The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-06
.Sae 1S!]ailg Argns.
Continued from second page. J

Continued from second page.l
goes to the legislative halls except he re-
presents you faithfully on this subject IF
Democrat, see that no man goes to re-
present you in the legislative bodies who
will not do his entire duty to the labor and
industry of the co"ntry in this respect.
You have but {, will it. The farmers,
though they have ceased to govern the
state of New York as completely and as
exclusively as they did thirty and forty
years ago, when they formed two thirds at
least, perhaps three fourths, of the whole
mass of voters, o-day exercise such vast
power that they can control the result if
they will but determine to do it. They are
interested in a peculiar degree in state
taxation. In the city o. New York, 10 all
the cities of the state, the heaviest burden
OF taxation is from the municipal taxes.
But among the farmers in the several dis.
trlcts the state taxes are about one half,
and the town and county taxes the other
half OF what the farmer has to pay. 1t is
within your power to control the town
taxes. 1t is within your power to control
the county tax. You have only to send
men to Albany who will faithfully repre-
sent you.
THE WORK ALREADY BEGUN
And you can control also the state tax
es. We began last winter. Tt made
great conflict and turmoil, of which you
have heard. We began to cleave off the
fungus growth that had sprung up all over
and all around our state institutions. and
was snothering out their vitality We
have reduced already your taxes from II
mills to mills in the present year. and
if you will send next winter to the legisla-
tive bodies men who will join in this Object,
you can reduce the rate Of taxation to 4
mills. Applause
AN APPEAL FOR ACTION.
present to you this object to-day.
invoke the attention of the farmer to this
interesting subject. | call upon him to dc
his duty to himself, and his duty to all
other citizens of this great commonwealth
Fellow citiz ms, don't propose to detaiI
you to day by heightened address.
speak to you in plain and homely language
directly as man to man, In regard to YOU
practical interests. l know perfectly well
understand perfectly well, the sentiment.
| and the interests and the characteristics o.
your great class. | lived among them 81
long. | saw them so intimately, individual
| ly, and in their social relations, that | be
believe have little to learn in respect t,
them, and | commit to their fidelity, to
their patriotism, to their de
v0tion to the great interests
of the country. the causewhich | to da,
advocate before you. 1t is not alone tn
saving Of dollars and cents. but you canno
preserve your system of government unles
you purify administration and purify legis
lation. The evils of corrupt government
are not confined to the money that is take
from the pockets of the people to enric
those who are not entitled to its enjoyment
but the growth of such syestem saps al
public virtue and public morality, and a
last governments of the people, by tn
people, and for the people, will cease t
exist, as other republics in ancient time
have persisted, from the general democrat
cation and corruption of the people. Ipu
this subject to you to-day in simple an
plain language, and I leave it in you
Hands in undoubting confidence that, S
far as you can depend upo
the great agricultural masse
of Central New York, they will do-the
duty, and their whole duty. to themselvt
and to the state
Fellow citizens, thanking you for you
kind and patient attention, and promisin
to myself an opportunity to see the PR
ducts of your farming industries. yet to /
exhibited at this Fair. so far as can do
by devoting the rest of the day to it, | bi
you good afternoon.
At the conclusion of the speech, thre
cheers were given and repeated Tn
calls for Senator Herman and ex-Go'
Seymour then became so continuous tn;
bothwere compelled to speak, and wer
cordially applauded. The remarks of tt
former were brief, but particularly pointe
and appropriate.