The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-08-27
THE EDITORS CHAIR.
HOW THINGS LOOK FROM
OUR STAND POINT.
The Opinion of The Editor and the
Opinion Of Others which we
Can Endorse on the Various
Topics Of the Day.

The Wilmington Messenger In an
editorial headed Uniform alton
Sought, says:
1--WE would be glad to read edit or
and President Buffers views up,n
the Federal Government owning all
the railroads, and how 1t proposes to
obtain them-whether be seizure or
paying down the "spOndulics." II
the latter, where tho Eioney Is come
from?'
The information sought was given
la last weeks CAUCASIAN. We re-
produce part our editorial which
answered .he above questions before
they were asked: r... ~:
There are number Of papers and
politicians in the State who admit
that five Of the seven demands Of
the Farmers Alliance are just, yet
say that they can never advocate the
government ownership Of Railroads
and the Sub-Treasury plan. Now
let Us see the wording or that plank
Of the Ocala platform that refers 10
government ownership. 1t is the
sixth plank and reads a. follows:
1--WE demand the most rigid,
honest and just State and National
governmental control and supervi-
sion Of the means of public COM
munication and transportation, and
il this control and supervision does
not remove the abuse now existing,
we demand the government owner
ship Of sucl, means Of communities
ton and transportation
The above means clearly that the
Alliance Is deteru.iued that Rail-
roads, telegraph and express COM
panies shall be controlled oy the
government In 80 far as il necessary
to protect the rights Of the citizens,
and the last part Of the above, the
conditional part Of the demands, is
simply meant to emphasize the nee
essity for control and supervision.
But suppose these corporations
should prove to be 80 powerful that
they could not be controlled, then
the government must own them or
be owned by them; may heaven for
bid that 1T shall ever come to this.
We do not know how to express
ourself any palmer than we do in
the above language. Yet the editor
OF the Messenger in last Saturdays
issue says that we do not make our
position plain, and further seems to
discredit, or rather not to accept our
statement as to objects and aims of
the Alliance with reference to the
matter. Now ii the learned editor
of the Messenger Insists on knowing
himself exactly what the object Of the
Alliance is, then it is useless for him
to seek information. In the same
article DIR. Kingsbury says:
We would also like to read an ar.
ticle from his pen upon class legisla.
ton; what he understands by 1t, and
If he favors or opposes the principle.
After discussing those, if he will not
think US impertineRt, we may sug-
6ONs POiAtCiy - io" Obio' uOOSCu
questions OF much "pith and mo.
nent.'
To ask one whether he favOrs OF
opposes the principle ofclass legisls'
tiOn, is like asking doctor whethe,
he favors or opposes the swallowing
Of pOision. And yet their mos
eficatious remidies contain some OF
the deadliest poisiOns.
But what does the Messenge
mean BY class legislation? 1t Is mex
toimpossible to enact any statute
law that is not literally speaking
class legislation, In that it means
more to the benefit OF some than t,
others. But what is usually mean
by class legislation is laws that ar,
enacted for the benefit of the tev
only. Now the financial plank .
the Ocala platform is enacted int,
law would, if it worked to the bene
fit of the farmer, be beneficial to tn
great bulk of the American citizens
This cannot be doubted. Therefor
1t would not be class legislstion-i
would be legislation in the interes
Of the many.