Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-13

0ASANf A6NA bNAs ASA ,
have voted, acted and decided in accord
auce with Jefferson IS theory of republic
can government. These are historic
truths; and yet, right in our midst we
have men claiming to be Democrats,
asserting that Democracy has suffered it.
self to be corrupted by an alliance with
monopoly aud class legislation. Against
the absurd SANDER l oppose this bright
and spotless record.
This disposition TO pervert the truth
and mlslead the people is a very evil ten
dencY in this country. This charge of
sympathy with monopoly and class leg
islation is constantly being made against
the Texas Democracy in matters of state
legislation. Glass is sought to be ar
rayed against class, and preiudices are
being engend cred. On every hand we
hear complaints about class legislation
that discriminates against farmers and
laborers. "Downtrodden farmers and
laborers' is a common cry; indeed some
people seem to think hat all the ills
that human flesh Is heir to are attribute
BILE to legislation. But 1t is not so.
How small, of all that human hearts endure.
That part which laws or kings can cause or cure.
l am speaking now of state legislation
and l deny that the laws Of Texas have
trodden anybody down or have discrlmi-
udlcu dBdluSL Iu6 lnLoiCSLo VI iHOA dbi lllIuE
and laboring classes, and 1 challenge
any man to put his finger on a single
statute that so discriminates. This is a
charge against the Democratic party, be-
cause that party has now been in con-
troll OF the state government for sixteen
years, and if any such GLASS legislation
exists it is responsible for it. Let those
who max this charge prove it, or here
after hold their peace. On the contrary.
we have legislation that discrimInates in
favor of farmers and laborers; and so
watchful and jealous have the law
makers been of their interests hat some
of this legislation has been Incorporated
into the constitution so as to place it
beyond the power of the legislature to
alter or repeal. 1 refer to
the subject OF taxation which is the chief
and almost only burden that any citizen
has to bear. In what other hard and
g~revious way does the state lay her hands
UPON any of her citizens? And yet, in
this all important matter of taxation,
she discriminates in favor of the farming
and laboring classes. Occupation taxes
| are levied on every conceivable occupa-
ton save and except farmers and labor
Prs; and all farm products, and farm
and home supplies are exempt from all
taxation. On our statute books to-day
we have a law hat disoriminates and
was intended to discriminate in favor of
farmers in the formation of corporations
TO carry On their cooperative stores.
The great antitrust law passed by the
Twenty-first legislature, and of which
you nave heard so much and seen SO
little in practical results, especially ex-
empts farmers and stock-ralser from
its provisions and pnnishments. How
far this kind of legislation can be justified
when tested by Jeffersonian standards 1
am not prepared to say, but surely its
benefciaries have no right to complain.
1t seem. to me that one of the danger
| Gus tendencies of the hour Is a disposition
in certain quarters to magnify the OPP
pressions of the farmer and TO make him
| believe that he is q victim of a conspiracy
to steal away his substance and to ac-
complish his %subjugation under the forms
of law He is urged to re-assert his
power in the control of government, as
if he had ever for one moment, relin-
quished that control. 1t is sought to
make him believe that upon his shoulders
rest all the burdens of government both
national and state. That he is
u~njustly and unequalIy burdened
by q tariff which forces him to buy in a
protected market and to sell in an un-
protected one IS most true; but under
state legislation he bears nc burdens that
others do not bear; and I think l have
shown that he enjoys some immunities
that others do not enjoy. It is sought to
make him believe that q death struggle
is at hand between him n the forces of
monopoly and corporate power; that his
state government has for years been in
the hands of his enemies who have ad-
minlstered it for their own advantage
and to his injury. To show you how this
impression is sought to be made on the
people | read a few extracts from a cir
cular recently sent out by the Texas
Farmer, which claims to be a Democratic
paper:
"We ere at the threshold of a
political campaign of more vi
tai Importance, especially to agricultural
classes, than any through which the state
has previously passed. This campaign is
to be almost, if not quite, the death
struggle between the people and their
merciless foes = syndicates, trusts,
monopolies, subsidized lawyers and
workers and subsidized newspapers.
1t is only sought (by the Grange) to in
duce farmers to open wide the fountains
of their own thought and investigation,
and admit the light of facts, of reason
and of right. These attributes of the
Grange should be doubly emphasized in
Texas at this time, because the darkest
and deepest schemes by he shrewdest
and most INSCRIPTIONS sehemers are
being laid to entrap the votes of the
farmer n wage-worker. Capital,
drawn from its legitimate and natural
channels and massed in great monopo-
lies, syndIcates and trusts, and these
aided by the ablest legal and newspaper
talent-which, shame to say, pros
titutes itself to briberV-iS oYeu
now laying plans not only to ~perpetuate
the unequal and unjust burdens oppres-
sing the people, but to graft yet other
and greater evils upon them.
TIC do this they will attempt in the
name of Democracy to put plant tools
into our state offices, state departments
and the legislature-these tools beng the
vilest of Gods creatures; men with
vigorous and learned minds, which they
use in the service of bribs givers.
To this end every fraud, deception and
falsehood which cunning can invent or
corruption suggest, VIII be employed.
Tho ~poIifioal history of Taxaa will provo