The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-07-08

foreign imports, many of which are
absolutely prohibitory. The currency
has been Systematically contracted oy
the withdra val of circulation and the
demonstration of silver ia the interest
of the bankers, brokers, b~ondholders
and all the creditor class. In this
way the inevitable results have been
produced. The enormous wealth OF
our country has more and more ceased
to be widely distributed and has
been concentrated in the hand of a
few. Overgrown fortunes have been
accumulated by the favored ones,
whilst mortgages have been the chief
acquisition of the many. The farmer
being compelled to sell his surplus
wheat, beef and cotton in the tree
trade markets Of the world, was not
allowed also to buy his supplies IN the
same place, but was compelled to
bring his money home from Europe
and buy his ir)u, his clothing and all
his farm supplies from the domestic
manufacturers at prices enhanced not
only by these enormous tariff duties,
but likewise by this severe contraction
of the currency. What else could
possibly have followed but Indebted
ness and bankruptcy for that class
who had thus to bear the ultimate
burdens caused by this disturbance of
the laws of economy, AMI by which
alone the undue riches of n class
were secured.
All efforts to secure the repeal of
this outrageous taxation and to re.
| store the full use Of silver as money
having so far proved ~unavailing, rea,
sonable men are not surprised that
the oppressed class of our people have
at last organized and determined to
do something. For one l sympathize
most cordially and sincerely with this
determination. Inasmuch as it is i'm
possible to compensate the farmer for
the robbing of him under this tariff
taxation by imposing tariff duties for
his benefit, also for the reason that
similar products to his are not i'm
ported into this country, the question
arises how shall he be compensated e?
If some way be not devised and We
continue to impose those tariff taxes
on him, we simply admit that he is to
te oppressed forever or until he is
sent to the poor house; and that
whilst we have power under the Con
stitution to destroy by taxation one
class of citizens, we have neither the
power nor the disposition to compen-
safe that destroyed class, nor to equal
ize the burdens of life among the PEG.
pie. [ never will agree to this, and [
stand ready to vote for any measure
for the relief of the agricultural
classes of the community that will
serve the purpose, asking only that it
be within the powers conferred upon
Congress by the Constitution. We
live, happily for US, in a government
of limited powers, but because as [
believe, the present tariff duties are
utterly unconstitutional, and but
" robbery under the forms of law" I
cannot gain my consent to vote for
this Sub Treasury bill which provides
for the loaning of money to the PEG,
pie by the government, and which in
my opinion, is without constitutional
authority. | believe, however, that
under that clause of the Constitution
which gives Congress the power to
regulate commerce with foreign coun
tries and among the States that the
bonded warehouses now in use for
the reception of foreign importations
might also be used at every port of
entry in the United States, and others
established elsewhere as well, for tie
reception of domestic articles intended
for export or for sale in other States,
and that the government could be
made to receive these articles and
issue receipts therefor upon which the
holder could readily borrow money.
This, [ believe, would answer every
purpose contemplated by the Sub
Treasury plan except that of borrow
ing money at a specified cheap rate.
However this may be [ know, my
dear sir, that neither you nor the
good and true men whom you repre-
sent would ask me to infringe in any
way upon the organic law of our
country, in the faithful observance of
which alone consists the safety of our
people.
Permit me to say that there is at
this time a great responsibility resting
upon you. There is an uprising Of
the agricultural class Of our people,
the most powerful class of our society,
which amounts to little short of a revo-
luton. This revolution is directed
toward a redress of the evils arising
from unjust legislation. You are the
chosen head and representative of that
class in the State of North Carolina,
one of its most honored and respected
citizens, 1 feel, sir, that with the