The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-07-31
A FARMER TO FARMERS.
The People Ask Bread and are Given q
Stone.

A FARMER TO FARMERS.
The People Ask Bread and are Given q
In letter to the Alliance Herald an
Alabama farmer says: / am aware
that the agricultural class are in con-
dition not calculated to inspire hope
and effort upon their part and very
different from what it once was. Once
the proud and Independent tiller of the
soil was monarch of all he surveyed, -
but how stands the matter now. Does
he rise at the dawn of the day and go
forth with the elastic step that once
characterized mis- manly being. feeling
at every turn that he is dependent on
no one save nature and natures Godp
Not so; but instead we find him bur-
dened and staggering under the weight
of mortgages upon his home and other
property for which he is not response
BILE and groaning under the oppression
of unnatural and oppressive laws which
are enacted by selfish dictatorial and
overpaid money worshiping congress.
He fully realizes the fact that he has
been outlawed through the instrument
tality of partial and discriminating
laws against his interest and he has
appealed TO his government which he
has been taught to regard as his friend
to correct some of these abuses, or in
other words, to throw him a plank
upon which he may float himself ashore
before he plunges into breakers just
ahead of him, such as land syndicates
and other kindred associations which
stare him at all times in the face, and
which threaten to sweep from him his
home and all his possessions and leave
him penniless and thrown upon the
cold charities of a colder government,
the ''so-called best government the
world ever knew"
But he is told that it is unconstitu-
tional to give aid and comfort to the
laboring and producing classes. That
the government has about all it can
do to support and take care of its pets,
&c.
Now the producer is just as eager to
make money as any other class and in
order to do so practices economy and
is frugal in his habits why then is he
so poor and hard pressed to make a
bare ano meagre support. The answer
comes ringing from every legislative
hall throughout the country. High
taxation and class legislation. The
one depletes his pockets, the other his
opportunities and holds him as if he
were handcuffed and subject to the I'M
reasonable dictates of the powers that
be. He is taxed for the support and
maintenance of others until the source
of supply is well nigh exhausted leav-
ing him in about the same condition.
These teaches, the soft-handed gen.
try, are ever ready to take hold of him
and fill themselves by usurpation of
the fruit of his toll at cost far below
the cost of production. There is no
evading them as they are to be found
from Maine to California These very
bloodsuckers are sustained and kept
up by class legislation at the instiga-
ton of corrupt syndicates made pow
erful by the glittering gold. How
much longer before our people can see
each for himself and realize his condi-
ton just as it really is? The deep
rottenness of political intrigue is rife
everywhere. The peoples best inter-
ests and dearest rights are set aside to
give place for the selfish greed of mo-
nopoly and dishonest spectators, and
unless the masses of the people of our
common country rally to the rescue to
contend for their rights and liberties
the bright glory of our land will be
NH 90
past. Look at the attitude of the gov
eminent towards the people when they
ask for redress for wrongs inflicted by
the hand of power made so by this
class legislation and inscriptions
gains. Is there any attempt to lessen
the grievances. No, sir.
The people ask fish and are given
stone. Such are some of the great
evils thrust upon them by UNJUST and
discriminating laws forced upon them
under whose curses they are forced to
live and drag out miserable exist
ence and will continue to grow worse
until the people shall rise up as one
man and shake off the CALLING joke of
oppression like dew drops from the
lions name. The time and opportuni-
ty are near at hand when chance
will present itself whereby they can re-
dress for themselves these grivances
and can choose between good and evil.
What will they do? Shall they con-
tinue to fall at their masters feet like
abject slaves and kiss the rod that
smites? God forbid that such shall
ever be the case again but rather as
sert their manhood in the use of the
means thus placed at their disposal.
And in the efforts of the people to
throw off this oppression may they be
guided by the hand of Him who
doeth all things WE'LL
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