The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-05-07
tier from Senator David Davis
IOf Illinois.
WASHINGTON, April S

FIR the friendly expressions in your
Letter. In my judgment the best
bope for the country is through a
construction of parties. Our poll
.cs have become degraded into a
.bameful scramble for the spoils of
ofce. For weeks past, the Senate,
which is supposed to represent the
hest intellect of both sides, has been
snoaged in an unseemly struggle
nr small places. And now, at the
rerv start of a new administration,
tbe Republican. factions are arrayed
AGAINST each other over the pat
ronage.
Great corporations and consoli-
dated monopolies are fast Selling
the avenues of power that lead to
tbe control of Government. 1t is
an open secret that they rule States,
through procured Legislation and
corrupted courts; that they are
strong in Congress, and that they
are INSCRIPTIONS in the use of means
10 conquer prejudice and to acquire
influence. This condition of things
is truly alarming, for unless it be
changed quickly and thoroughly,
free institutions are doomed to be
substituted by an oligarchy, resting
upon basis of money and of cor
porate power. Every farmer in the
West is bound hand and foot by the
manacles of monopoly. Corpora
tons prescribe the value of his hard
labor and his crop is absolutely at
their mercy. Who proposes on
either side to protect the just rights
of The great agricultural community
with 100000 of population?
Corporations not only levy toll
on the industry of the farmers, but
every blanket with which their
children are warmed, every plough
share that turns the soil, and the
necessary articles of household econ
omy are taxed by an exorbitant
tariff for the profit of MONOPOLY.
How can resistance be successfully
made against corporate power when
both the great parties are organized
and run as close corporations?
Leading newspapers, recognized as
Republican and Democratic organs.
are owned and directed by grasping
mcnopolies to subserve their self h
schemes and restrain opposition to
them in either party. Their only
politics is greed of gain. One party
retains possession of the Govern
ment for quarter of century by
methods which would long ago
have condemned it to crushing de-
feat but for the errors of Democratic
leaders always committed at the
worst time. For long years past
the Republican party has existed
~ ~ sectional agitation and by the
folIies of its opponents. There are
hundreds of thousands of pure and
patriotic men in both organizations
who are rendered wholly powerless
by the machine management of
each, and who are politically en-
shaved by leaders who secretly unite
whenever venal object is to be
gained by combination. Regular
nominations, dictated by profess
Slonal politicians, and the irrespon-
slble caucus, directed by few am
bilious leaders, control National,
State and municipal politics. They
put up candidates, construct plat
forms, and proclaim patriotic prin-
clPIes in fine phrases, which are
mere shams. Practical reform is
impossible on any large scale while
one hundred thousand (Ioo,ooo)
oihces, and patronage repre-
Sented IN some $5oo,ooo,ooo of an
ngal receipts and expenditures, are
ohered as the prizes of success. The
party in possession, disciplined and
led like a regular army, has an enor-
GUS advantage, which is somewhat
crippled by the bitter rivalry Of its
cnets. Unfortunately for the Dem
ocratLc party, a prejudice exists in
t ie Northern mind that it was hos,
Tie to the Union during the civil
war. The fact that tens of thou
SANDS OF Democrats, many of them,
100, from the then slave holding
states, nobly volunteered their SER
wees tor and offered up their lives
IN Il defense of the old flag does not
AFFECT this belief. While that preiu-
u'ce exists, the chances for the Dem
ocratc party are limited, however
patriotic its purposes may be. If
,he mere name should be abandoned
the Republican party would die for
lne want of an opposition that now
serves to keep it alive.
n National party founded on har-
:nohy between all parts of the I'm
ION; real reform of abuses; econ
ony OF public expenditures; rigid
accountability of officers; honest
civil service; free and fair elections;
Upright observance of all consitu-
uonal obligations and maintenance
VI the public credit, would be gladly
" welcomed by the people. Repub-
Icans and Democrats alike seek to
Ge emancipsted from the vulgar
.ueSpotlsm of the "machine," which
y common to both parties. There
are cheering signs that the end of
.'i'S domination draws near, in the
popular demand for good govern
Pp :' without respect to party.
:t'hg rule must be overthrown, or
:. VIII stop the wheels of progress
QUO destroy the foundations of so