The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-01-02
The Tax Question.

SVCTJ bOuy C4CSPt iANo aHN eA"tAPS
who pay the least measured by privileges
they enjoy-and especially important to
farmers, will come up again in 1891 and '92
when new legislature and governor are to
be elected in Maryland, and assemble at
Annapolis.
1t is pretty generally understood BY
farmers that they pay much the larger part
Of the taxes both IN proportion to their in
comes and in proportion TO the money value
Of the property held by them. They have
been grumbling long and loud and protest.
ing against this wrong aud outrage, but the
members they have elected TO compose the
legislature have paid no attention to their
demands. The last legislature did make a
show of doing something toward placing a
larger portion of the tax burthen on the
shoulders of the wealth holders, but the
Governor stood in with the millionaire
class aud defeated the efforts Of the legisla-
ture--whatever they might have amounted
toby refusing, after much hesitation, to
sign the bill.
Congress has been playing similar game
with The farmers and neglec,ing TO pay any
attention to their just demands. In the
West and South the farmers finally deter
mined to go to Washington aud right these
long complained Of wrongs, and last fall
they made start, which has SO smashed the
political parties that they are now waiting
hat in hand ready TO serve the new power
so they pretend--in any way they demand.
There few old fossils in Congress, espec-
tally in the Senate, who will have to bs
retired before business will be permitted to
proceed on the new lines, and they will be
left al home at the next turn Of the wheel OF
political fortune. This has been accom-
plished by organization among farmers.
They have got together and discussed what
they wanted and then voted together, and
elected men 10 work for the passage of such
laws as will be just to all classes and callines.
This is the thing to do in Maryland. The
farmers must organize. They must become
members of some organization by which they
can act collectively, discuss such measu' es,
State and National, as they believe would
relieve them of unfair taxation, learn all
they can about the systems oftaxation in
vogue and determine what they want; then
see to it that only such men are placed in
nomination as will serve them when elected.
If the machine politicians by their tricky
methods get men on the ticket who are not
known to be in sympathy with reform as the
farmers understand it, do not vote for such
and not only cut them off but vote for cam.
didates on the opposition tickets who are
known TO be in accord with your wishes.
Men in slavery must obey their master and
it is his will they carry out, not their own.
There are two kinds Of slavery, chattel
slavery and moral bondage. Both are
equally under control of masters. The
moral or party slavery is the bondage
which has robbed and kept farmers down.
Before anything off good can be accomplished
worthy Of the name, farmers must become
free men. They have been laboring for
masters political masters. They have
voted knowingly against their own interests,
by helping TO elect men to Office whom they
knew TO be unfit; dishonest men who were
ready to sell their votes 10 corporations and
help pass laws which robbed their constit-
uents. Intelligent farmers and others have
voted against men whom they would have
gladly voted for il different party ring
had nominated them. Now this practice is
all wrong. Everybody knows and says it
is wrong, but they feel powerless to prevent
the evil. 1t can easily be prevented. Let
farmers join farmer associations. The
Grange is one Of the best and the only. one
10 this county for farmers. Others engaged
in mechanical pursuits and trading can join
the Knights of Labor. In future economic
questions will be discussed in those asso-
Citations, and the majority of voters will
learn something of what they want, aud
having bills drafted which they desire to
become laws. will send members to the leg
islature instructed to support such measures.
They will be sent 10 do Ger tain business
which is prepared before hand. In the
past Legislators have been elected and sent
10 Annapolis with next Thug to no idea of
what they were sent there for. They had
no instructions from their constituents. If
there was some mere local acts wanted that
tained.wholly to the county, there was
generally no trouble in having them passed,
but as to anything pertaining to The State at
large members went from the country free
of any instruction from their constituents.
The corporation was always on hand with
bills, and lobby TO explain and terrapin
and campaign suppers, and money if nee
essary, TO make plain the necessity and
public benefit Of such bills.
There is no sense in farmers working
their fingers off in making 'two blades OF
gross grow where one grew BEFORE" They
have learned that lesson. Somebody else has
been getting both the blades Of grass, and the
farmer finds himself poorer than he was 10
the daysof Washington. Poorer in influence,
poorer in poke, compared to other callings'
and poorer In his.own estimation. In order to
reverse this condition he must become more
OF student of public or economic questions
He can best do that by cooperating with
his fellow farmers. He can by so doing