Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-30

| for tbose who receive them. / havo been
| a soldier myself, and ] have Como home
| with my comrades. all Of whom were neces-
| sarily thrown on their own resources, and
1 1 have seen them go to work--men with
wounds, one arm or one leg gone-and
| living and reared and educated their faini-
| lies they are not in the poorhouses. nor
have ever seen or known OF one OF them
! begging his bread.
CARRIED TOO FAR.
Gentlemen tell us that there are 10000
| Union soldiers of the late war in the poor
houses | have no criticisms 10 make, and
! i do not censure them for being poor; u ig
| no disgrace. Nor do mention the case OF
/ the Confederate soldiers as an argument
/ against any pension. but do believe that
/ tho pensioning business can be earned TO
nm excess, and to where il will not be best
even for the benefciaries of the system
| We all know that self-reliance is great
thing 10 develop and sustain human char
actor.
Here the hammer fell
MIR. Breckenridge. of Kentucky: ! be-
lieve | have thirteen minutes remaining.
Iyicld five minutes more TO the gentleman
from Mississippi.
VOICES FROM KANsAs.
Mr.. Allen, OF Mississippi ] thank the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Breckin-
ridgo). The main object bad in address
ing the committee to-day was to make some
suggestions in reference 20 the position of
nv Kansas friends, Messrs. Perkins, Peters,
and Funston. Mr.. Clements has already
read YOU from the Washington Post what
those gentlemen have had to say in refer
ence to- the wall Of woe tnat comes up
from the oppressed farmers of Kansas. IL
seems there is great distress among them.
1 Iii. nx4- "A lOffpr
addressed TO the congressional delegation
from that State.
WILL CONGRESS HEAEKrN KANSAS FARNEps
ASK TO BE DELIVERED FROM MORTGAGE
SHARES.
TOPEKA, KAN, March H. 1890.
The Farmers Alliance has addressed an
open letter 20 the Kansas delegation In
Congress demanding legislation for the re-
lief Of the agricultural interests OF the
State. The letter says:
I'VE call attention 10 the TACT that
single law firm in one city in southern
Kansas now has the contract for the fore
closure of 1900 mortgages. This means
1900 homesteads transferred from the
hands of so manv industrious families to
the hands of capitalists, either domestic or
foreign. The foreclosure of the mortgages
is in accordance with preconceived pur--
pose TO gain possession of these farms ana
people them with more servlle tenantry
imported from foreign lands for this
especial purpose. Foreclosure and eve
tons are taking place In very many parts
of the State. and we need not go all the
way 70 Europe TO witness scenes of cruelty
in matters of this kind. All over the state
the homes of our people are imperllled.
They are struggling against adverse cir
cumstances, and almost against hope, 10
sustain themselves until relief shall come.
And again:
The distress Of the people is crying
aloud for relief. They believe that very
many Of the questions that are receiving
the attention of Congress are far less ur-
gent than those upon which the safety or
their homes and welfare of their families
depend. They believe that the white citi-
zens have some rights as well as colored
citizens of the South. They believe that
the valiant heroes. both white and black,
who fought for liberty and perpetuating
our institutions, can afford to wait for one
moment until the rights OF our live heroes
in the present struggle for American homes
receive GONE recognition by the men who
have been chosen to represent them III
Congress"
PEOPLE wao DO NEED AID.
wish l could give the whole letter, but
this will suffice to show that all is not
lovely i'll Kansas. 1t is, indeed, Mr. Chair
man, q distressing condition OF AFFAIRS
with these people who are to-day burning
their corn for fuel, and am sorry to say
these alarming conditions do not exist in
Kansas alone, but. they pertain to q dis,
tressing extent TO almost every agricultural
community in this country, and l want to
say few words for the farmers.
Now, what Is the remedy prescribed by
these three gentlemen named! They say
the remedy is more liberal pensions Now, |
sir, who ever heard of such proposition
that pensions are TO be voted to relieve !
distress among the farmersY
FARMERS AND PENSIONS.
Let me ask the gentlemen what those !
farmers are going to do who get no PEN
sions, but who have to help to pay them!
Take the farmers in my district, where, by
no fault eff theirs, they had failure of
crops last year They are taxed TO pay
pensions, but do rot get any. Take many
hard working and deserving people as are
to be found anywhere, who did not last
year make enough 10 pay rent and taxes.
and, rs | say, by no fault OF theirs, what
would the gentlemen do for their relief!
The gentleman from Kansas should re-
member that we are part of this great
country, and if other sections ignore us
they ought not to do so, for our people are
among their best customers for their pro-
ducts. We buy their corn, their meat,
hay, and mules.
HOW COTTON HAS PAID THE DEBT
Mr.. Chairman, | took occasion in my
great tariff speech laughter in the Eiftieth
Congress to call attention to the rights Of
the cotton producers of the South by rea-
son of their contributions to the wealth of
this country. / can furnish the statistics
to Show that besides the cotton they have
furnished our own manufacturers in the
United States they have exported more
than 100, 900, 600 bales since the war that
has brought back money enough to pay
the whole cost of the war. This has kept |
the balance of trade in our favor, filed our
Treasury with gold, and enabled this Gov !
eminent in o most critical period OF its |
financial history to resume specie pay |
ment. ! insist that their rights are not TO |
be ignored.
TAXING THE POOR.
Then, Mr.. Chairman, there are many poor |
people Of Kansas aud other portions of the |
North who will get no pensions, but will be |
taxed 10 pay them. What relief do gentle |
men propose for them? l do want this |
Congress, if it can take the time from the |
other schemes before it, to give some atten- |
ton TO relieving agriculture of It's burdens, |
and warn you that the farming and labor |
ing classes are organizing all over the coun- |
try, and do hope they will have the cour-
age and judgment to demand their rights |
and then TO make 1t warm for those who |
refuse TO heed their demands.
Ihave here some extracts from the speech |
es of these three gentlemen Messrs. Per- |
kins, Peters, and Funstonl made during |
the discussion of the Mills bill in the Fiji |
tieth Congress. We were then demanding |
relief for the farmer; we were insisting on |
q reduction of taxation. We wanted the |
money left with the people; but what did |
these gentlemen then tell us! Mr.. Per- |
kins. in speaking of agricultural depres-
sion, charged it to Clevelands Administra-
tion, and Of course led Us TO believe that
a change would remedy tho evil.
Here rs what he said:
1--WE know that from Mr.. Cleveland's in
auguration until the present time agricul-
tural products have declined until, a. the |
gentleman from Minnesota CHR. Wilson, |
said the other day, there is no profit to-
day to the farmer in the cultivation of the
field, and, in order that this condition of
affairs may continue we now are asked to
strike down a system of legislation which
in the past gave the country its wonderful
prosperity. We believe in contributing to
Il