The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-01-02
OUR FoREFATHERs.
We Gained Our Liberty and Have Lost
It--COntractiOn of the Currency.


nations history disaster ever threat
ened an overthrow, an absolute devas-
tatlon of the fundamental principles of
american republicanism. the time is
now. And if since the formation of
the federal constitution, the result of
the revolutionary struggle, in which
our forefathers fought to redeem us
from under the curses of tyrannical
oppression, there was time In which
necessity demanded universal consol-
ldatlon of the laboring people upon one
solid basis, the time Is now. That vlle
and rigid adherence unto the teachings
OF designing politicians have proven
dlsas rOus to the interests of the indus
trious people of this country, is fact
too plain to be questioned.
1t was the teachings Of such men,
and the mai ambition that grew out
OF their advocacy that stamped that
everything and neVerdying stigma upon
the character Of one of tine grandest
| and noblest considerations that ever
had It's formation in the sphere of hu
man existence. I allude to that terri
ble conflict of 81, IN which /, 900, 600 of
human lives fell victims to untlmely
graves, with a destruction of property
IN equal proportion. And yet were it
| that the people could for once realize
hat the devastation of their fields, the
obstruction of their property and the
slaughter of their kindred were the
only ills Of its evil, they of all the peo
| pie OF the globe would be most happy
and prosperous people. But when we
turn to the course that has been
assumed by the men in whose hands
we have lnCrusCed the management of
public affairs for the last 81 years, as a
result OF such an observation we are
necessarily compelled to admit our
selves the unfortunate 0 servers Of a
mountain of advantages unduly con
rerred upon few arIsGocraGlc charac
ters We are burdened with oppres-
sion and taxation, and the man who
thinks that the local laws of this coun
try are not discriminating against the
poc7-, is by no means acquainted with
the march of events, and needs educat
ing just little for his own advantage
l have no desire to agitate discord and
turmoil F.; wish to say nothing that will
engender the passions of men TO strife,
but do say and that fearless of criti
cism, if the people of this country, the
laboring people. could realize their stu
alton and comprehend the cause of
their adversity, that their passions
would be excited to that extent that
the whole thing would terminate in q
bloody war. 1t is by no means difficult
to observe that the laws of this land
are discriminating against the poor.
municipalities, commissioned by our
legislatures, are combined against the
wealth producers of the country. Every
little town has it's laws recognized and
indorsed by the Supreme Court of the
State. These laws provide for the con
centration of trade in country produce;
it matters not what opportunity you
may have to sell beef or pig to the
consumer, whereby your condition
might be bettered and the condition of
the consumer beTtered, the laws Of
North Carolina has closed up it's bowels
of compassion against you, against the
consumer and declared that the mag
nif1cence and grandeur Of the towns
must be perpetuated. Again, the laws
of North Carolina which profess TO be
based upon the principle of equal jus
tlce 10 all, provide that if you own
property that property il responsible
for your taxoA Your taxes were
already enormous. They were assessed
and imposed upon you by q set of men
who do not receive their election at the
hands of the people, and In addition to
the provision Of the law that J our prop
erty is reepOnslble for your taxes, the
legislature of North Carolina has i'm
posed upon you another tax, one Of the
most damnabIe known in the history
of civilized nation. This tax has not
as yet received any legal name; it has
but one dIscrip ptlve title; iL cannot be
called capitatlon, county or State tax.
When it has hunted out the entire
vocabulary of living languages and
consulted all the learned photographers
of modern civilization as to the pro-
priety of it's construction, methlnks the
response will come from ali alike, you
are an evil genius, a special poverty
tax. This tax was lnaugurated In 1889
by an act of the legislature of North
Carolina. It's diabolIcal manipulators,
like friends of other atrocICIes, were