Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-17
"REFoRM OR REVOLUTION"

When Henry Ward Beecher was in
northern Hlicois last spring giving lectures,
he was asked what be thought ofthe "fSrm-
ers' movement ?" BE replied that it meant
"reform or revolution" Politicians in pow
Ell at Washington and in large mljority OF
the States, who have made indefinite mil
lions out of too confding people; and pro-
tected bond holders, bankers, "a lWay kings
and manufacturers, who have grabbed
thousand million dollars, while buying a
cheap President with few hundred thous-
and in presents and big salary, betray all
the alarm of conscious guilt. 1t is our duty
to chronicle events as they transpire, and
so far as we may be
able, give their true meaning.
Feeling was at the bottom of the late war
between the States, and always has great
power in the movement of mankind by the
million. At frrmers' assembly at Win
chester, H., their chosen sps aker, Mr.. 5. Ii.
Smith, said: 81 say that, at the next Legis-
lature it shall be changed, or for one, and
my sons will help to ride some of them out
of town on a rail, with coat of tar and
feathers" The people responded: "Bully
for you'll" "Good, old fellow" ave will help
you all you wantp and other encouraging
cries from all parts of the audience. Mr..
Smith passe to speak of the Republican
party conventions, recently held, and their
"gilt-edged resolutions, which were mere
froth, and promises never meant to be- per-
formed" The professional party platform
builders be denounced as t'tricksters who
habitUally violate the most sacred pledg
and commit outrsges that would induce re-
bellior, if the peoples senses had not been
blunted by long series of scandals, and
the 'sickening spectacle Of their iDsatlate
greed There has got to be a change" he
said, Cor some of these chaps will be dang
ling from the boughs of trees around this
county! a remedy mus be found,
peacefully if possible, but, st all costs, a
remedy, even if blood be split"
Men who acquire property by class legisls
ton and favoritism hold their estates by a
frail tenure in this republic, where large
maj ority of the people intend to be honest
and to punish all dishonesty. The highest
moral sense o. the nation DEGREES that ga
remedy must be found" What remedy
will be efectual and satisfactory? In the
first place, neither the salt, iron no. coal
mines of the country can be in the hands
of few monopOlists with advantage 20
millions of consumers of salt, coal and
iron. In these essentials of every day life it
is ''reform or revolution" Which shall it be?
The public might as well tolerate monopo-
ly of all the pure air and water -onsumed
by man as any seizure of the salt, iron
aud coal miRes on this continent, which will
soon contain one hundred million people,
for The obvious purpose of extortiDg an end
less and incslculable tribnte from all con-
suners. The vast empire of Rome paid
tribute to one Caesar, while the subjects of
American imperialism are expected to pay
a salt tax, and iron tax and a coal tax, not
into the Federal treasury, but into the
pockets OF at least one hundred thousand
petty tyrants. Reader, look this mater
square in the face, and tell us If there is not
6 better remedy than "blood" and "rev; lu-
tion?D