The patron of husbandry., 1882-03-04
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Purity OF the Ballot.

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prepare an essay upon the Purity OF
the Ballot" which was read at the
last meeting of the New Jersey State
Grange, and ordered printed;
Believing that the enormous
growth Of the wealth and political
influence of monopolies has subvert-
ed popular government, and threat
ems the existence of our Republic,
| we therefore earnestly solicit the
assistance of all good citizens and
| farmers of our country to re-estab-
lish a Govern ment for the people,
by the people, in lieu of Govern
ment by corporations. 10 justify.
our belief, we cite that the capital OF
the railroads is given at ~, 500, 900
ooo telegraph capital at $50, o,ooo,o 900,
standard oil $1,000, 100000, anthra-
cite coal 100000. 900, and bank
capital "a pure monopoly if the
sgreenbacks' be withdrawn, as is
advocated) $65o.ooo,ooo ($35o,ooo,-
900 circulation in round numbers,
which is nine-tenths of the amount
in bonds, considering both the bonds
and the circulation based on them
as capital, and they botn draw in
terest, the figures are within the
facts). An aggregate of $4,000
600. The capital of the old United
States Bank was S35, 900, 600 Since
1880 the population of this country
has quadrupled, while the capital of
the combined monopolies is ninety
eight times the capital of the insti-
tuition which Jackson and his party
believed menanced the life of the
Republic, and, believing so destroyed.
| We cite that these corporations have
debauched our politics that in many
elections, their money controls the
result. The intelligent, thinking,
uncorrupt mass of citizens are prac-
ticailv defranchised Of what worth
is the shadow if we have lost the
substance of the ballot? In some
States the railroads control the
elections of United States Senators.
| The Penn'a r. r. has one of it's
o fcers in the u. S. Senate. SO has
the Baltimore and Ohio. 1t is said
and believed that the railroads con.
troll the Senate and the Supreme
Court of the Nation. Yet more
alarming, the New York Tribune,
after saying "the time is near when
the banks will feel compelled to act
strongly, "states "that meanwhile a
very good thing has been done, the
machinery is now furnished by
which, in emergency, the financial
corporations of the East can act
together, at a single days notice,
with such power that no act of Con
gress can overcome or resist their
decision" A late Congress was
composed of 40 bankers, 90 law
yers, and of the remainder II were
merchants, Il manufacturers, 7 doc
eors, q mechanics. No farmer
among them, yet we outrank in
wealth and numbers all other classes
combined. What has been the effect
of the legislation of these men on
agriculture? You know its effects in
the East, but what Of the West? An
Iowa farmer, an ex-Congressman,
has made this matter a subject of
inquiry He declares, whereas a
few wears ago Iowa was so free of
encumbrance, that it was said a man
could walk across the State without
stepping on mortgaged property,
that he personally knows of one
company, of recent origin, which
has placed under mortgage to East
ern capitalists ten thousand Iowa
farms; then he finds the same state
of affairs to exist all over the coun-
try. If this continues, the land must
eventually go out of the possession
of the class now holding it. Five
sixths of the land of England has
thus been taken from the English
farmers within the present century.
We submit that we are following in
the footsteps of r Rome. So sure as
a like effect follows a similar cause,
so sure, if no remedy be found will
the civilization of this epoch sue
cumb to the influences which have
overthrown the almost equal civil
zation of earlier eras. What is the
| uC TIC OSd
rock, upon which alone, an opposi-
ton to the unjust exactions of corr
porate avarice can successfully be
founded, by which alone our libities
can be preserved, is the purity of the
ballot. So long as political corrup-
ton exists, SO long will free suffrage
be but mockery, and justice to
| production be denied. Politicians
may promise, political conventions
may pass resolutions, but upon US
farmers, who are the one great class,
which can stand erect in its man
hood ard dares to think, and speak
and act, influenced only by what is
wrong, must devolve the initiation
and accomplishment of successful
reform. 1t is but question of time
when this Republic will die, if We
do not resolve that bribery in cleo
items must cease. We appeal to you,
as you love your homes, as you value
youa liberties, to crush this monster.
We have an organization, glorious
in its possibilities. IF we but gra p
its power with firm hand, resolute
will, and pure purpose, we can pre-
serve our Republic from the usur-
pations of corporate avarice and the
boundless an,hition or vindictiva