Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-28

and the greviou5 condition OF their In
dustries, only to plainly attested by the
prices current in open market. Cotton
lower than for 40 years past, and less in
price than the cost Of its production. And
the. condition was cpitomized by the
declaration that "the south must make
less cotton or go hungry" with the echo
from the teeming fields of the northwest:
1.-THE west must grow less corn and wheat
or.go unclad."
Restriction of product was recommended
yet to advance prices by compelling
scarcity is surely
ABLlSD AND DESPERATE RESORT,
in world that needs all its productions
for the support of its inhabitants, where
free exchanges, while increasing demand,
furnish equally means for its abundant
supply.
The measures proposed for relief I'M
doubtedlv are in many cases radical, i'm
practicable, illusory and dangerous, but
the fact remains, there is widespread apd
deep-seated discomfort, and the lamenta-
tons are not idle nor without q cause,
In two states differing so widely in their
productions, race. population, local tradi-
lions and historical sympathies as Kansas
and South Carolina, agricultural distress
and discomfort have upturned and con
yulsed social and political arrangements.
The great Irish philosopher and statesman
of the last century warned us that men
are as much blinded by the extremes of
misery as by the extremes of prosperity,
and desperate situations produce desperate
councils and desperate measures and
illustrations of this truth are afforded to-
day in this country.
To my mind, the causes of the gradual
but steady impoverishment of the agricul-
tural classes Of our couiitrymen and the
decline in value of farm lands and prod
ucts and the influx to the cities of our
rural population are not doubtful or OBJ
scure. Certainly. it is not sudden or tenn
pOrary, but II is a result slowly but surely
arrived at, and for reasons not difficult to
discern.
Many important conditions to-day exist
ent ought to be full of favor to the planter
and farmer. Our home crops are the most
abundant ever known, coupled with bad
seasons and short crops in Europe and
India.
Our able bodied men are all self-support-
ing, and voluntarily engaged in productive
labor, aided by the
BEST AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY,
while in Europe they are largely withdrawn
from the fields TO swell the ranks of forces
armed for destruction, and maintained in
costly idleness, awaiting military orders.
Thus, with diminished competition abroad,
| and abundant production at home; with
| unequalled facilities for transportation by
| river and railway to the seaboard there
ought to be wholesome degree of pros
perity attending agricultural pursuits,
which, however is lamentably lacking.
Now, fellow-countrymen, one part
| of our country cannot continue to Ian
| guish and another part continue TO flourish
| without disaster TO the whole and am
sure that the prosperity of your important
and influential association Is not founded
nor is it sought to be founded, upon mar.
! row or selfish basis; and that if injustice in
the superintendent of the burdens of taxa
ton causes Just discomfort, you will be
ready, in spirit Of Justice and enlight
ened self-interest, to aid in the relief.
IL IS my opinion and judgment. founded
| upon an experience of nearly a quarter OF
a century in the public service, as legis
lator and an administrative official, that
the currents of public taxation have fol
many years been running adversely and
unjustly against the natural industries OF
the country. That the artificial industries
as contra-distinguished from the natural
have been stimulated, to the neglect ant
detriment of the latter, and our laws oil
taxation have heen so controlled that al
unjust distribution of governmental ait
and favor-and the wealth that follow.
where such favor is bestowed-has beer
and is the result.
l Inv ohidlSI vi tuT LThut nH
been all along and is to-day maintained
almost entirely by the expectation of GU
natural products, and the prices which tn,
farmer obtains for his cotton and grain il
The home market are regulated absolutel,
by the price of his surplus when sold TO
export to foreign markets-inarkets il
which our municipal laws of tariff taxa
ton have no other influence than, Will
increasing the cost of production here Il
handicap the producer when he comes int,
competition with his more lightly bur
dened foreign rivals.
LOOKING BELOW THE SURFACE,
! believe It will be found that this con
dition of things has gradually been brough
about by the oversight of an essentia
clement of personal liberty which GU
forefathers sedulously sought to plac
beyond assault BY Embedding it in thei
written charter of equal rights in govern
ment. They believed as did John Stuar
Mill, that each person is the only SAT
guardian of his own rights and interests
and to secure it and build the fundamenta
principle of equality before the law upo
the bed rock Of honesty they declared tina
mo state shall pass any law impairing tn
obligation of contracts" and, fortiori
the collective power of the union coul
pass no such law, ior no such power wa
delegated.
And how imperfect is n mans freedom
il the right to enter into contracts for tn
, disposal of that which is honestly his ow
be impaired or destroyed
, leave out of consideration contract
against morality or public policy; but th
freedom assured by the common law q
! England, the best Inheritance our for.
fathers brought here across the Atlanti,
: the right to contract as he chose, and EN-
: ploy, individual faculties or powers G
| aissHNI ~
should be most useful and beneficial to th
owner, with the sole restriction containe
, in the maxim, sic utere tho ut alienul
} non laedas,' paraphrase or equivalent
the,Christian Injunction. Thou shalt loy
thy ncighbor AS myself"
Perhaps it would be well To mentio
: that the common law prohibited contrac
Z in restraint of trade; and the creation ,
r monoplies to strangle competition-Or ;
! we call them, nowaday trusts '-perhaI
e because they are distrusted, but this W.
all in favor of individual freedom of col
: tracts.
TIE RIGHT OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT
Is an essential element Of freedom-a co
ner-stone of personal liberty, from ii
I contract of Christian marriage down
. the purchase Of an apple-this rule ,
, action runs essentially through the life
+ a free man.
Having secured his contracts from in
: pairment, our fathers proceeded to secui
e the full use of his earnings and produ
s ton, and provided there should be no Ia
: or duty on exports--and thus he was le
4 free to sell or exchange in the country,
q TO sell or exchange out of the country, II
i results of his labor. And ask you no
!. what element Of property is so essential
q its value as its cxchangeablity, and wht
i the right to exchange is impaired, ho
. severe the loss to the owner. Deprive pro
4 erty of exchangeability, and it becomes
incumbrance, and oftentimes, its value
wholly destroyed.
Now this feature Of exehangeability-