The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-06-26
An open Letter 10 Hon. speaker
Cochran.

An open Letter to Hon. speaker
Cochran.
DALLAS COUNTY, June 16, 1879.
Hon John u. Cochran. Speaker OF the Housc Of
Representatives:
Dear Sir:-CoveTed with dust, weary
and with hands hardened by the reap
er, I modestIy address you 10 reference
to questions nov exciting q degree of
popular interest, never before aroused.
With profound respect for your per-
sonal virtues and for the honorable
Office you hold, 1 may be pardoned,
modest farmer thSt / am, for directing
your thoughts ! into channels from
which they have been possibly divert
ed at the State capital. 1t becomes
me to state as maxim OF r.publicanism,
as the term was UNDERSTOOD prior to
1860, that our government was de-
signed TO be very simple, to embrace
but few objects, and these objects are
clearly the interests of each and every
citizen in precisely the same ratio.
Were it SO now, there would be
brightness, q beauty and glory in the
social relations of our people, that
would cause the bosom Of every ps'r.-
OF 10 swell with pride and pleasure.
But gloom sits upon many brows when
we should be the greatest, best and
hsppiest people on earth,
There is no confidence, no hope, no
joyous contemplation Of that security
that 9 well ordered government prop
erly managed should give. At the in
ception of all human governments there
were two great interests-the soil aad
the people. The people, finding great
broad, fertile country with boundless
mineral and vegetable recources,
asked only one question and
that was: How can we pro-
vide for the greatest possible
employment OF the products of this
vast territory and secure to- each citi-
zen his rights of possession to such
portions as he may honestly acquire
Rures and regulations we're necessary
to maintain the peace and good order
OF the community and protect each
CIT zen In his rights. These
were all the requisites of govern
ment, and in order to make and exc
cuts such regulations it was necessary
TO have an assembly of wise and good
men, and to le1y taxes to compensate
this assembly for the loss of their time.
Taxes were to be made equal and nc t
one cent OF the revenues expended for
any purpose that did not result in an
equal benefit to every citizen. To
this end the people paid their taxes
eheerfHlly, and they were not harassed
with the fear that they were paying
them to support private persons or as
sociations; or to be defrauded out of
them; or to have them stolen or trifl ed
away on some foolish matter of dis
play or waste. 1t is to be presumed
that men at that time were honest,
faithful and had the moral courage to
discharge their duty end the fOrtitude
tO determine what that duty was with
out improper influences.
IL was net intended that legislation
should have anything to do with max
ing the country or the people-to pre-
serve the rights of the citizen and the
good order of the community was its
high and holy mission. For these
purposes and none other the people
agreed to be taxed, and if legislation,
to the present time, had been confined
to legitimate OBI ects, taxes would
never have been onerous or oppressive.
There IL NJ thing of moral or physical
progress which would not promote.
The only questions are: How does
the brilliant career of the present age
of progress comport with the mainte-
nance of good governmental govern
. ment that should scrupulously guard
nuRRaRsQtect the right Of every citizen,
from tbeAhAaahlest individual to the
wealthiest2 Is not the legislation of
the country in many instances
calculated to retard the progress OF
this country2 The very extent of the
patronage of government is ruinous,
and governments employ so many that
the rest are unwilling to toll in the
fields, and thus agriculture is dishon-
ored, and this is the only real source
sf legitimate wealth and progress.
Were 1t not that agriculture is obstruct-
ed by iDjudicious legislation the pro-
auctions of the'soil would be largely
increased and q field of progress and
improvement opened that would be nc
lees remarkable than the recent gigan-
tic strides. Agriculture asks nothing
but fair play. Il seeks no aid from
the Legislature. ssAgriculturalists re-
gard all legislation in behalf of agri-
culture or any other occupation, in.
GLIDING lawyers and schOolmasters
trades, an unmixed curse to the eoun
try. Had 1t not been for the hope oil
securing undue advantages by means
of government aid, private enterprises
would become equal to every demand
In the development of the country,
aud agriculture would be far in ad-
vance Of its present position.
lean conceive of no greater folly
nor has there been anything more Diet,
rimental to the interests of this Stat
or this country, than that resulting
from governments taking charge Of
the private aifaifs of citizens and o
individuals interests of the people
They are "popnlsFi ideas that hsv,
been manufactured tor the benefit o
rings, monopolies, demagogues anC
capitalists, and imposed en- the pelp',
by political trIcksters who are uuscru
pulous, and who are by no means igno
rant of their dangerous tendencies.
The agrieu ture- and commerce Of
our State lain a distressingiy depressed
c1adition, and it is due partly to ma
tlonal Legislation, and I beg to say t.
you that before mapyyears have passed
there will have arisensa class OF states
men who will demand that legislation
State and Federal, shall be confined
to purely governmental purposes. Nc
appropriation will be made bsyond the
actual available means, and no kind Of
Indebtedness incurred. This class Of
politicians will DO IN great favor
with the people, and you are not toe
old to zee that day. With your popu-
larity and present distinction you occu
Pr 3 position to command notice and
respect, and, like Governor Roberts,
by wise action and wise words you can
yet triumph. There is revolution
coming. The people have borne
enough. Down with the taxgatherel
and up with the peoplel and ther,
when governments have learned to con-
fine their action to the three simple
purposes OF their. creation, the protec.
ton OF sshfe," "lberty" and "prop-
erty," the end Will be attained to
which all patriots have aspired, and
We viii be perfectly blest.
Another Farmer Addresses the Les-
ialsture-The Pen Tax.