The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-02

OF congress from the Harpcrs Ferry district of West
Virginia, aud gentleman Of ability, learning, and
eoquence made the following statement on the floor
OF the house IN regard 10 the condition OF that state
Il do not wish 70 make any statement that Is not
sustained by the facts, and so have obtained the
last report Of the labor bureau of the state OF Mich
gan, which covers an investigation into the mort
cages on Michigan farms, aud which presents some
striking figures / stand here to-day TO say that
have not the slightest doubt that the Michigan
farmer is industrious rs hardworking. a. intei-
gent a. the farmer in any other section Of the
shows that a. per cent OF the farm lands
OF Michigan covered by mortgages. and
that the mortgages &C per cent Of the assessed
valuation oil the farms morRaged. Compare the
condition OF the unprotected Michigan farmer with
the condition of the protected owner OF copper
mines Ia Michigan tho later piling up dividend upon
dividend, million upon mlliOn cut Of the privilege
granted him by congress 20 tax the people Of this
country while the farmer working early and dely
ing late and pling up mortgage after mortgage upon
his estate. The farmers have neither the time nor
the money TO come here and besiege congress about
these matters. They are chained TO their plows 20
their daily labor They cannot come here 70 look
after theirOwn interests but the owners OF the cop
per mines aud other industries that are protected
and subsidized here at all times in your Hobbies,
urging measures for their own benefit"
This appalling disclosure was made in
the presence OF the delegates In con-
gress from Michigan, and met with not
word OF denial How long people, born free, and
with AnglO-SaxOn blood In their veins, will submit
to mortgage Oneha their farm lands, for practically
their full value, In order 10 pay taxes 10 manufac-
turers OF from IS TO 100 per cent all they
compelled 10 purchase and consume in their daily
lives, is problem remit 10 the and sw flap
proaching future. This side OF the sers OF Russia,
or the dOwn-trOdden aud plundering tenantry OF
Ireland, there is ne other such enslayement OF the
ters OF the soil the face OF the civilized globe
exists In these United States.
might point 10 our adjoining sister state, Illinois,
that empire of agricultural and commercial wealth,
and dwell upon the condition of her farmers and
ia m lands We would there behold the same
mountain ranges OF mortgage indebtedness, reach
ing from Cook county 10 Cairo, and from the Wabash
20 the Mississippi, covering more than One-half OF
the abOies of her inhabitants. have the official re-
port from her labor bureau for 1855 Its details
an overwhelming proof Of the fatal tendencies OF
the times. In own state the splendid state OF
Indiana, / appeal TO the records Of every county
within her borders They disclose n more cruel OPP
preston OF debt upon the farming interests, and
more mortgaged securities to foreign loan associa
tons, than ever existed in our history before. In
deed the condition Of all the western states at this
time is substantially the same. They
stand perpetual and enduring refuta-
ton OF the stupendous falsehood that the
farmer Is protected encouraged, and assisted by our
wretched system OF tariff legislation.
"Il fares the land to fastening ills prey,
Where wealth accumuates and farms decay"