The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-07-11
THE REMEDY.
THE DISCUSSION GOING ON.
The Views of An Honest Democrat,
What Should be Done.

The Views of An Honest Democrat.
What Should be Done.
we have received the following let
ter from Senator Brown, of Mcleod
county. He did not call himself a
Populist, but, during his term as SEN
ator he voted every time on the side
OF the people,-like the straight-for-
ward, honest man that he is. We are
glad to hear from him and we know
our readers will be.
.-..-.... GLENCOE, July 2, '92.
HON. IGNATIUs DoNNELLY,
DEAR .SIR:-I read with much Meas
ure your articles in the REPREsENTA-
TIVE, and was particulery gratified
with the last in the issue of 9th ult..
entitled, ''The Grain Growers" You
will remember, my dear sir. that dur
ing the last session, l introduced two
blllS,-one to compel the r. r. Co.'s
TO open their doors and receive wheat
as they 40 other articles of merchan-
d!Se. why should wheat be treated
dlHerent!y from wood. pork, potatoes,
i've stock, hardware or dry goods?"
Ihat is the very argument that I
used, but did not get the necessary
support, for the reason that some of
our good friends thought it would be
hardship to the r. r. They forgot
the people that sent them there, par
tlcularly the producers who are the
great sufferers. If the elevators have
Deen enabled to build up fortunes
handling wheat, honestly of course ~
why could not the railroads, charging
the same price for handling the grain?
II that were the law, how soon would
our elevator ring realize that some
thing had occurred that interfered
with the business?
AS matters stand today, the pro-
ducer drives to his maket town, ''the
lords of the manOr,'' sit on their
thrones, Tin their elevators), and wait
his coming; knowing full well, that it
makes no difference to them in which
building the grain is sold;-for they
will be in at the death, when the
profits are divided. That is what
some people call 50 free morketr'
line other measure introduced was
TO wipe out this Infamous inspection
law. l quote from the REPRESENTA-
TIVE
"State Elevator. AS we said recent
ly. this whole system of inspection
and weighing is principally for the
benefit OF the wheat buyers. When
the farmers comes to the elevator.
near his home, to sell his wheat, there
is no officer of the state to ms pect it,
grade it, or weigh it,"
Now who is the farmer? Is he
fool? Is he not capable of disposing of
his own produce? Why should he.
hn
person appointed by the state to pro-
Iect Ghe buyers, than the merchant
should pay some other person, appoint
e ea oy the same authority, to inspect
his tea, coffee. calico, etc. etc, before
the same could be sold? Suppose we
have the state appoint some man to
inspect horses. have one to dispose
or: L find purchaser who is satisfied
with the horse and willing to pay me
$l2o. Here comes the inspector who
puts tag on the animal showing that
he is only worth 500. Now l think one
just as proper as the Other;-but both
wrong. Ii farmer has car of wheat
to ll,-Why should he not be allowed
to sell it through his commission mer-
chant, paying his commission. r. r.
charges and there let the deal stop?
In other words kill the middlemen. I
trust something will be done in your
convention. l care not where the re-
lief comes from, so we get it.
Yours respectfully,
SAMUEL P. BROWN.
The reasoning of Senator Brown is
correct enough if we really had free
market in this state. Nothing is so
compatible with freedom as freedom.
II we could get clear of all rings,
and combinations then we would say.
with our friend, away with all govern
mental machinery, shat would inter
fere between man and man, in the
transac tion of their mutual business.
We are not "paternalist," except SO
far as the villainies of men compel the
interference OF government to prevent
the destruction of the people. We
would blow our theories of govern
ment to the winds, however much we
may respect them, rather than behold
the ruin of mankind: for, in our iudg-
ment, mankind is more precious than
all things else in the world: and the
happiness of the people is the true end
OF all human government. We do not
differ a particle from our friend
Brown on these points. But it is "a
condition, not a theory that confronts
u.s." We have an enslared market.
There is not, and there has not been
for twenty years, the slightest liberty
permitted to our people. Between
them and the external world stand
gangs Of conspirators who fix the
prices of their great staples, wheat
and cattle. Our farmers are as much
cut off from the markets of this world
as If they had been bodily transported
to Mars or Venus. They are, in name
a free people, but their freedom is a
mockery and sham. The vital point
of free institutions is, the pocket. Our
nation was founded, in 1776, on resist
ance to tax robbery. When a man
cannot sell what he produces for what
it is worth, he is sldre,-just as much
as if he wore gives and shackles. He
is not sold on the auction block, be-
cause his masters do not care to incur
an obligation to take charge of his
family, or feed and clothe him in his
old age. 1t is cheaper to let him
starve. Black slavery had some re-
deeming features:-it was patriarchal:
it implied some mutual obligations.
The master would not let another
abuse his slave-nor would he starye
him himself. But when our markets