The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-07-31

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ment to the Constitution; that 1.-The
power to tax is the power to destroy )"
and certain sorts of taxation seems to
have been always mainly used with
this view. I have never seen the exc
cution of a citizen by taxation, though
this decision seems to warrant it; but I
have seen the execution of the com
merce of the country and the agricul-
tural industries of the South by taxa
ton, and I cannot see why the United
States have not an equal right to exc
cute it's citizens in the same way.
The next time the United States de-
scended like a wolf on the sheep fold of
States she struck spunky little South
Carolina. Hitherto it's acts of usurpa-
ton had affected the North as muchor
more than the South and nearly every
| Northern State when brought to feel
for itself federal usurpation, real or
supposed, had counseled or threatened
open secession. But now an act had
been posed which bore, and was per
haps intended to bear more heavily on
the South.
1t was the tariff act of 1882, which
was in effect nearly prohibitory. 1t
was though not so heavy as the exer-
ting tariff, outrageously unjust, dis
eliminating and unconstitutional,
| South Carolina promptly nulliied it,
and secured it's modification; but the
stump of the upas tree was left in the
iudicially amended Constitution to
spring up thereafter into the rank lux
uriance of modern monopoly and cor
ruption, until honest men have almost
| concluded it belongs here.
The Courts, of course, sustained it,
so we will count four falls against the
| States.
1t was far too late now to secure an
other Constitutional amendment to
check and limit this usurpation-the
hydra head Of se~ctioualism was now
lifted upon every hill and in every
quiet vale throughout this land.
Henceforth the enemies Of civil lib
erty had only to raise the red flag of
sectional hate, and the mad bulls in the
political arena began their holy strife.
The last financial question between
the States and the Union which shall
mention came up in1869. The general
government claimed the right not only
to tax but to tax out of existence" the
circulation of State banks, and to GRE
ate a monopoly of bank issue in favor
of certain corporations known as ma
tional banks. The States insisted that
the tax was direct and unco constitutional
because MT apportioned according to
rule; and that being prohibitory, it
was unconstitutional because it de-
stroyed in effect an attribute of State
sovereignty, and a means of admins
tering it's finance. The Supreme Court
decided against the States-this is five
falls against them and none against
the Union. The Supreme Court re-
enacted one Of it's constitutional amend
ments in these words: "Ghat the Uni
ted States could withdraw any subject
of taxation from State jurisdiction,
and then tax it out Of existence" Elk
cept perhaps land and the poll, the tax
on which they are pleased to term di-
rect; and as such taxes must be appor-
tened according to population they
could not be levied without destroying
us all, themselves included. So 1 think
we are practically safe on that score;
and most of our land is too poor to
tempt the federal tax gatherers.
A century ago, the States started out
with the Constitution and the United
States with the government, now the
United States have got 10th the Con,
stitution and the government. The
lion and the lamb have lain down to
gether, but the lamb is inside of the
lion.
have finished what 1 came to say.
I might have presented a mo- fatter-
ing picture, but I thought it my duty
on this occasion and among my own
people to tell you the truth as 1 see it
and believe it. I might have made
what is sometimes called a regulation
commencement speech, but I believe
that here is the place to teach the prin-
ciples of government. 1t is the best
and wisest patriotism which seeks and
acknowledges the truth, however pain
full, that the remedy may be found. 1
love the Union-the Union Of our faith
ers-the Union of the Constitution
yea, and I love the Union as it now is
in spite of its prostitution in spite of
its unholy copartnership with corpora