The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-25
THE STATE LEAGUE
A Letter From the President, Mr.. Edgar
A. Brown.


A. Brown.
The following letter was read at the meeting
and responded to quite literally:
INDIANAPoLIs Ind, Sept. 90, 1889.
John H Shea. President Sc 1T County Tariff Reform
League, Scottsburgh. Ind:
DEAR SIR-When You invited me as the pres-
dent of the Indiana tariff reform league, to be
present at your picnic, j gladly accepted the
invitation and asked that YOU so arrange the
program that | could have an opportunity to
present to your people the object Of the state
league, the work il has already done, and what
we hope TO do and will do if we are sustained
by the people, in whose behalf we are organ
zed.
1t will be impossible for me, owing to un-
expected professional duties, to be present and
i ask you to read this letter. which will present
our case.
The question before the people of this country
Is not will we throw of this burden of excessive
end unnecessary taxation which is plundering
the masses of the fruits of their toll, for the
benefit of the favored few, but it
rather is, can we free ourselves from
system of taxation, inaugurated to raise
revenue to prosecute war 10 maintain the in
tegrity OF our Union, but kept up now to main
tain castles IN Scotland for our protected ma
bobs. History does not tell us OF a war for
which so much treasure was required. The
people who were taxed at the breaking out of the
conflict only for the expenses OF our govern
ment, economically administered, gladly sub
mitted TO eXOrbitant tax to furnish the
the government with sinews of war. To-day
however, after twenty-fOur years of profound
peace, we find the government at Washington
(an administration put in power by the organ
lied greed and selishness of the country actu-
ally proposing to raise instead of lower these
oppressive war taxes. The question then is
not will We, the people, free ourselves, but can
we2
There is only one way to do this. We must
educate ourselves concerning our rights on this
question and must organize to meet the most
willy foe who ever offered battle.
They point 10 our restored Union and say
protection did all this. They call attention to
the natural development of our vast resources
and tell us owe it all
TO high taxes. They tell you farmers
that you are all prosperous and that you
owe your prosperity to a ready home market
at high price, and that protection gave you
this wonderful home market. They compare
your condition in this sparsely settled new
country with that of the poorest peasant in old
crowded Europe and tell you that ali the dif-
ference Is due TO protection. These are only
lew OF the falsehOOds they resort 10. They do
not tell you. however, that protection has
driven our flag from the ocean, that their
grand Institution has taken from the many and
given to the few until the rapid growth of mil
lionaires and paupers has become phenomenal
They do not tell you farmers that you have
bought in a highly protected market and sold
IN the open market of the world until farming
which ought to make good return on the
money invested, is poorest paid of all the in
dustries; that under this magnificent system
large portion of the finest farming land in the
Mississippi valley Is plastered with mortgages
gwen 70 secure loans made from residents of
bleak and sterile New England. You are bor-
rowing back the money the government has
compelled you to donate in the form of a tax 10
these favored classes, and if you do not keep
your interest paid, you will have to surrender
your farms TO them and become their tenants
refer to these facts to show how you are in
teTested in the work of tariff reform.
Our league is established to organize this
state, and we propose TO keep at it till every
precinct has an organization through which the
head office at indianapolis can work and reach
the people
Fifty-two counties have been organized. We
wish TO organize the residue as possi-
bic. Zach county will then, during the fall
and winter, organize its several precincts. all
organizations will be enrolled in the books of
the secretary, and, through these precinct
leagues, We can do our work. small army
well organized and equipped, can put to route
a vast army with discipline. That accounts
Tor the success OF high taxes. They have paid
agents at work all the time quietly organizing
for monopoly. They have the sinews OF war in
abundance The politicians who espouse their
cause Try enough fat out OF them to keep the
work in hand
We must meet organization with organ
lzation- We have to pay our secretary, who
ueYOtes ms whole time TO this work q
living for himself and family We have met
all expenses. but have collected SO far from the
cities. We want 20 give you farmers some
chance to help. We have enlisted till 1892
and If you viii help to keep our secretary in
the held We viii promise that he will not insist
on service pension or a TeTating
You who can give 8 do so when the hat is
passed. II you can't give us s., give us s., or
81, or 30 cents Senator Voorhees, sent us SO
You can see that he believes in US. The money
which IS collected will be sent to our treasurer
John Z. Frenzel president Of Merchants ma
tiOnal bank, indianapolis, and can only be
drawn out on order Of our executive commit
tee. We trust you will look upon ii AZ a priyi.
lege and help us in our work. Very truly
yours, EDGAR A. BROWN.