Middletown transcript., 1892-10-06

OF individuals sue one Is Dy purchase
and the other by forcible taking. The
government can not purchase un-
less the owners consent to sell. Force
full taking would be robbery even
though the government should prefer
On arbitrarily estimated money remu-
neration, for it would be robbing the
citizen Of his right to lawfully own
property which he desired to hold.
But if owners of railroads were willing
to sell to the government the money
value of railroad property in the United
States is SO great that an enormous tax
would have to be collected either di-
rectly or indirectly from the people in
order to raise the means for payment
to the present owners. Such taxation
would lay upon the people burden
greater than it would be possible for
railroads to impose upon them by traf-
fic rates. Thus when the government
goes into the railroad business the peo-
pie must be taxed either by rates for
passengers and freight transportation
or by tariff to "protect" railroads to
the extent of unestimated millions of
dollars.
Government control of railroads, ex-
cept to the extent Of necessary laws gov
erning corporations and corporate fran
chises and duties and obligations, is an
arbitrary and unwarrantable interfer-
ence with natural and vested private
rights. The government could as con-
sistently assume control Of street car
lines, omnibus, baggage transfer lines
ferries, saw mills and thrashing ma
chimes. But if such scheme were
consistent with private rights it would
be inconsistent with good public pol
icy. It would be a fruitful source
of partizan rancor and administra-
tive corruption. The hosts of ad-
ditional government appointees would
swell the volume of executive patronage
to threatening proportions.
Then again the sub-treasury, land
loan, and Government control OF rail-
roads smacks too much of class legisla-
ton to consist with the cherished prin.
ciple equal rights to all and special
privileges to none," and can not be
agreeable to the broad and comprehen-
sive democracy of the American farm
ers and laborers.
The true political course for the
farmers to pursue is to fearlessly guard
and zealously conserve the principles
and institutions of free government /; to
resist by all lawful means all tendencies
to governmental paternalism ; to care.
fully promote the spirit of self-reliant
enterprise to rid the land of all
grinding monopolies, combines and
trusts /; to secure safe and sound cur.
rency in harmony with the natural and
rational laws of equivalent exchange !; to
defend and preserve the rights to un-
trammelled political conviction, to
vigilantly resist every species Of class
legislation to secure the repeal of all
statutes National and State that foster
the interests Of the few at the expense
of the many, and Cypress the producer
with excessive and unnecessary taxa
ton, and such as obstruct the greatest
freedom to all industrial and CONNER.
eial purposes.
They should demand such legislation
as will restore natural conditions to oil
relations and industries of all classes ;
to improve the methods and economies
of agriculture, and bring about healthy
and intelligent cooperation of farmers
to improve their financial and social
conditions /; to promote the dignity OF
labor and to secure its better remuner-
alton and to use all possible means for
securing an honest ballot and f.lir
count, and to select for places of pub
Lie honor and emolument men who are
honest and capable and who regard
public Office not as private advantage
but as a public trust.