The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-06-16
RALEIGH, N. c., JUNE 10, 1891.

doSerGlOn or the farms. In6f0 IS
cause for this shifting of population
which few who read these lines can fail
to comprehend. During the past cen
tury, the population of the cities in the
United States has increased from one
thiftieth one-third of the total The
urban population in 1890 was In round
number 100000 The increase dur
ing the past decade about 100000.
In 1890 the number of cities with
populations of s, 900 and over was only
six; in 1890 it was 286, and during the
past twenty years the cities with more
than 100000 people increased from
fourteen to twenty-eight. The condi-
tions being favorable, the increase will
continue.
UNEQUAL AND UNFAIR DISTRIBUTION OF
WEALTH.
The increment in the wealth Of the
United States from 1880 to 1890 is
stated at the enormous sum of $22, 900,
600, 600 twenty-five thousand millions,
or, properly, two and fifth billions of
dollars. Of this vast sum nineteen
twentieths were absorbed by corpora
tions, trusts, monopolses and privi-
legged capitalists through legalized rob
berry, crooked taxation, and unequal
and unjust tribute extorted from the
masses by the privileged classes. The
savings of $50 of the latter class in 1880
were $237, 500, 600 per year, while the
savings Of 2,672, 900 of the laboring,
burden-bearing, unprotected people
we're only $205, $50, 900. The savings
of the $50 were $431, 800 each per year,
while the average savings of 13, 672, 600
were only fifteen dollar per year. The
expenses Of the former were $62, 500 900
per unnum, while that of the toilers
were 81, 500, 500, 900.
The government adds injury to in
suit in basing taxation on expenses
rather than on income or wealth, and
consequently the poor pay the bulk of
the taxes.
THE policy Of the government has
clearly been to make the rich richer
and the poor poorer; to shift the bur
den of taxation from those best able to
bear it to those least able; to create a
class of wealthy men whose income
depends upon legalized robbery; to
fostEE and encourage vested interests
at the expense of the masses. PROF.
r. T. Ely.
The crooked taxation of the NcKinly
bill puts into the pockets of the nations
favorites more money than goes to the
support of the government enonomic-
ally administered, and, worse than all,
creates a Doodle fund to fasten upon
the people legislators who will use the
power of money to enslave and Oppress.
CONDITION OF MIDDLE AND LABORING
CLASSES.
The present depressed and ruinous
condition Of the rural people was not
always what we now witness. Twenty
five years ago the farmers of this
country were comparatively free from
debt, thrifty, hopeful and making
money. Now, how stands the situa-
tion? According to the Census Bureau,
the farming lands are mortgaged for
more than half their value, and farm
ers are unable to pay the interest
thereon and support their families.
Nine millions of mortgages recorded,
one for every seven of the population
of all classes -death-pledged, for that
is the meaning of the word mortgaged
hanging over the homes of the peO-
pie! Tax-ridden, debt-ridden, robbed,
both by the government and the pluto
Gratis; what wonder that he becomes
dissatisfied, discOntented and rest1ve
when such confront the American
farmer of today? What wonder should
he seek to solve the cause for such a
situation and state of affairs, as he is
surely doing? Is he denied the poor
privilege of demanding a change?
Must he bear uncomplainingly and in
silence the burdens and wrongs heaped
upon him, and continue to wear the
yoke that gals as well as degrades his
No! No! No! Eighteen
million times no, say the toilers! And
that no is mot local, not transient, not
nor riotous, nor disorderly.
1t is the steady evolution of a great
principle, the growth of great germ
inal idea, the emphatic protest of an
Intelligent generation, the awakening
of the nation to the doctrine of human
rights; it is the many millioned cry
for Justice. That cry was heard across