The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-06-10
Synopsis of am Address Deiiv.
cred by III. Eshbar1gh. Lecturer
"a fs.a National Grange.

Of me National Grange.
Pa5vous and FeilogO Citizens,
Tine will not permit us to enter
into close details of the subject to
be congiaered upon this occasion.
We propose, however, to call Your
attention to facts and figures, AID
remind You OF realities as they exist
as food for thought.
In a free government like ours,
all citizens have the liberty to read,
think and do as they please, so long
as they keep within the bounds OF
reason, justice, law and propriety
and do not trespass upon the rights
I of others, The rights OF civil liberty
under the laws of our Government
should be 80 equitably distributed
to all, it matters not whether farm
CIR or banker, laborer or capitalist,
rich or poor. Tyranny or arbitrary
mower can not be exercised by a
few over the many, or by one class
over another, without direct vio-
lation of the fundamental principle
upon which our Government is
founded, as we'll as the laws OF
| American liberties.
Free government guarantees
rights, privileges and justice to all
citizens, that should be respected
and conceded by all. 1t protects
and strengthens the weak, restraints
and holds in check the strong. 1t
divides the blessings OF government
! equitably with all and distributes
its burdens justly upon all. Less
than this would not be free nor
just government.
Business, trade, legislation, adj
ministration of government-State
and National-were all conducted
in strict accordance with these
principles for many years. Men
holding positions of trust then,
served the people-there was no
betrayal and debauchery in the pur-
chase and sale Of officials. LegisIa-
ton was for the good of the whole
people, the rights of all were pro
tected, and all could enjoy the
fruits of their own labor. By in
dustry and economy men could ac~
c4mulate wealth, it mattered not
what vocation they followed.
Individual economy employs the
closest attention, the best care, and
the strongest protection to that
branch of individual interest that
brings US the greatest revenue and
the greatest aid to advance other
individuals, companies or corpora
tons. 1t is wise and economic.
Agriculture is the great interest
of The Nation, pays the greatest
revenue to the Government and is
the support of all branches of busi~
ness and industry. And the same
rule applicable to Individual econ
omy and prosperity is necessary
to National prosperity Then why
not give the agricultural interest
the same fostering care and pros
lection as You would like interest
individually? Such was the case in
the early days of our national ex
istence. Farmers then received the
profits of their labor and their in
terest was prosperous.
HOW DOES THE PRESENT COMPARE
WITH THE PAST?
We find that OF late years, through
the fundamentally of schemes and
manipulations, much special legis>
lation has been had-granting ia
vors to the few at loss to the far
mers. SO commonly has this favor
itism been distributed to the favor
ed ones, that schemes were con-
c0cted and plans executed that en-
ables a few to gather unto them
setve the wealth produced by the
masses, and especially that pro-
duced by the farmers, so that the
production of wealth is no longer
distributed upon merit. Industry
and economy no longer cut any
figure in saving to in dividuals wbat
they produce. By these special
statutory laws, enacted by State
and National legislation, the wealth
is distributed by the unjust methods
of scheming, speculation and gam
bling sanctioned by special legis-
laton.
The value of farm products is not
now controlled by supply and de-
mand, but by the speculative greed
of "bulls'' and clears" and option
dealing. Charges for transporting
the surplus product from the farm
to the market are not based on ser
wees rendered, but on what the
product will bear. Taxes are nc
longer cquitab!y assessed in pro
portion to wealth owned by indi-
viduals, but agriculture is COM
PEELED to pay from ID to 20 per cent
more than its just share, while 9TH
ers, who count their wealth by the
hundreds of thousands, and even
by millions, are exempt.
Investigation shows that men
worth 100000 pay less taxes than
farmers who are worth but 10000
men worth 81, 900, 900 pay less than
farmer worth $1,000. SO it is
with greater or less wealth In order
to impress this tax-dodging system
more clearly, / will name q fe "
corporations that are truthfully
called tao ShduerS. The Mutual
Life Insurance Company has over
SIS 900, 900 in bonds and mortgages
on real estate untaxed; the Equita-
bic Life Insurance Company. has
| 90 TAn 000 Nov, Va,l1 Ci+