The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-09-09
FARMERS. WAKE UP!

Now, perhaps this may meet the eye
of some tiller of the soil who is already
wide awake on the subject of this let
ter, and il so am sure he will feel an
"amen" If he does not utter it. But
it may also chance to meet the eye Of
some who are only half awake or dead
asleep, and if so 1 hope it may be the
means of arOusing them to this, one of
their greatest interests at the present
time. This is not party cry that l
am endeavOring to arouse you with,
by any means, but it is of equal inn
portance to Greenbackers, Republic
cans and Democrats and it is this !:
The matter Of representation in our
State Legislature.
Taxation without representation
once caused q tempest in a seaport
about the size of Boston HarbOr, but IL
did not end there. But their condition
was entirely different from ours. They
wanted to be represented but were de-
MED. We can have representation but
do not seem to desire it, and that is
WHY YOU are asked to wake up and
look around, and see IL there are not
divers reasons why We should desire
Ii. Are our interests rs the producing
class Of the population, cared for rs
they should be? Do We receive the
protection from the law-nlaking bod
les of the State We are entitled to ?
By no means, or the strong hand of
the law would long ere this have been
interpOsed between us and the power
full railroad corporations that are sap
ping so much Of the life out of our oc-
cupatiOn, and filling the Golfers Of
railroad kings with money that is just
sweat Of our brow.
All we need Is to be ut once thor
oughly awakened to these eye opening
realities, and l am certain that the
remedy will at once be applied. Read
the letters on this transportation ques-
ton that are being published in our
country papers. Take the facts that
are therein presented for our consider
alton and II there is not enough in
them to not only awaken but Ia thor
Oughly arouse us all 10 immediate ac-
ton in this matter, then ! have great
~ over-estimated their importance.
Now we all know il Is hard enough
to pay our taxes--at least l Lo-but
when we Just sit down and think that
We yearly pay to this railway corpora
ton larger sum than our tax bill,
over md above fair remuneration for
services rendered, il Is surely time for
us to ask why it Is thus, and why
there Is no remedy. 1t is thus simply
because We suffer il Ia he SO because
our interests are To teo great an extent
ignored by what has been the law
making power Of the State because
We are not represented there. And at
our own doors lies the blame. Now
We do not want To arouse any feelings
of antagbnism between the country
and the city, for what is 10 our inter-
est is tn their interest, and we want
our city friends To see this matter in
this light, and not by transposition I;
for il is the country that builds up the
town, and not the town the country.
Now here is where We want reform.
not 50 numerous, have been able to Ar
range our political slate almost invari-
ably To suit themselves and they put
the name OF some smart, good-lOoking
city gent-some lawyer, real estate
agent, or something Of this kind-at
the top for representative, a man who
will have some weight and influence
down there nj Topeka who will be
selected ~ chairman of one or two
important committees, and he may