The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-27
A LETTER WORTH READING.

Under the caption "Object Lessons
for Mr.. Wilson," an editorial article in
the Washington Post a day or so back,
drew a beautiful pen picture Of the un'
exampled prosperity, happiness and con-
tentment Of those fortunate Lousianians
who reside in the sugar belt Of that
State. 1t said, Mr.. Wilson, in passing
through this part OF Louisiana on his
way home "will feast his senses upon a
strangely sumptuous panorama For
nearly a hundred miles he will pass
through a country of unexampled natural
fertility, and through a veritable apoth'
costs of human industry and skill. He
will go from one plantation to another
cultivated to the highest point and I'M
proved and utilized beyond everything he
has ever seen in rural life. He will pass
the stately dwellings Of the employer
and the peaceful villages of the en-
ployed. Wherever he looks he Will see
thrift, contentment and proSperity-the
unexampled evidences of a happy anu
progressive civilization. He will see ag'
riculture in its noblest form, manufac-
ture in its most useful capacity, and
enlightened industry at its best. . If
there be a garden spot or this continent
where the Creator and his creatures have
conspired to achieve the utmost oil grace
and welfare that spot Is the Teche
| Country through which Mr.. Wilson Will
have journeyed." II then adds hat that
the result of Mr.. Wilson's bill, as 1t pass
ed the House would have been to con
sign Chat smiling and opulent domain
TO utter desoiation," &c, and that MT
Wilson will, of course. indulge In regrets
over his proposed action in reforming
the tariff. at least so far as the bounty
on sugar is concerned.
A Mr.. II. c. Bell has written the Wash
ington Post a letter. taking this article
for his text, which is so clear. so con-
yincing, and so admirable that we quote
a considerable portion Of 1t. We are
unite prepared to say that it is a gem
In It's way.
II is true that this hundred-mile stretch
Of territory in Louisiana about which
YOU speak Is in an exceedingly pros
perous condition., and there is no reason
i'm the world why it should not be. They
are practically all engaged in the manu-
facture of sugar. and the government OF
the United States. in order to make
them "happy. contented. and prosper
GUS" takes out of the National Treasury
something Ike si2,0eo,0o0 annually. placed
there largely by the labor of other farm
ers, and with ii hires these same sugar
v1Ar4nry 80 Ionigtnpn IN conduct fhQir
business and then graciously allows them
to retain the results Of their business
and make all they can out of such bust
ness. This being true, 1t is hard TO con-
ceive how they could be other than
prosperous, but the question naturally
arises, by what right are these same
twelve millions Of others engaged in
| farming pursuits taxed their proportion
of this twelve million dollars in order
TO hire these same Louisiana planters
to conduct their own business. and which.
according to your own conclusion. would
be a losing business were it not for
this same bounty paid to them by the
United States Government.
Now, / reside in the State of Illinois.
on the Wabash river, something like
one hundred miles above Cairo. This one
hundred miles of Wabash and Ohio river
bottom country is one OF the richest In
the world, ana L know IL 10 be Il TACT
that the farmers Of Illinois In this
hundred-mile stretch OF alluvial river
bottom country are In an exceedingly
precarious condition, so far as making
a living and laying up anything for a
rainy day is concerned. But l under
take to say that II the United States
Government will tax the rest of the peo-
pie Of this country So. 900, 900 per annum.
and then distribute that money TO the
farmers of the aforementioned section
OF Illinois by paying thera fifty cents per
bushel for all the wheat they can raise.
twenty-five cents per bushel for their
corn, and for other agricultural products
in proportion-that Is. in this way to
hire them to conduct their own business,
and allow them to keep the proceeds of
their business to boot. 1t will not be
long until one could feast his senses
upon a strangely sumptuous panorama
In this Wabash and Ohio river valley
OF Illinois.
There is no trouble In the world about
making a portion of the farmers of this
country prosperous. no matter whether
they raise sugar or wheat, providing the
Government will pay them a bonus out
OF the United States Treasury large
enough to accomplish that result; but