The Louisiana Democrat., 1891-11-11
SOUTHWESTERN soLIDlTY.

preSenu-Oay repuOllcanlSm!-N.1 1.fOSL.
SOUTHWESTERN sOLlDlTY.
-he Farmers Retrenching Against Mo.
nopolistic Oppression.
Strong evidence of the vital forces at
work in the industries and trade of the
south is the fact that that section is
now more prosperous than it has been
for several years. For the last year or
two no portion of the country has had
more trying ordeal or had more OBJ
stacles thrown in the way of its prog.
ress. .i4ss4
From the day that the Reed congress-
was organized the south was threat
ened from Washington with revolu-
tionary enactment deliberately in
tended to create disorder, disturb con-
f1dence and check its growing indus.
tries. How many millions of dollars
the south lost through this infamous
measure. put forward by the greedy
and reckless political gamesters who
dictated the policy of Reeds congress,
will never be known; but the loss was
real, and it was great.
Before the force bill was out of the
way hurtful blow was struck at the
cotton interests Of the south by the
Mckinley tariff, which not only i'm
posed heavier burdens of taxation upon
the cotton growers, but in measure
crippled their best customers by dimin-
ishing their ability to pay good prices
for cotton. The increase in the duties
on cotton goods for the benefit of New
England mill owners made it necessary
that European mill owners, who take
nearly three-fourths of the crop,
should pay enough less for raw cotton
to meet the increased tax on manu-.
factured cotton goods. Directly and
indirectly the Mckinley tariff has
made the cotton crops of this year
worth fifteen to twenty per cent. less
than they would have been worth if
that tariff had not been passed.
And yet in many portions of the
south the people are to-day on a Sc.
curer basis of prosperity than they
were year or two ago The self.
denial, prudence and foresight neces.
sary to meet the difficulties of the past
two yea rs have borne legitimate fruit
in greater independence and freedom
from debt Having comparatively
little money to spend they have lived
more. upon their own resources; hav-
ing little to waste they have been
economical. If they have contributed
less to the prosperity of the north they
have made the most of every element
of prosperity at home.
The county and district fairs in Tex
as, more numerous. better attended
and with better exhibits than ever be-
fore, tell their own story of substantial
prosperity among the farmers, as well
as of their keen interest in the finer
points of farm economy. The Texas
farmers have not been spending money
freely because they have not had the
wherewith to spend, and borrowing
has been difficult; but they have been
making some long strides towards be.
coming independent of borrowing.
| The results of the years saving and
working in Arkansas are summed up
in the statement that the farmers will
this year owe less money when the
crops are sold than.they owed last year;
that there "have been more diversified
farming, better methods, more home
comforts, more public improvements
and general upbuilding throughout
the state. The towns are improving
faster than the country, but the rural
districts are doing well"
| They and all farmers in the south
and west will do vastly better after
the depicting tariff taxes imposed fo,
the sole benefit of small but greedy
class of monopolists are sponged out
and the government at Washington re-
stricted to its legitimate function oi
raising revenue for it's own needs
ST lIOuiS Renub1ic