The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-01-04
The Farmer. After tho Bali,

their friends to dine.
Thus paying for past favors, and buying more
they have oysters on the half-shell, and SUI
dcient "boose' for all:
Except the farmer, whose invitation comes.
after the ball
When the ways and means committee contem-
It consults the combines, plutocrats, and
money corporations:
But the farmer plays the string bard, after the
ball
The treasury secretary If called upon to state
His views on money matters, can't tell to save
his pate
Until he sees the bankers. and gives Wal.
Street call.
And dimes at the Delmonieo after the ball.
But when the officers term expires and salary
He cuts across the country to fix his fences up
He slaps the farmer on the back and grabs the
And the people are all invited to the annual
Want of Confidence.
The Richmond, Va, Star very
nearly sums up the whole situation in
the following:
When asked what is the cause of the
financial troubles that are wrecking
business and causing distress and want
to the wage workers of this country
| we are told that it is want of conf
dence. Want of confidence in what :?
Want of confidence in the government
| of the United States? Want of conf
dence in the national legislature? Or
IS itwant of confidence in the power of
The lobby?
In the last national campaign the
two most important issues affecting
the welfare of the people, the tariff
and finance, We're most thoroughly dis
cussed. Indeed the campaign was
designated as campaign of educa-
ton. BY most overwhelming ma
! lority the Democratic candidates were
elected on a platform that was dis
sected and redissected. In very
short time this cloud of want of conf
lence, at first nc larger than mans
hand, arose. 1t first appeared in the
West. Rapidly it grew until it be-
came IN immense black sheet, bringing
hurricanes and cyclones of disasters to
the business of the country, and caus
ing want, like gaunt skeleton, to sit
upon the threshold of the employees
Of all the great industries of the
country.
Where does this want of confidence
lie? Is it among the merchants and
small traders? Is it among the farm
rrs and laborers? Is it among the
mechanics and artisans? Is it among
the wage workers and laborers? No!
Then where is this want of confidence
SYvo1x- -
Those who have a surplus. Men who
are not satisfied with the legal rate OF
usury. Men who have piled up thou
sands and desire to increase these
thousands to tens and hundreds OF
thousands, not by legal and patient
earnings, but by arbitrary and illegal
Legislation, at the expense of those who
bear the heat and burdens of the day
We are told that our banking system
is the best ever known in this country
and that it is next to impossible to i'm
prove upon it. Yet we see the thou
sands who had laid by few hundred
dollars for the education of their chill
dren and to provide for their wants in
old age, or times of adversely, with
every dollar swept away from them by
the failure of these banks conducted
on the very best banking system! W.
see want stalking about through thu
land and the country supplied Will
every necessity, not only in abundanc.
for all living wants, but with o grea
surplus.
When the laborer or the bushes.
man asks what is the matter with til.
times, and when the children of tn,
poor ask for bread from an empty cup
board, We are told that it is lack o
condolences! Lack of confidence il
what?