Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-10-07

piCSche ooEEOWer VINO Sn0ulu resort
TO the scheme the odium of those who
have favored and indulged him in time
of has financial straits it would in case
of nonpayment at maturity of the snm
borrowed of the Government make the
borrower helpless victim of land pi-
rates operating in collusion with tho
Government agents, for unless the deb.
is paid the land mortgaged must h,
sold. for the Government must be iSid
in its methods. But the great evil ol
the scheme is in the damaging and far.
reaching concession the borrowing citi.
zen makes to the lending Government.
There can be no greater menace 10 free
| institutions than the assumption bv
government of affairs that naturally
pertain to the individual. The trans
ition from dependence of GoyernIne,d
upon the people, to debtorship of the
peopel to the Government, is step IN
he direction of sanctiouing govern
mental interference with the rights of
the citizen. Such outrages as Te,leis.l
interference with elections in States,
private search, arbitrary arrests without
complaint or warrant, disregard of tho
sacred domiciliary rights and thou.
sand other wrongs may be expected to
follow Government mortgages upon
private land property. 1t will never do
for the people TO surrender their rights
TO govern the Government, Ii is their
system for their own use within the
proper limitations of governmental
authority, these limitations to he pre-
scribed by the people,
The demand for government owner
ship implies one or the other of two
propositions, either of which is not far
removed from the absurd There ARE
but two ways by which the government
can acquire ownership the title whereof
is vested in individuals or corporations
of individuals the one is hy purchase
aud the other by foreible taking. The
government can not purchase nm
less the owners consent to sell. Force
'ul taking would be robbery even
though the government should prefer
M arbitrarily estimated money remu-
neration, for il would be robbing the
citizen of his right to lawfully own
property which he desired to hold.
But if owners of railroads were willing
70 sell to the government the money
,alne 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
70 the present owners. Such taxation
you'd lay upon the people a burden
greater than it would be possible for
railroads to impose upon them by traf-
tic rates. Thus when the government
| yoes 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 daties and obligations, is an
arbitrary and unwarrantable interfer-
cnce 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
he inconsistent with good public pol
| ICY. 1t would be fruitful source
of paItizan rancor and administra-
1--WE corruption. The hosts of adj
iitional 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-
siple equal rights to all and special
| privileges to none" and can not be
agreeable to the broad and comprehen-
| siye 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
10 governmental paternalism to care
fully promote the spirit of self-reliant
enterprise to nd the land of all
grinding monopolies, combines and
trusts to secure q 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
she interests of the few at the expense
# the many, and oppress the producer
with excessive and unnecessary taxa
tion, and such as obstruct the greatest
freedom to all industrial and CONNER
cial purposes.
They should demand such legislation
as will restore natural conditions to all
relations and industries of all classes
to improve the methods and economies
IF agriculture, and bring about healthy
and intelligent cooperation of farmers
TO. improve their financial and social
conditions !; to promote the dignity oi
labor and to secure its better remnner.
alton and to use all possible means fol
securing an honest ballot aud a fail
count, and to select for places Of pub
tic honor and emolument men who are
honest and capable and who regard
public Office not as private advantage
Dut as public trust.