Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-30

sumption by government of affairs that
| naturally pertain to the individual The
transition from dependence of the govern
ment upon the people to debtorship of the
| people TO the government is a step in the
direction of sanctioning governmental in
| reference with the rights of the citizen,
| Such outrageS as Federal interference with
| elections IN states, private search, arbitrary
| arrests without complaint or warrant, dis
regard Of the sacred domiciliary rights and
thousand other wrongs may be expected
| 10 follow government mortgages upon
| private land property. II will never DO for
the people to surrender their rights to gov
| ern the government. II is their system for
| their own use within the proper and safe
| limitations of governmental authority,
| these limitations to be prescribed by the
| people.
| The demand for government ownership of
| railroads implies one or the other of two
| propositions, either of which is not far re-
| moved from the absurd. There are but two
| ways by which the government can ACQUIRE
ownership CT property, the title whereof is
vested in individuals or corporations of III
| dividuals; the one is by purchase the other
by forceful taking. Government cannot
purchase unless the owners consent to sell.
F'orcefu taking would be robbery. even
though the government should prefer an
arbitrarily estimated money remuneration,
for it would be robbing the citizen of his
desired to own. But if owners of railroads
were willing TO sell the government the
money value of railroad property in the
United States is so great that an enormous
tax would have to be, directly or Indirectly,
collected from the people in order to raise
the means for payment to the present own
ers. Such a taxation would lay upon the
people burden greater than any it is pos
Slole Tor railroad corporations to impose
upon them by traffic rates. Thus when gov
ernment goes into the railroad business the
people must DC taxed either by rates for
passenger and freight transportation, or by
tariff to protect railroads to The extent
of unestimated millions of dollars
Government control Of railroads except
to the extent of necessary laws governing
corporations and corporate franchises and
duties and obligations is an arbitrary and
understandable interference with natural
and vested private RE hts. The government
could as consistently assume control of
street car lines, omnibus and baggage trans
Ter llres. ferries, sawmills and threshing
machines. But. if such a scheme were con-
sistcnt with private rights, it would yet be
inconsistent with good pubic policy. II
would be 4 fruitful source of partisan ran
cor and administrative corruption. The
hosts of additional government appointees
would swell the volume of executive pat
ronaga to threatening proportions.
Then again, sub-treasury, land loan and
much OF class legislation to consist with the
cherished principle of equal rights to all
aud special privileges to nonen and cannot
DC agreeable to the broad and cOmprehen-
sive democracy OF American farmers and
ldbOreTs.
We would further represent to this SUI
preme council the dissatisfaction and rest
lessness of many good and true Alliance
men, because of intlmatiOnS of assumptions
of authority to control and direct the Opin-
ions and actions of individual members in
matters of public policy. The right to pri-
vate judgment and individual exercise
thereof IS too sacred to admit of Interior
ence. The true American spirit is too
manly TO submit to dictation. We protest
that it is no part of the plan or purpose of
the Farmers and LaborerS' union to inter-
fere with private Judgment or individual
action il matters religious or political The
organic law of the Alliance, as also the eX-
pressed assurance to members, is that
there shall be no interference with these
cherished individual rights. It IS incon-
Sistent with these avowals TO hold any
member to any measure or proposition of
this order that conflicts with his relation to
any other political organization.
Political conviction, so long as it consists
with the duty of American citizenship, is
no disqualification for membership and fell
lowshIp in any of the orders of the National
Alliance. Any failure or refusal to recog-
nize this principle must work discord and
dis enson in our ranks. where unity and
fraternity should prevail. We therefore
admonisl the utmost liberty in all matters
of party politics, with the largest spirit of
fraternity between individual members of
the allied hosts of American producers.
Any effort TO subject to any manner of dis |
advantage any member of the Alliance be-
cause of his political views is contrary to
the intent, spirit and dignity of the order,
and ought not to be tolerated
In conclusion VIC fraternally express our
desire to cooperate with the National
Alliance in all efforts to fearleSsly guard |
and zealously conserve the principles and
institutions of free government; 10 resist |
by all lawful means all tendencies to
governmental paternalism; to carefully |
promote the spirit of self-reliant enterprise;
to rid the land of all grinding monopolies, |
combines and trusts; to secure safe and |
sound currency in harmony with the |
natural and national laws of equivalent |
exchange; to defend and promote the rights |
to untrammeled individual political con- |
viction; to vigilantly resist every species |
of class legislation; to secure the repeal of |
all statutes. national and state, that promote |
the interests of the few to the detriment of |
the many, and oppress the consumer with |
excessive and unnecessary taxation, and |
such as obstruct the greatest freedom TO all |
industrial and commercial pursuits. 70 |
demand such legislation as shall restore |
natural conditions to all relations and in
dustries of all classes: to improve the
methods and economics OF agriculture, and |
bring about healthy and intelligent CO.
operation of farmers TO improve their
financial and social conditions to promote
the dignity of labor and secure its better
remuneration, and to use all possible means
for securing an honest ballot and a fair
count, and to select for places of public
honor and emolument men who are honest |
and capable, and who regard Public Office
not as a private advantage but as d public
trust.
With these views and suggestions we
bear YOU the fraternal and patiotic greet
ings OF many thousand brothers good and
true.
W. PORE YEAMAN,
For the Committee.