
possible all combinations in aid of the
toiler. he may wink and smirk and
smile and drink with Bobbin the
tailor, and with an sffable bow bid
Tankard the tinker Jolly good
day; but at the ssIs time be may
have in his plsguey head plan for
increasing their poverty, which be would
sell 10 o ring of jobbers or bond-holders
for q s9sil remuneration in greenbacks
or the promise Of assistance at tho next
election. What cares be il 8 conspiracy
law is a relic g. barbarismf Isn't this the
nineteenth century. when every s.sn is
his own master? Don't Gulliver Crow
bar bask in the toilers smiles 2-aah
isn't be, by my faith, their adorable rep
resentative2 Dare they Who ssek shsd-
ows and shun substances ask more Let
them be satisfied with what they have,
little as it is. Lst them shake hands
with the Honorable Gulliver; he's
nice mana very nice man, you see; q
generous man the poor mans friend,
you know. What use or value to the
man who tolls are societies and unities
and fraternities Such combinations be-
long to the politician and the placer
hunter outside Of whose rings nobody
has q rirht to debate questions OF econ
omy. No one sho1ld believe the BOBBY
who says a republican form of govern-
ment (sueh IS we see around us) is q
thing Of striped beauty like butterhy's
wings, tenderly upheld by senators and
sages who take exquisite pleasure in
munehing dosnuts at the public expense,
and dulestly apostrophized by new or
der of gentlemen called the Hifslutins,
whose loftiest ambition is to twaddle to
moo, and tumble on, ofone psriy into an
other with the sprightkDsss Of sprite.
Ii always appears 10 S)ftsolder Sun
down that political caucus is combi-
nation for the "public good" while
trade scciely sppsarsts his argus eyes
spotted over with a hundred faults.
each fault in itself equal 10 CON
spirscy." His chum lscsriot Sunhower
will say the country belongs TO the
people p yet he knovs very we'll the peli-
/ Glars will divide il among their friends,
or barter il of in tections to railroad
rings. which may be considered very
lauiable and quite becoming in states
men Of g rich republic, where for every