The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-13


behalf | appear to ask that this great
wrong be righted. Having been born on a
farm, engaged in agricultural pursuits all
my life, and for more than thirty years past
been publishing paper devoted excln-
sively to the interests of the farmer, which
interests have studied with great care,
fore this commission, and appeal to the
members composing it. to put stop, SO
far as in their power lies, to this great
wrong, this legalized robbery, which while
it is enriching one portion of the commu-
nifty, might confine it almost to one sec
ton of this country, is impoverishing all
other portions and sections.
The people generally do not understand
this tariff question. Do you suppose if
they knew that they paid ten times as
much taxation into the pockets OF this priv
LEGGED class no better than they are. as they
pay in taxes for the support of both state
and national governments, that they would
submit to it? And still they not only do
this, but pay twenty times as much, yes,
many of them fifty times as much, for the
support of these favored, privileged, pro-
tected classes, as they do for the support
of both the state and national govern
ments. 1t is paid out day by day on almost
every article they buy, on school books for
their children, the newspapers they read,
every article of clothing they wear, the
blankets under which they sleep, the knives
and forks and dishes which they use in
taking their necessary food, the swaddling
clothes of their infants, and the shrouds
that cover their dead. Let these facts be
once understood by people, let them know
that our law makers make one class rich
at the expense of all other classes, and they
will rise in their might and forever bury
out of sight such unjust law makers. They
will rebel against such unjust legislation,
as our patriotic forefathers rcbelled against
the hideous stamp act.
The farmers of our country have pa
tlently submitted to this great wrong, be-
lieving that wiser councils would prevail
and these unholy exactions be removed.
Providence has smiled upon their labors,
and bounteous crops have been produced,
which have given such boom to com
merce, manufacturers, the mechanic arts
and every interest throughout the country
By the aid of these large crops and fair
prices abroad. on account of disasters be-
falling crops there, they have been able to
stand up under the heavy and UNI ust bur
dens which by this unkind legislation they
have been compelled to bear. But let dis
aster befail our crops here, or any consid-
cradle portion of them, it will be 1.-THE last
straw on the camefs back another season
of depression will follow, hands. farms,
real estate of all kind will depreciate, be-
cause the tillers of the soil have been.
crushed by the heavy burdens imposed
upon them. With lighter burdens in pros
perity they would have been better pre-
pared for adversity-put when this hap
pens, disasters will befall every other in
dustry, financial panics will ensue, the
goose that has laid the golden eggs will
have been killed" 1t is to avoid such re-
suits that | am before you, to appeal to
your patriotism, your sense Of right, to so
frame your report as to relieve the farmers.
the laborers, in fine, the consumers OF all
manufactured goods, from the heavy bur
dens which the present high protective
tariff laws impose upon them. I appeal
to you not to build up one class in free
country at the expense of any or all other
classes.
While our constitution forbids any titled
nobility in this country, yet our law makers
are fast making an aristocracy of wealth,
and that wealth is shaping, yea, making
our legislation. 1t is not making it to
favor the toiling millions, the farmers, the
laborers, the mechanics, but to impose
still greater burdens upon them. Capital
is selfish. aggressive, accumulative, imper-
alive, consulting only its own interest. |
say to it beware! Let it not go too
fart People are terrible in their might.
They bear much, but there is a point be-
yond which patience ceases to be virtue.
Therefore treat them justly. Shield them
from class legislation. Protect them from
the monopolies which the present high
tariff supports. Give equal rights to ALL
special privileges to none.
] am aware that we need revenue to adj
minister the government, and ] favor, and
the farmers of the entire country favor, a
tariff for revenue. But does this suit man
ufacturers? By no means. The govern
ment would get the duty, and that is what
they really do not want They want
tariff so high that no goods similar to what
they manufacture can come into this coun-
try to compete with their own. This high
tariff keeps out the goods and keeps out
the revenue also. The manufacturers,
then, have monopoly of the market, can
put up high prices and obtain them too,
for cheap foreign goods are shut out.
The manufacturers collect the increased
prices from whoever buys the goods, and
put these prices into their own plethorie
pockets They are legaIized to rob the
public, and ask you, ask congress, to pro-
tect them in doing it. That is what they
mean by protection-they ask to be pro-
tected in robbing the people, and the peo-
pie are plucked like geese. In behalf of
more than IL, 900, 600 of farmers, protest
against this system of legalized robbery