The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-04-23

without enthusiasm. But we do not
work them out with life in sufficiently
good measure. We do not get them into
actual operation. There is the same
difficulty in making government as
good as its principles that there is i'll
making the Christian life as good as the
New Testament calls for. SO our
country, while protesting to believe in
the equality of all men before the law.
white and black. rich and poor, learned
and ignorant, has been DETECTED from a
right line Of justice in taxation and law
making, and in the administration OF
law in our courts of Justice, So-callcd,
by the vicious magnetism of the money
power. Those who practice surveying
know how difficult it is TO run n line
through localities where substances
abound that attract the needle and de-
stroy the correctness of its pointingS.
Only by the most skiliful allowances
for these disturbances can a true line be
run through such localities.
The needle by which we are steering
our coarse is liberty. Justice, equal
rights to all. But o, how the precious
metals, gold and silver, magnetic that
needle and vititiate it's pointings.
The battle for the freedom of
the slave has been successfully
fought. The dusky skin stands as well
as the white skin before the law OF the
land. Race distinctions do not make
against equal rights in our thrones.
But how shall it be with other diStnc-
tions? How is 1t with money distinc-
tions? Here is something that the
United States Of America has not settled,
except it be in mere theory. Practically
the poor Of this land are in slavery to
the rich, bound by the invisible shackles
of the money power. This is not, | re-
peat, in accordance with the avowed
principles Of our government, but it
comes about through the maladminiStra-
ton of its affairs. Our lawmakers are
not poor men nor are they in sympathy
with poor men. On the contrary they are
men of wealthy, or. what is the same,
they enjoy the fruits of wealth. They
are surrounded by the wealthy. 1attered
by the wealthy, indeed. bribcd. If they
will he, by the same. Is it strange that
the legislation Of our country leans away
from the interests of the poor man and
fayors the rich.
Our Tariff Laws Are Praised
rs being a great benefit to the country.
and they may be. They are held up as
a great blessing to the poor man. but
these things are often put forward in
sincerely and for political effect. The
unvarni>hed truth is. the tariff benefits
the manufacturers far more than it does
the lahorer. But doesn't it keep the
price of wages up? Yes, but isn't
the price of everything the laborcr
has to buy for the sistenance of him
self and his family. kept up in the same
G.1 l.. I
have to spend the whole of it for my
living. what better off am than if got
only $40 a week and can pay for my liv-
ing with that? What can save and
not what get, is the vital point of the
matter. If our manufacturers would So
interpret the tariff laws as to share their
advantage with the laborers, then we
could give credit to both the laws and
manufacturers for remembering the
poor. But as things are now we cannot
Congress and the legislatures of the
states are ambitions for stimulating en-
terpriSe. Those who do the actual work
upon which this progress depends know
nothing of the lions share
except that it goes to the lion.
So the laws of indirect taxation. The
taxes ultimately come ont of the poor
mans pocket. the cost of war comes from
the same place: and yet by adrot man
agcment this is kept out Of sight of pno-
pie.
The power 10 make the burden fall
upon the laborer, the farmer and the
mechanic, resides in the rich. They
hold the purse of the land: and why
should they not place the financial bur
drns mostly upon the dependent classes,
especially when it can be done without
its being distinctly known to them' The
price of produce can be kept down in
many indirect ways; and market prices
of the necessities of life can be kept up;
and so the thing goes-and our legis-
latures are willing to have it so.
The Great Question Before This Liberty
Loving Republic
in this present age is concerning the
rights of the poor man as put
over against the rights of the rich. Does
onr country love Justice. and freedom,
and equality? The struggle over this
point has begun. The fight is on. The
poor man. fortunately, holds the ballot as
we'll as the rich man, and the former be-
gins to see his powers. and well is il for
both parties that he does.
The movement of the farmers in poll
tics is assuming superior Importance.
The mammonizcd magistrates of this
earth, rcveling In the luxury of their
festal halls. like haughty Nebuchad-
nczzar OF old. with increasing conster.
nation, are slowly deciphering the hand
writing on the wall that calls in question
their right and also their power to rule
longer over the humble classes. out OF
whose pockets they have grasped their
unrighteous wealth The farmers, as
we'll as other classes of humble position,
are demanding recognition of their
interests by this government, and their
voice must be heard. The national sec
retary Of agriculture, Mr. Rusk. in the
North american RcrieW for this present
month of April, admonshes this nation
that it is the ''dmy Of the hour" for
every patriotic American citizen "to
undertake at once an earnest. thought
ful study OF American agriculture: to
acqnaint himself with the needs and con-
ditions of American farmers" ''Remem-
ber," he continues. "that there are in
this country 5000, 900 of farms on which
100000 workers toll unremittingly.
Remember that one-half OF the country
is dependent directly upon the fruits OF
their labor; that all occupations would
be profitless but for the results of that
labor. and that the prosperity of all
other industries depends on their well
being"
Secretary Rusk iustilics the COM
plants Of the farmers and says that s.by
the larger intelligence and better oppor-
tunitles for observation the farmer is
led to see more clearly than twenty years
ago; and to realize more painfully the
widening gulf between the prosperity OF
the rich man of the city and the condi.
ton of the residents of the country: and
more than this, he sees that his occupa,
tion. agriculture, is truly the basis of our
national prosperity"
OF course we cannot class farmers as
poor men: but as class they are no,
rich men: and we see how they have been
ignored and disregarded by the govern,
ment, as have been other classes who
have but little political power: and
We see how they are coming
to the front in a mammoth
political movement that will end
5ouhttoSS in cnmDollipp tho povcrp m n N 4