The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-02-18
nppearcd. II you would save yourself and

appeared. II you would save yourself and
save :he nStion, you have a terrible battle
on your hands. aud you must begin by
purifying your own ranks You might just
as we'll go into a fight for your life with a
punk wood club for a weapon, as with a
society whose leaders are owned by tho
enemies OF mankind. At the first blow your
weapon is shattered to fragmcntS. and you
stand uncovered and defenseless before
your triumphant enemy.
INCREASING GOVERNMENT POWER.
We believe constitutional liberty to con-
sist simply in an extension OF the powers Of
government, to the securing OF the prosper
ity of the people. Three hundred years
ago. government in England meant simply
a machine. to preserve despoti,m and col
lect taxes. 1t Is no more than that to-day
In Russia. Our enemies would have IL no
more than that in America.
THE POSTAL SERVICE
The postal service Is the great exemplar
OF what government can do Without IL,
the charge for rarryin. a letter from Maine
to San Francisco would be not less than so
cents; with il, it is cents. and IL will soon
lie cent. Carrying the mails is no essen
ment; for it is something to increase the
comfort OF the governed, not to increase
the powers OF the governors.
POSTAGE STAMPS AND CURRENCY.
The.nation is under governmental obli-
CATION t. furnish postage stamps sufficient
Tor all the cOrresdOndence OF the country.
1t is under like obligation to furnish cur
rency-money-sufiici for all the busi-
ness of the cJuntry. The postage stamp is
simply small Government fiat, issued for
Il specific purpose. having little or no in
trinsic value: hut it Is made legal tender
for the transportation OF correspondence,
and to that extent it Is as valuable as il it
were refined gold. If the Government re-
fused TO issue postage stamps enough for
the correspondence Of the nation, and thus
stopped the intercourse OF the people, it
would be doing precisely what II has done
In refusing to issue currency. II the Gov
ernment gave the is>ue OF postage stamps
as mon poly to private parties who would
make Il profit off of them. 1t would do just
what it Is doing with the national banks.
The Government can employ agents to help
1t in its work. but it has no right t. dele
gate its sovereign functions to individuals
that they may enrich themselves 1T the
expense of tn Sc who constitute the gov
ernment itself-the people.
MONEY.
Money IS a governmental measure OF
values to facilitate the exchange OF COM
modities. Its value should consist in its
legal tender quality for all debts, public
and private. To mix the governmental
standard Of values with metallic bullion. of
any kind. is to fall hack on the barbar rian
eXpedient OF barter. When it is argued
that the money of the country should con-
sist Of .ometh:ng that can be melted and
sold as bullion. then we have that which
ceases to be money. and i, rs much COM
modify as 50 many pounds OF iron or wheat:
We have simply returned to system OF
barter. II 10000. 900 OF people. the richest,
the most intelligent, the most peaceful on
earth, can not establish Il legal tender cur
rency with which to carry on the exchange .,
- i.
the intrinsi" value of the postage stamp
Under God there is nothing greater than
this natiGn. Does il require the indorse-
ment Of jay Gould and Vanderbilt, or he
bankers. to make it responsible and re-
specialize: Why, we saw a full legal ten
der grecnback 90 all through the civil war
yes. when the Confederates were eli
campci within sight of the capital-at par
with gold. The Other greenEacls fell to 40
per cent os their face value, because the
Government had itself discredi,cd and dis
hOnored them. by refusing to make them
legal tender for daty on imports, and in
tercst on the public debt.
WHAT WE WANT.
The sabbath" said the Lord. "was IA ade
for man; not man for the Sabbath" And
il this be true of spiritual things. like the
day appointed for Gods Worship. how
much more true is ii of government, which
i purely 4 material creation OF man? And
so echo: The government WAS made FOX
man. not man for the government.
Whatever is necessary TO he done to in
sure the prosperity Of the people. the gov
crnment must d.. Or. as the government t
and the people are convertible terms. we
can stat" the proposition thus: Whatever
III" people are convinced is essential to
their prosperity. that the people mus.
have. II this be not true, then the con-
vcrs, OF the proposition must he true, to
wit: That whatever the hostile influences
that prey upon the people find II necessary
for their continued work of plumber. that
the government ito wit-the peopie)-must
concedc Ia their robbers This is TO Sc: the
few above the many. the thieves above the
honest men, vice above virtue, the devil
above God.
II 4 currency supply equal TO SIS per cap
ita will not carry on the business OF this
country then we must have one OF twenty;
| II twenty is not enough then VIC must Ia: vc
| one OF fifty: if fifty Is not enough then Ne
must have one of one hundred. We mus:
| put an end To this age OF dollars. this age
| OF mort tca-c>: this clearing OF the yeoman-
r; off the face OF the earth and giving
| their homes to the capitalist!c class; We
| must put an end TO the air of poverty for
! the producer. One nest, industrious
| farmer reduced to penury swept awav from
! his home. to swell, with helpless family
| the ranks Of wretchcdness and vice. is OF
| more consequence in the eyes OF an indig-
nant God than all Wall street with all it.
| billions Christianity was no. established
| until the money changers wore driven ou,
OF tho Temple. God help US. Christ j.
crucitiei. and the money changer, hav,
return ID to the Tempe. and stuffed the
| mouths of the priests with gold. and re.
| li.iom is silent in the midst OF the mSrtyr-
dom OF mankind.
| Yes. II we can only save the peop,s
| from GcStru.t ion and our institutions from
annihiiation. by coming the power. wca tn
| and credit Of the nation into currency. ana
lending 1t to the producer to stop the powe
| Of the plutocracy, and save the homes o
| the tpilcrs from the usurer. then ! say thai
| governments, has never done SO good n wors
| as that will I've since God made the world.