The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-07-31
ISSUES OF THE DAY.
The Kansas idea.

growth OF the unjust burdens borne BY
the farmers. These are high taxes ex-
tortionate transportation rates, usurious
interest and the manipulation of finance
and of the markets in the interest of
the owners of gold. The contraction Of
the currency-refunding. resumption,
and demonstration of silver-was ac--
complished without consulting the
sovereign people, who did not even
know what was going on.
The adoption of the gold standard is
based upon Anticipated customs, heath.
enish superstitions, and traditions de.
rived from despotic governments.
Statistics show that the amount of gold
mined during the last FIVE hundred
years is not enough to pay FIVE per cent
of the present indehtedness-Na National,
State, municipal, individual, and cor.
porate--of all nations. To make these
debts payable in gold, and to measure
all labor and property by the same
standard, is as baselcss as to compel the
farmers of Kansas to measure all their
grain in one thousand half-barrel meas.
ures, constructed of a scarcely obtain
able material like gold.
The intimate connection between
finance and the agricultural and bust
ness depression all students of affairs
admit At the close Of 1865 prosperity
was general throughout the country
People were mostly out of debt, and
money was plenty, being about fiity.two
dollars per capita. This was just after
a most expensive and destructive war.
Now, after twenty-five years of peace
and prosperity, after an age Of progress
and invention, and of unprecedented
production, one has only to read the
census of real estate mortgages to APP
preciate the Strengthened conditions Of
our people. In Kansas alone the rail-
road, municipal, State, and real estate
mortgage indebtedness, exclusive Of
unrecorded indebtedness, exceeds the
total assessed voluation by one hundred
millions Of dollars.
Thirty years ago farmers owned
seventy per cent of the wealth of the
Nation; to day they barely own twenty
seven per cent, although the number
engaged in agriculture has more than
doubled, also the acreage and number
Of farms, while production is nearly
trebled. A mortgage is now the rule j;
then it was the exception.
What is the cause and remedy? Not
extravaganza, Incidence, shiftless farm.
ing, laziness, or lack Of business ability.
The farmer has worked as hard as of
yore, besides having the aid Of inven-
tions, and living more economically
than any other class. Neither is over
production the cause, for it would only
require each of our people to eat few
more pounds Of produce to consume all
that we now export.
In this dilemma farmers are organizing
as by magic. They demand, first. the
abolition Of national banks as banks Of
issue. A Law that gives set of men
possessed Of $4,000 privilege that is
denied to less fortunate citizens is class
legislation in favor of the rich at the
exense Of the poor. To pay interest on
bonds deposited as security for note cir.
culation is an outrage. The farmer
who gives mortgage to secure note
might as we'll ask the holder for inter-
est, instead Of paying it, as the banker
to ask interest Of government on its
security loaned to the government to
secure his circulating notes.
The most opposition is against the
farmers second demand tor sub treas
uries, where his imperishable produce
may be stored and advances made upon
it, or for land loans, or both, to an ex.
tent that shall increase the circulation
to City dollars per capita. In this the
farmers simply ask for restoration Of
the conditions under which they were
practically out Of debt, aud prosperity
reigned everywhere. Their demands
are styled impracticable, chimerical
unconstitutional, and class legislation.
But these demands will prevail unless
their opponents convince us to the con-
trary by conclusive, sound, and reason
able argument.
The Constitution gives Congress
power to lay and collect taxes. Since
labor produces all, interest for the use
of money must be tax, aud We hold
that only the government instituted by
ourselves has the right to tax us. Gov.
eminent loans, therefore, would simply