The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-05-16

it pay more interest on his mortgage?
Will 1t pay more debt? Will it pay
more taxes? Will it pay more physi
clans and lawyers fees? From all
sections of this magnificent country
comes the universal wall of hard times
and distress. The farmer sows in faith,
he tolls in hope, but reaps in disap-
pointment and despair. x X He
sees centralized capital allied to ire.
sponsible corporate power, overriding
individual rights, controlling conven-
tions, ccrrupting the ballot box, subsi-
dizing the press, invading our temples
of justice, intimidating official corrup.
ton, robbing the many to enrich the
few. destroying Legitimate competition,
debating legislation; defylng the Con-
stitution and anuulling the law Of
supply and demand.
Mr.. Chairman, retrogression 10
American agriculture means national
decline, national decay and ultimate
and inevitable ruin. The glory of our
civilization cannot survive the neglect
of our agriculture the power and
grandeur of this great country cannot
survive the degradation of the Amer.
lean farmer.
Struggle, toll and suffer as may. each
recurring year has brought to him
smaller reward for his labor, until to-
day, surrounded by the most wonderful
progress and development the world
has ever witnessed, he is confronted
and appalled, with impending bank
ruptey and ruin. Crops may fail, dis
aster may come and sweep away his
earnings as by breath, prices may 60
below the cost Of production, but the
inevitable tax collector never fails to
call upon him with increased demands.
Is it any wonder that these struggling
aud oppressed millions are organizing
for relief and protection?
We protest, and with all reverence.
that it is not Gods fault. We protest
that it is not the farmers fault. We
believe and SO charge, solemnly and
deliberately, that it is the fault Of the
financial system Of the Governments
system that has placed on agriculture
an undue, unjust and intolerable pro,
portion of the burdens oftaxation, while
it makes that great interest the helpless
victim of the rapacious greed and
,yrannical power of gold. A system
through which despite the abominitions
of history amt the experience OF ali
ages; despite the teachings and warn
iDes of the ablest men 10 the science Of
political economy in this and ia all
countries, our currency has been con-
tracted to volume totally inadequate
to the necessities Of the people and the
demands Of trade, and with the natural
and inevitable result-high-p priced
money ank low priced products.
The remedy. Restore to silver it,
dignity and place as mooey metal,
with all the rights of coinage and all
the qualities of legal tender which gold
possesses.
Issue sufficient amounts CT currency
direct to the people. at a low rae Of
interest, to meet the legitimate demands
of the business of the country, and
which shall be legal tender for all debts,
public and private.
Secure to such issue equal dignity
with the money metals by basipg it on
real, tangible substantial values.
These were the central ideas which
prompted the action of the St. Louis
convention when that body asked for
the free and unrestricted coinage of
silver and for an increased volume OF
currancy to meet the increasing de-
] IL