Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-12-05
THE CAUSE OF HARD TIMES.
Corrupt Legislation, Extravaganza
and Many Other Reasons are As
signed by Judge Kendall.
Correspondence OF the Ledger

correspondents OF tue LftS'i-
VANDALIA, Mo, Dec. 3-We see on
every hand evidence of financial dis
tress, both national and private, and
many reasons are assigned as the
ause. 1t is evident that extravaganza
is one great cause, but that is not the
only cause; there are many others.
Corrupt legislation is the main one.
AS the capital of the country is con-
trolled by a few unscrupulous men, it
would hardly be possible for 4 man to
accumulate a million of dollars at any
legitimate business during a natural
lifetime. Ii is evident there that cor
rupt legislation has aided many on the
high road to wealth at the expense of
the people and the Government. For
the last thirty years the Government
has been controlled by men who cared
nothing for the Government or the
people, as Doodle has been showered
upon all who would accept it, from
contractors and monopolies, thus
placing the Treasury at the mercy of
Wall Street and London money sharks.
The wrecked condition of our nation
al affairs is deeply felt in private af-
fairs as well.
Thirty yeer- ago such II thing as a
strike or q tramp was unheard of, and
the James gang were the only bandits
known, and they were the result of
the war. Now, strikes and discomfort
are everywhere; bandits roam all over
our country and every State is filed
with tramps. Dealing in imaginary
products has been the ruin of the
farmers, and the tinkering with the
tariffs has ruined the merchant, the
decentralization of silver and the con
traction of the currency has crippled
silver mining interests and many
other industries. If we will bat look
back thirty or forty years ago we a
see another cause: A few men filed
with greed conceived the idea of a
private banking system and induced
the people to take stock in banks.
Thus the money was taken out of the
hands of the people, and to-day you
can Q a bank in almost every little
village in the country supporting
high salaried officers and all the
money locked up in their vaults, SUBJ
ject to be cornered at the will of Wall
Street, and with few exceptions these
men have lost all confidence in men
and in their greed a for nothing
but self, and measure mems honesty
altogether by their ability to pay.
Now, as we have seen some of the
causes let us look for a remedy. First,
restore confidence. Second, elect
none but honest men to office. Make
sweeping reductions in salaries.
Abolish all banks. Repeal the State
bank law and let the profits of bank
ing 60 to the States. For the benefit
of the stock men we might look after
the stock yards, commission men,
railroads, etc. Stock yards buy corn
at "a cents per bushel and charge the
drover m dollar; pays 40 cents per
hundred for hay and charges n dol
lar. Commission and freights the
same AZ when stock sold at paying
prices. And we might look a little
~ster tho uannsy-ehanaers: as hard as
times are and as cheap as they get
their living, interest is just as high.
Now, this is NJ idle view of the situa-
ton, as anyone can see. Many men
have been put to the wall; Others, who,
twenty years ago, were in good cir
cumstances, are reduced to the neces-
sity Of n chicken-and-egg business in
order to get the lei to furnish their
families with the necessaries of life,
and it wont be long before the whole
country will be reduced to a penny
business.
l am sure that the better class OF
moneyed men of the country can't be
so blind as not to see the financial dis
tress OF every hand, and not stand
idly by and see our countryover run
with tramps and robbers, but open
their eyes and their hearts and come
to the rescue OF our people and our
country before it is too late. Mr..
Carlisle tells us that London is the
great clearing house of the world.
having their Ave pound sterling as q
standard. This being the Ease it would
seem useless for us now in our condi-
ton TO undertake to cope with them
In monetary affairs. So let us get to.
gether and 60 back to the money oil
fathers for the use OF the people.
And what we need from other coun-
tries, let IA get it In the way Of ex-
change for our surplus produce. By
10 doing we viii stimuiate our trade
and enhance our values, but a. long
~ we send them gold for their goods
just 90 long will they go to other ooun'
tries for their supplies.
Yours Respectfully,
8. Z. KENDALL.
Dressed hogs wanted.