The Opelousas courier., 1891-09-26
An Error.

It is reported, and many erroneonsly
believe that those who favor the adop
tion of the Lottery Revenue Amend.
ment, are opposed to the Farmers
Alliance, 1t perplexes the mind to
understand how such errors win belief
Tho allffnees would do well, If en- /
tire fairfKss is what they deslfe-to
reflect upon, what it is the amend |
meut proposes, and understanding it /
first of all, trace if it can be done, the
connection between them.
We quote from the declaration OF
purposes the alliance has made.
2. That we demand equal rights to all and
special favors To none.
No one can possibly be opposed to
this, for it is just and Democratic.
Comply with the conditions and no
discrimination should he made.
g. That we return to tha old principle OF
letting the office seek the na1, instead OF the
man seeking the ot1ce
We endorse this without Hesitation
or mental reservation But have the
Unions in this parish adhered to itq
And if they have not, can they fairly
complain, because those who favor the
amendment have? Tie farmers should
not deyiate from their declared pur-
poses as they have done, in lending Ii
ready ear, and apparently willing sap
port to candidates who have been ex-
erting themselves for months in a
ceaseless scramble for Office. We 60
back and tell them, let the office seek
the man. Does this imply opposition
| to tue farmers9
4. TO endorse the motto: "Iu things essen
| tiai unitg, in all things charity.
| This is one of the cardinal maxims of
Jefferson, and is heartily Endorsed by
every man who fayofs the adoption OF
the amendment.
Why should the farmers complain,
if because they favor it, they should
continue to adhere to that half Of the
motto which says: In all things char
| ity ~ Which party is it that has de-
4 parted from itq Is there any doubt
about that2 Our farmer brethren say
BIZ their action: ITe opine thus, and
have DO tolerance, no charity, for those
w4o do not believe with ue,
We are with them 10 all that is de-
cIared in this purpose, but they de-
nounce us, without the slightest exhibi-
ton of .charity.1 Can they say we
oppose them !? Come, Brother Farmers,
be fair aud just, and follow out your
declared purposes
! S. TO deveiope better stats mentally
morally, socially aud financially.
To all of which we respond amen
We differ only IN the adoption ol
means bs which to accomplish these
, objects
We think yon can not advance men
tai excellence without additional edn
cational means. You say you can dc
!, It hy taxation We tell you, that th'
, constitutional limit of taxation ha
) been reached, aud that nothing moro
! can be done, than has been, unless yol
I resort to some circumyention of tn
3 Constitution, such as increasing th
assessments. That such courst
/ would be oppression, and that eve
r with it, the school fund deriVable froI
: it, would be comparatively trifing
: As TO the moral improvement you pro
/, pose, we join you, bat in this as in th
0 mental, We differ as to the means
D What is it that serves most TO destro
the morals of the people Is ther
fany diversity of belief about this J
it not the excessive use Of intoxicants
: Did it ever occur to our brother farm
/, ers that in the excessive use OF these,
: to be found the blight to the ntentt
3 po,cer, the ruin to morals, and the eau
6 Of financial distress 2 Let us tell yol
: brother, that whilst you are denount
s ing the lottery for the ten millions 70
It assert ii annually derives from tI
Ii people, you are strangely silent on u
+ subject of the nine hundred millions Il
saloons pocket annually from the earl
Iings of tue lahoring men 10 the Unite
.fi States, and from tho resources OF d
i bauehers in different circumstance
. We say yes improvs tbs morals
& Z the people we will gladiy, cheerful
!. aid you, but do puF your declar
# tions Of charity in practical operatlo
) at least TO the exteat ef allowis
! others to have an opinion as to how
& might be done. And ID Of the fina
! eial purpose you set up We are vi
s s you, heart aud soul, but here again, :
ID diYerge as to the means. We do y
4. tAink the lottery amendment has t
Is least TO do with il, whilst you hold tl
- - It will. We judge the faEnTe by {
&. past, aud yUn do not reason that wa
ii, We honestly differ, and for doing
r. You abnegats your declaration
fo charity &
,as We say stand up to it in oil thing
n- and iii this among others. Let us ma
S. suggestion. We are told by offic
I, reports of tue Government that
i. people OF the United States pay reven
a, Oh whisky, amounting annually
: $500 $500 600. 900. The census last tab
shows us there arc not 90
ii. I64 O00, 900 inhabitanLs. Tic essslEcsi
se- tion demonstrates That tile avefa
ID, sum paid annually per capita
le. whisky,sis SI406. Financial statisi
de show that the entire currency of
10 United States is $I.329 000.000
.iie t $24.l0 per capita Taking these
is nres as our basis, we find that the p
,rk ple spend more than ri Itll of all I'll
Its money for whisky
Is Now, brother farmers, il you des
ter to ameliorate the financial condition
ae. tho people, don't yon think with us /
its the best way to accomplish it Wonla
has to reduce tlis whisky bin lit
Why let this pass unnoticed
say you are 5000 900 strong In
,np United States then basing onr cal
cfs Iation on ordinary human statistics,
s. may say, that including yonr famll
tIss3f, are about $4,000 00D of nODl