The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-07-24
doubtful Investment by the legislature


In addition, Mr. President, it Is q
very poor argument, when you have
been robbing some man for years and
he asks You for justice, to say that you
propose to continue to rob him of more
and say that you do not know where
you are going to get the money with
which to restore that which you have
pnrighteously taken. tits the very first
duty of the congress of the United
States to provide bill which shall not
only be honest in its present applica-
ton, but which shall pay back some
portion of that which has been taken
from the pockets of the toilers Of this
land.
have talked with the farmers in 20
states of the union since last fall, and I
firmly believe that this tariff would no
longer endure them until the farmers of
the United States can have chance to
revise it at the polls, if you do not give
to them some portion of its benefits.
The farmer is bending beneath bur-
den which he cannot carry longer. He
has been the backbone of the integrity
of the United States, but there comes in
the place of the free and independent
farmer of this country race of tenant
ry to reap seryilely where he sowed
nobly, men who receive their opinions
from others instead of giving their own
independent voice at the polls and in
all their declarations to their fellow
men.
The senate Of the United States can
afford to be absolutely just. l believe
the amendment should be adopted
Mr.. Chandler-May Task the senator
from Utah a question?
Mr.. Cannon--Certainly.
Mr.. Chandler heard the senator
speak of robbery little while ago with
reference to the farmer. Does the sen.
ator mean that the farmer has been
robbed all these years by the tariff?
Is that the senator's argument?
Mr.. Cannon-Yes, sir, decidedly.
Mr.. Chandler-When did the senator
first think that the American tariff sys-
tenn was robbery of the farmer?
Mr.. Cannon-Just so soon as the sen.
ator gave sufficient attention to the SUBJ
ject to understand the truth of it. sd-
yocated republican tariffs as earnestly
and as faithfully in my humble way as
the senator from New Hampshire, and
believed exactly what taught.
But l am not disposed any longer to
advocate system by which one por-
ton of the population is taxed for the
benefit of another portion of the popu-
lation. | think that it is unfair to
cherish only one class, and that the
class which has already the most power
of self-protection. If the senator from
New Hampshire will go across the
plains of Kansas, as i have gone, and !.
across the plains of Nebraska, / believe
in him sufficiently to think he viii
come back and say that this bill is rob-
berry of the American farmer.
l have stated that am In favor of a
protective tariff system. stated that
in the guilelessness of my soul. being a
republican, went out and advocated
the republican idea of protective tar
lift. l never was brought quite so close
to responsibility concerning it before
as | am to-day. Heretofore l have dis
cussed it on the stump, advocating it in
general terms, but as soon as am con-
fronted g with responsibility which
obliges me to look more closely into
its application to all the people / am
simply discharging my duty when / |
seek to amend this measure SO that it
shall be honest to all.