The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-10-27

government in the interest Of all the
peoples
With the complete failure OF rail
road commissions to be OF any sub
stantial benefit, the ownership of at
least some of the leading trunk lines so
as to establish just rates and break the
power of monopoly becomes a neces,
sity.
TAXATION THE GREAT QUESTION
in the near future. The income tex
first demanded by the Peoples party 1s
but an entering wedge. At present the
wealth of the country escapes taxation
by the general government. Taxation
! on imports commonly called the tariff
and internal revenue taxes furnish
nearly all revenue. They tax con
sumption, and are borne by whole
people. This must be changed and
wealth required to pay it's full share.
But taxation can and must be made
to do more than this. Our greatest
Statesmen, among them JtfaIson,
Webster and Lincoln, have repeatedly
given warnings against the accumula
ton of the wealth of country In
the hands Of a few. History fully Gus
taIns them in predicting that ruin
would be the inevitable result. W.
cannot have great mountains Of wealth
without Wales of poverty and misery.
We cannot have marble palaces Of re
gal eplendor with lordly domains cost
ing millions without people having
fewer homes.
The evil is on US, and intensifying
every hour, for these immense aggre
cations Of money by their weight and
momentum crush opposition end Q
tinuo to increase. AS now developed
CAPITALISM IS DIsP0T SIN.
Our Christian civilization is at stake
What shall be done2 Jeferson said:
Taxation is the instrument by which
too great inequality in the accumule-
of wealth must be prevented" We
have neglected his wise warnings, but
why cannot the same instrument be
used to reduce too great inequalities
that have been allowed to develope?
The late Judge Trumbull advocated
making it unlawful for any one to will
more than half q million to his wife
ard ore-fourth Of q million to each
child, but this could be easily evaded
by distribution before death.
A GREAT sKIRMIsH.
This contest will be at best but q
great skirmish. Mistakes have been
made and confusion has resulted. The
forces will not be we'll aligned, and the
real issues have been warped and mar
r0wed. But skirmishes must prece3e
battles, TIE people are moving at last,
and when fairly started you cen as
well stop an avalanche On the Alps.
Who are the real combattants? The
absorbors Of wealth egairst its PRO
ducers. The ~piutocraEs against the
peopl8-the almighty dollar against the
free American citizen. I have faith in
two things-a kind oven. ruling Pr0vi
deuce ana il the people. Oar PEG
pie have the courage patriotism and
love of liber5y and Istice that will en-
able them to meet she issue. I believe
with Rev, D. T. Strong that this revo
luton will be one Of the greatest Of
modern history. The first gave re
ligious freedom-the second, beginning
with the decapitation of Charles the
1st, and eliminating in the fearful ex-
plosion in France about e century ego,
gave civil freedom, and this revolution
will give industrial free dom.
The people move s~lowly-they some
times are misled for @ time-they make
mistakes, but in THE end they reach
their goal, and j1st as surely as they,
in the past have overthrown kings and
lOrdly rulers, so surely will they over.
throw the ~plutocrats and re establish
u government on the sure and juet
foundations of equal rights to ell and
special privileges to none"
1t cannot be that this glorious coun
try Of ours that has so long held aloft
the touch of liberty to enlighten the
world will have it quenched by a plu
tocratic oligarchy.
The people are sovereign, and they
will remount their throne.
God s0ve the people! Long Nve the
people!
MARRIED.
On the morning of October % near |