The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-05-21
Patrons Festivals.

The season for baske; picnic, has ar
rived Such picuicing rs there viii
be this summer, was never known be-
fore Every county in every state
where grangcrs abound will have its
grand barbecues or picnics. Such
meetings as will be seen this summer
will astonish those not members ofthc
order. When the big farm wagons turn
out, filed with men and women, and
rosy checked sons and daughters, bust
ness is meant. There is no foolishness
about it. Farmers won't leave their
farms AMI crops, and load up ami take
leaving any one even to watch over
the premises-uuless they are intcntly
in earnest. and know that something
is wrong and must be righted. They
know they are poor, that they labor
hard, use economy, and not only lay up
nothing for rainy day, but have t."
dress in the cheapest kind of garb. and
have not the means TO give respecta-
bic education TO their children. They
see that other classes are doing much
better, dressing better, living better,
educating their children better and
growing rich faster, and yetnot work
ing near SO hard; and they think it is
hardly fair, in this free country, for
one class to grow rich while another
can hardly keep soul and body together.
They are beginning TO see why this Is
so-,hat certain classes have certain
priyileges-that manufacturers, for ill.,
stance. are authorized TO tax the con-
sumers of their goods, thirty, fifty or
hundred per cent. more than they
would otherwise have to pay for the
same goods, in consequence of high
protective prohibitory tarifl-made
high on purpose TO keep other goods
from coming into competition with
the goods they produce. The farmer
has to buy at whatever prices are
charged, for no competition from
abroad is allowed: and the poor farm
er, who does not clear one per cent.
profit on his farm, is compelled to pay
| prices which give to the manufacturer
| twenty or thirty or more per cent. on
his investment. But for the high tariff,
which shuts out the competing article,
he could buy everything he needs low,
/ 1. in
living and conducting his farm, and
thus lay up money every year. But
! now the goods he buys to clothc him
self and family; the implements, tools,
machines, harnesses, wagons, etc, he
buys TO carry on his farm, arc all large
ly increased in price, and he has to pay
this increased price TO the protected
manufacturer, who is getting rich, Just
as the farmer is getting poor. Our
laws protect the manufacturer III rob-
bling the consumer. They protect him
from foreign competition. Manufac-
turcr-s rings are organized, high prices
are agreed upon, and no foreign arti-
Gle can come in competition-and the
producing classes become the slaves
of the manufacturing. They must buy
of them-thcy can't get the goods any
where else.
But this is injustice to the farmer
from only one class. Other interests
are supported in the same unjust man
ner. The farmer is constantly fleeccd
| for the benefit of other interests. The
great producing interests are borne
down by the unjust burdens imposed
upon them. They have had but few
friends among the law makers, and
these have been overborne by trium-
plant majority in favor Of the inter-
ests of capital, all the time.
The producing interests are the par
amount interests of the country, and
the farmers intend that hereafter they
shall be SO regarded. They simply say
that the special privileges that have
been granted to other classes shall
cease; that they are just as good, but
!
no better than they are; and that they
are no longer going TO be taxed that
other classes may grow rich. They
are oppose to monopolies Of all kinds.
They don't want, and will not have, if
they know it, corrupt men in office.
They are heartily tired of political
rings and trickstcrs, and believe the
voice Of the masses should prevail over
the voice of political cliques and man
ayers. They want cheap lransporla-
ton, and here in the great valley of the
Mississippi, their cry is for the i'm
provement of the navigation of the
Mississippi rivcr-so that they can save
thrcc-fourths of the freights that now
90 into the Unsuitable craw of railroad
combinations.
The farmers are going to have lively
times this summer-big meetings;
general awakening. They arc going
to cleanse the Augcan stable. A fear
full reck oning awaits those who have
BETRAYED lhem.-Rurdl World.