St. Landry democrat., 1888-05-26
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS
OF THE FARMERS UNION


WHEREAS, one of the avowed OBJ
iects of the organization is to demand
equal rights to all, special privileges to
none. For years we have been heavily
taxed for the benefit Of the favored
few till it has come to pass that We are
on the verge OF ruin. Under the guise
which this imposition on the people has
assumed, we enumerale
1sr. The protective tariff by which
we are made to pay from twenty five
to seveDtyfive per cent mole than the
natural market price Of nearly every al
ticle of the merchandise which we buy
I'd. The national banking system by
which we are forced to furnish money
to CORPORATIONS to do business on, free
of interest, while we are obliged to pay
as high as forty per cent. for the money
we borrow Of these banks.
Sd. Millions Of acres OF the public do
main have been donated to railroad
companies without consideration, while
these corporations have been empow-
cred to tax at their pleasure the peo-
pie in the sections tiaversed by these
roads to the Pacific railroad about
thirty million acres Of land and one
hundred million dollars jn money.
Therefore, be it
Resolved by The Vile Plate Farmers
Union, That we are opposed to a pro-
tective tariff, because restricted mar
ket reduces the price of what we sell
and increases the price Of what we buy,
and second, because it can by no posi-
bility increase the wages of Amer lean
worlmen as claimed, because it does
not restrict the importation Of under
paid European laborers, the only impor-
taton which affects the wages Of Amer
Jean wolkmen.
Resolved. That we are opposed to the
duties on imports for revenue purposes,
because it is an insidious mode Of tax
alton under which the average buyer
cannot tell how much OF the price of
merchandise is tax and how much is
the market price Of the goods; because,
second, it is system which gives rise
to fraudulent importatious, false sweat
ing and the kindred evils and because
third, the necessity Of guarding many
thousand miles OF sea coast and from
tier gives rise to the employment Of an
army OF officers by land and navy of
revenue cutters by sea.
Resolved, That banlinS forms no
part Of the real functions Of govern
meat and that we demand the early
ca0CGlfaCiOu OIL AT outstanding UOUiS,
the retirement Of bank notes passed
thereon, and the issuing Of Don-interest
bearing notes in amounts to suit the le-
gitimate demands of trade and no
more.
Resolved, That the public domain
belongs OF right to the American peo-
pie, and the granting any portion there
of to corporations ospreference to the
working farmer, thereby enabling the
moo worker to rack rent the worker
who has at least as good a claim on his
county, is contrary to natural right aud
Justice, aud to the spirit of American
institutions.
Resolved That according to majority
and minority reports of the Senate, the
peoples money paid for the building of
the Pacific railroads and inasmuch as
the power to tax at pleasure the people
of tie section traversed by the roads,
and rulhlessIy exercised for years
amply compensate the incorporators for
any possible services rendered, and
they can well afford to forego further
exactions on an iudulgeDt public by
surreDdering the roads and franchises
to the proper owners.
VIM. BARKER, President.
d. G.. DAVID, Secretary.