The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-08-18

AS~A ~ S0O -
tie farm with it's 1900 gone; look at
the Missourians with their 1850, 900
gone; look at the North Carolinians
with their 81, 500, OCO gone.
Is it any wonder that we hear it said
time and again that the laborers, the
men who till the farms in this broad
land, the men who produce the wealth
were not getting a just proportion of
their earnings; that the homes of the
people were, in some insidious way,
being threatened; that the rich were
becoming richer and the poor poorer
that these conditions were greatly aug
mented by the demonetjz alton of sill
yer, etc, etc And the question TO-
day in every body's mind in North Caro-.
lima, whether it has been 80 expressed
in words or not, is, will the restoration
Of silver change the environment OF
these forty laborers, or the great mass
of laborers who in Missouri produced
the $3.50, 900, or the entire labor of
North Carolina who produced the ST.,
800, OOO2
The restoration of silver will, I fully
believe, ease up some of the disadvau-
tages against which the worklngman
has to contend, but it will not touch
the principle underly ing the above con
dltlons, the little farm, and railroad in
Missouri, the net earnings of all the
ROiIH0ojC in N0rth (N,nOIy-o A. &Lo
illustration of this farm is so simple in
itself as tt be within the easy grasp of
the average citizen, and Al the connec-
ton between the 81, 900, the 1860, 600,
and the 81 500, 600 requires no stretch
Of the imagination to comprehend, let
US consider the situation of the forty
men. These laborers are slaves no one
will deny. Yet they vote a. we do, and
help Indirectly to make our laws. In
case Of insurrection they stand ready
to take their lives in their hands in
order to defend this farm, or any other
property in the State, for the protec,
tion of society. The man in Baltimore
would be simply an interested specta
tor, not an actor. There is no law, 30
far as l am informed, by which you
could compel this man to d. citizens
duty in the State. Viewed from any
standpoint, it must be admitted that
State grants this man great and pc
culiar privileges. Now if this man
should appoint a self perpetuating
board of trustees to operate this farm,
he absolutely directs the wealth pro
ducing power of these men, a. we'll as
that of their increase for generations
yet unborn. Apply this simple illus
Cration, whom all can understand, to
the Gould railroad and the people in
Missouri. Apply this same principle
to the railroads in North Carolina and
the peoples relation to these roads.
The prospect appears to be appalling.
What is the States right in this maj
ter2
We, a State in which independent
and supreme authority is vested, are
permitting ~non-residents to farm US to
the extent of our power to produce
wealth, and yea, more.
To say that we have not the power
or right to change anything which
tends to destroy the liberties of the
people, would be a REPUTATION Of what
our fathers fought for at Boston. The
danger is in CONTAMINATION. Why
should not each State in the L zion say
who she'll control the property within
it's borders, and that the right shall be
granted only to actual citjzens3 AS a
nation, why should we not say who
shall hold our national securities? Do
this, and Wall street viii be no more,
the railroad question will be solved,
trusts will not be heard of, and such a
period of prosperity, both National
and State, will prevail as has never
been known. AMERICA.