The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-07-10

similar products to his are not impor-
ted into this country-the question
arises, how shall he be compensated;
Ii some way be not devised, and we
continue to impose the tariff taxes on
him, we simply admit that he is to be
oppressed forever, or Until he is sent
to the poor-house, and that whilst we
have power under the Constitution to
destroy by taxation one class of citi
zens,we have neither the power nor the
disposition to compensate to destroy
thss class, nor to equalize the burdens
OF life among the people. I never
will agree to this. and 1 stand ready
to vote for any measure for the relief
OF the agricultural classes of the COM
munity that will serve the purpose,
asking only that it be within the pow
er conferred upon Congress by the
Constitution. We live, happily for us.
in government of limited powers.
but because, as l believe, the present
tariff duties are utterly unconstitu-
tional, and but robbery under the
forms Of law" l can not gain my con-
sent to vote for this sub-Treasury bill
which provides for the loaning of
money to the people by the govern
ment and which, in my opion, is with
out Constitutional authority. I be-
lieve, however, under that clause of the
Constitution which gives Congress the
power to regulate commerce with for
eign countries and among the States,
that the bonded warehouses now in
use for the reception of foreign impor-
tations might also be used at every
port of entry in the United States, and
others established elsewhere as we'll,
fer the reception of domestic articles,
intended for export or for sale in 9th
er States, and that the government
could be made to receive these articles
and issue receipts therefor upon
which the holders could readily bor-
row money. This, [ believe, would
answer every purpose contemplated
by the sub b-Treasury plan, except that
OF borrowing 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 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 rev
olution. This revolution is directed
toward a redress of the evils arising
from unjust legislation. You are the
chosen head and representive of that
class i'll the State of North Carolina,
one of its most honored and respected
citizens. feel, sir, that with the
freedom of a friend and fellow worker
of the same political faith, 1 may say
to you that you may do much to pre-
vent this popular cry for redress from
becoming a clamor for revenge.
Guided within the proper channels
and by wise counsel, 1 believe it is the
movement for which all patriotic men
in our country have waited and wish
ed so long, and that it will result in
iuster legislation and more equally
difused prosperity. But if recklessIy,
unwisely or selfshly directed, it may
result in incalculable injury to our
country, and especially our Southern
portion Of it.
1 notice, with rain, that much of
the llfeeling of the farmers is direc-
ted not against the authors and up
hol lers of this nefarious legislation,
but against their nearest neighbors
and friends those whose interests are
intimately connected with their own
as is that of members of the same
household. observe that bitter feel
ing is springing up between town and
country-between the farmer who
brings his productto town and the mer-
chant who buys it, and in return sells
him his daily supplies-that often the
farmer is taught to believe that the
lawyer, the doctor or the professional
man is hostile to him or is in some
way responsible for the ills which he
suffers. [ need not say to you that this
is all wrong, unwise and hurtful to a
degree to all concerned. 1t saps the
strength of our people and weakens
their power to procure redress. We
need eve,ybody's help, because our
oppressors are a great party entrencE-
ed in the strongholds of the govern
ment. Naturally the redress of
wrongs occasioned by unjust legisla-
ton is the repeal of that legislation
The great Democratic party Of Amer.
ica, now in a large numerical majori-
ty, but deprived of the control of the
government by tho most unscrupulous
methods, openly, and almost with |
unanimity, favors the repeal of the
legislation of which you complain. A
little strene thening of its hands, and |
but little, will enable it to triumph.
Its triumph will be yours. A little |
sapping of its strength, little division
in its ranks, will be its defeat again.
Its defeat will likewise be yours. The
danger is that oppressed freemen be- |
come impatient, and impatient men
are often unwise. Your great organi-
zation is but little more than two
years old-it is not yet grown. 1t can
not look for great harvest of result |
before the sowing and the maturing of |
The crop. Already wonderful things
have been achieved. Venerable leg
life long servants of corpora
lions and Wall street policy have al
ready come to know that there is a |
large class of the American people
called farmers and who have rights