Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-12

face, may not be made legal victims, and
class who arc endeavoring to out-wlt the Al
mighty and live in luxury and laziness upon
the wealth which their liberal education has
enabled them. by cunningly- devised laws 10
cheat out of the uneducated iaoorer'
Education is great blessing when il is pos
essed by honest. upright men, but Sir, 1t IS
curse when it is under the control of selfish,
bad men. There are as many educated rogues
as there are educated honest men, And ac-
cording to the sixteen wise men of Maine, we in
the rural districts are not supposed to have
education enough to make us dangerous to So
ciety even if we were dishonest, and not even
enough to defend ourselves successfully
against their filings at our ignorance. But.
Sir, observe that portion of these learned
men whether honest or dishonest, | will not
attempt to say. are acting as counsel tor these
greedy bankers who come here and attempt to
get the passage of this most iniquitous bill
through this Legislature. And when these
two mighty powers are combined to invent ana
carry out measures to further cnslave the pro-
ducing classes of the State deem it the duty
| of every laborng man, of what ever calling,
to make an effort to show in some way their
disapproval, and though it may not he in a
polished a md pleasing style, to enter their pro-
test against the accomplishment OF their DC
signs. And, Sir, could not justify myself if
l let this bill pass the House without, in some
way making an effort to protect the poor, Ia
boring men and women of this State, from
that portion of the monicd aristocracy who
are rolling in wealth, gained, without labor,
| from others toll. and still with soulless,
misery, unblushing effrontery cry with almost
superhuman energy for more. don't expect
to make a telling argument upon this question,
but do expect to show them that am not
.tleceived BY their nloquence, or frightened
! from taking position which l deem to be
right bv their popularity. Who are they that
most desire this legislation? Are they farm
ers? Are they mechanics? No. They are
rich bankers, unprincipled note shavers and
SPECTATORS, and that class Of men who desire
to live in luxury and laziness upon the products
of the labors of others. Oh, what happy lot
for those who shall live in the not distant flu
turc, anticipated by our State and County SUI
peryisors when all will be alike educated and
| no doubt able to get an honest and good Nv
| ing by cheating one another. Now, Sir, do
not wish to be understood as saying that all
who favor this bill are dishonest. But do
say that while many of them would not use
their power to inure their weaker neighbors,
vet feeling conscious of their power to COM
pete with dishonesty, and having natural
desire to be popular with rich men and their
| learned cc-laborers, they succumb to the de-
!
! Just, and must say selfishly abandon us poor
illiterate subjects of oppression to the un-
bounded avarice Of men who carry their souls
in their breeches pockets. l cannot say Sir,
that if God had endowed me with an ability to
make money, or had willed me an opportunity
to acquire learning, that | should not have
| used both in depressing his less favored sub
iccts. And if this be so, l suppose ought to
thank Him for not giving me either. The
declaration of independence declares that all
are born free and equal; perhaps it meant that
the rich and learned were free to cheat the
poor and ignorant while here, and that the
poor would be equal when both were put
under ground. But l would recommend to
all, the reading of the old fable of the Erich
Man and Lazarus"
This question. Mr.. Speaker, was thorough
ly discussed in this House last winter and the
good sense of that Legislature voted less
Objectionable proposition down, but 1t is
brought here again with renewed energy, its
dead corpse having been brcathed upon, am
sorry to say-by our worthy Governor, ana
| gentlemen favor it who we should suppose
W ould scorn to add further burdens to the al
ready over burdcned producers of the State.
But it is fact undisputable that our leading
public men are selfish Beyond calculation.
Much success has made them mad. and 1t Is
easier to cheat living out of the unsuspect-
ing laborer than to get it by honest toll. The
excessive loyalty of the people has caused
them to put implicit trnst in these men during
the war and they are not willing yet to believe
them false to their interests. But, Sir, the
time will surely come when the people will
see what it is that causes their miseries
They are taxed now almost beyond endurance
in thousand ways, to pay the debts OF the
country, and when they find that other indl-
cd m hi IN q
less, monied aristocracy, they will learn tc use
the ballot for their good and not for their own
injury. These money lenders come here and
tell us that this is a moral question-God save
the mark-that they do get 10 or IL per cent
interest now, and that we should alter the
law SO that they may be legally honest. But,
deny that, under any law, men who clamor
fer an unrestricted right to burden the poor
can be morally so. This argument of NOR
atty is as equally forcible in regard to all
other laws which lawless vagabonds dislike to
obey They tell us that the law of supply and
demand should govern the price of money the
same as it does merchandise. But does the
gentleman argue that it is right for the spec
ulator to buy up the wheat crop and hold it
from the starving poor, until the demands of
hunger compel them to succumb to the exor-
bitant prices demanded for the staff of life !
1t is the same outrage upon society, for few
to combine to raise the price of money, as to
raise the price of merchandise, and worse, for
parties giving this large interest cannot invest
it in any honest transaction, unless it may be
sometimes to carry them through crisis in
their business, that will pay. Therefore they
will use it in speculative transactions and in
the end the burden falls upon labor.
The Governor tells us we lack money in
this State and need capital from other States
to develop our water power. Would he adj
wise us to pay more than six per cent. for
money TO do this? l think those who pay
more than per cent. to carry on any legiti-
mate business in this State will fail to realize
any profit from the transaction. But another
says we have money, but the higher rates of
interest paid in other States draws this capi-
tai into those States. Well all have to say
to that is, that it is better for this State to
have these moneyed men draw an exhorbitant
interest out OF the citizens of other States |
than out of her own. Now ! would ask the |
honest, candid members of this House if it is
good policy while Congress is anticipating |
reduction of the rate of interest on our public |
debt for the State of Maine to say, by the |
vote of its Legislature that she wants to pay
moreI DO these champions of higher |