The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-11-22
Friday, Nov. %, 1859.
Legislation for Farmers.

thS eN'tiS AZ NV 'AtAS' NV NV o
have heard it very often. The same cooling
notes were emitted by the News last week
The ears of the farmers have grown long as
King Midas stretching these many years
TO make out where the soft voice of the dove
comes from.
"The Neus is ever ready and willing 10
give you any suggestion or assistance in its
power"
Hurry up the suggestion, friend News.
The farmers are painting for it like the hart
for the water brook. The Neus continues:
Take some decided action now before
the legislature meets. The time is short il
is true. but much may be done by deter
mined combined effort"
This is very kind, very patronizing, but
as the old adage says, "6ne words butter no
parsnips." Our recollection running back
two years stops at Farmers Associ alton of
ths State which prepared bill to be sub
mitted TO the legislature at its last session.
That bill was introduced, quietly handed TO
the proper committee which formally re-
ports such bills, and-wss pigeonholed, or
as printers say put in the waste basket.
The legislature preceding the last, ad-
pointed a "Maryland Tax Commission"
which was instructed to secure and compile
all obtainable information on the subject Of
taxation, and report the same together with
Bill embracing the best features, derived
from that collated information, for tax
law for the State of Maryland. That com
mission faithfully did its work and prepared
Bill for the consideration OF the legisla-
ture. Was the bill considered? No. Like
the Farmers Association Bill it went to the
waste basket
The Tax Commission which reported TO
the General Assembly Of January 1888,
was composed of John 2. Poe, Chas. M.
Armstrong and James Alfred Pearce. In
that Report under the caption of RAILROAD
Exemptions" is the following paragraph:
Gas appears from what has been said
upon the subject the most undue burden and
severest inequality suffered by the people Of
this State are those which arise from unjust
discrimination made in favor fthe railroad
corporations. Unfortunately two hundred
and fyty thousand dollars of the four-hundred
thousand per year which the railroads ought
justly to pay to the State are enhenched be-
hind charter and contract exemptions claimed 10
be irrepealablc."
The italics in the above are ours. Mark
you. The one-hundred and fifty thousand
dollars not exempt by charter privileges is
not paid either.
The exhaustive Report ard the Bill pre-
pared by these able men, as far as the legis-
lature was concerned were mere waste
paper.
The News continuing its coddling re-
marks to the farmers says:
$50 long as the farmers submit to these
impositions so long will they be imposed.
No wonder there is no money in farming.
Every article they have to buy is controlled
by some monopoly or trust which makes the
prices to suit its own gains, while the prices
of what they have to sell are depreciating
yearly. Now is the time for action in the
matter. The remedy is in your own hands.
The longer you 81, quietly down the harder
the burden becomes to bear"
Nov is the time for action in the matter.
The remedy is in your own hands" In
deed After the legislature is elected, and
railroad lawyer from every county the rail-
roads pass through has become member of
the legislature, or if not member they will
be in the lobby watching that no bill goes
to the speakers desk requiring corporations
TO pay their just proportion of tax. This
consolation and advice is rather late, friend
News. "The remedy in your own hands,"
Really! after the election is over and the
legislature filled with corporation attorneys.
This is an excellent sample of taffy admin
istered to farmers by The politician and his
organs, The farmer is as stubborn as an OK
You can't drive him, but the expert polite
ian can fiattter him till he il ready TO eat
his last years overalls and old boots, if that
will serve his political friend who is of any
other calling than that ola farmer.
These trusts that are robbing the farm
ers-very properly condemned bv the News
how came they? Clearly through the
overriding and discriminating of railroads.
Hon. VIM. L. Wilson of West Va, in his
series of articles on trusts published in the
Baltimore Sun, plainly shows that it would
have been impossible for the Standard Oil
Monopoly and Trust to have been formed
without the illegal discrimination extended
it by those corpor atoms. This trust has
been the copy for all others which quickly
sprang up as imltators. Before elections
every effort is made by the party organ to
nominate, boom and elect corporation can
didates. After the election Hike Delilah, they
clap their hands and cry, "Samson, the
Philistians be upon thee" jump. And the
farmers find they are bound with power
stronger than green witbs and new ropes.
The legislatures are filled with the friends
of the corporations.
But whatever sins the common ''trusts"
may be guilty Of, and their name is legion,
the shrinkage of the price of the farmers
products cannot be laid at their door. They
gather in all the money they can but they
do not aim 10 deplete the supply. To the
gold ring belongs this crowning iniquity.