The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-06-25
which a republican form of government

agine we have the right to some power,
and we have congressman to make
laws for the nation and Legislators to
make them for the states; but, my
friends, this oligarchy has developed
something more astounding.
Who is the ultimate power in this
country to-day? Is it congress? Is it
the president? Is it the people? Is
it the ballot box? No. 1t is lot Of
judges sitting upon the supreme court
bench at Washington, begowned, sit
ting there the final arbitcrs of the lib
critics of this country. And how is
that court composed? Why, it is
packed hy railroad corporations of this
country in their interests. You cannot
forget the 'lisgraccful event when Jay
Gould dictated the appointment of
Stanley Matthews to the supreme
court, and the very senate was COM
pel1ed to reject him, so foul and dis
graceful was the transaction.
Where are your political parties?
Why, on their knees at the feet Of the
plutocracy cringing in Wall street for
the largesses and bounties with which
they may carry elections and corrupt
the people. These are the men that
declare who shall be your supreme
judges. What DO you say? Why, my
agricultural brethren, som. years ago
the state of Minnesota and | was one
of those interested in the movement at
the time, xc brought up before the
supreme court of the United States on
cases that went up from Minnesota the
question whether the legislature of a
state had the power to control the cor
porations created by the state-that
has been more than twenty years ago
and we obtained series of decisions
that in my judgment were second in
importance only to the declaration of
| independence. for they declared that
the creature was less than the creator,
| that the corporation was less ii IN the
state, and that the state through its
law-making power has right to govern
and control these gigantic corpora
| tions.
But Jay Gould and the rest of them
have been at work, and what does that
court tell us now? Why, only few
months ago they put forth a decision,
! the most important that ever was made
| in this country, by which they declared
that the government and the railroad
| corporations are twin sisters of one
| birth, equal in dignity and power: :
| that the state has no power to control
the corporations, but that the state and
| the corporations must go into the
courts of law and fight the battle out
| before courts and luries.
What does this mean? Why, the
destruction of the very fundamental
principles of our government. IAp-
| plause. What does it mean? Why,
| that we are to go as states into these
rotten tribunals. where money too often
its does filthy office. to contend for the
| rights of freemen at the hands of courts
and juries. l find. my friends, the
autocrat of Russia is not more des-
| potic monarch in that afflicted country
| than that supreme court, and its sub
| ordinate courts, are in these United
States to-day.
| Now. there was time, my friends,
when Chief Justice Taney and his as
sociates put forth from that same court
| the declaration in what was known as
the Dred Scott case. But the people
who thought slavery wrong IN this
country, did they sit down patiently ?
| Did they say to that court, You have
the power to do the thinking and the
governing for this great nation? No,
sir: they went on with their agitation
until they had taken position OF this
whole government and purified that
court. and that is what We have got to
do to-day in America. Applause.
And that is what this Peoples party is
going to do. Why, my friends,
would say in conclusion that we must
do it. Applause. We must do it in
the name of God, and of righteousness
and of American liberty. We can not
stand by and see this republic de-
stroyed.
How can we do it? Why, by organ
lied effort, by this system of agitation,
bv carving into the minds of our
friends and ncighbors the facts and
thoughts that possess ourselves, by
every man making himself priest and
apostle to preach this faith to the null
titude; and / tell you, my friends, l
see the light ahead.
wrote book-vou will pardon ME
for alluding to it-which attracted
some attention, in which prophesied
that if this state of things continued
for another hundred years it would end
in the destruction of civilization. as
we'll as liberty, on the face of the globe
| believe that as solemnlv as believe
in my existence What is the remedy
Why, Just such movement as you
have inaugurated here to-day. Ap
plausc.
/ Let us possess the widest federation
for every honest difference of opinion
in every honest man. Let us STAMP
under our feet the knayes and scoun-
drels who would sell ont the liberties OF
the American people. Applause.
This is what we have got to do; ant
now. my friends, I would say to you as
a parting word, let the mighty enthus
iasm which has filled You here to-day
which was manifested in all your pro
cectlings, let it go out north. east
south and west; let it so forth in ever,
hamlet, aye, to every farm house, tt
every mill and mine and factory, an,
let us all work together; and l believe
, on the 22d day of Feb, Washington
: birthlay-thank God for that grea
} Feb, if you do your duty, there viii
! be convention held that will have il
it 5000 representatives of organized
) labor and agriculture !applause tha
will hold in its hand the three poten
powers of destiny, that will sweep thi
4 country and save this nation, and viii
4 make this banner no longer the EN-
r hlem of a land with nine millions mort
Y gagged homes. oppressed and held dow
: by plntocrats and scoundrels, but W
? will make it indeed, as it should be
: the land of the free and the home G
/, the brave applause i the land wher
: every man shall enjoy the fruits of hi
t own labor Applause, where every ma
v will keep in his hands 80 per cent. o
/: that which he produces; where, i
+ short. every mau may sit under hi
h own vine and fig tree. with none t
: molest or make him afraid, and where
!. from the depth of his grateful heart, h