St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-07-31
Charges II With Eanton Extravaganza and
waste Of Public Monies.
ATTACKS GAME Commission
Notable Speech Made Before Farmers Union
Eesting Last Tuesday-.COnsldeFed A Cam
paigR Gun.

L-
emit State administration, was fred
by Mr., Thos. Fl. Lewis at the Farm
ers Union Meeting Tuesday last.
The speech is as follows:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen OF
the Association:
Having been selected by the com
mittee ID charge of the matter to make
j short address, opening the discus
sion that il to take place before this
body, / viii try to heed the injunction
DC the committee, by making my re-
marks as brief as possible.
The points, however, which | shall
discuss are Of such paramount i'm
portance, that | trust you will be in
duIgent as to the time taken up by
me.
The first point to be considered is
the relation Of government to the
production and distribution Of wealth,
d subject coming strictly within the
purview of the section Of your
constitution providing for the study
of political economy. The raising Of
revenue BY taxation and its expend-
iture Is the branch Of the subject
that deserves the first consideration
and best thought Of the American
people. Taxes are paid by the peo-
pie always with reluctance. They
yield no return in dollars and cents to
the taxpayer. The taxing power is
q tremendous one, and may become
an engine Of oppression and tyranny
even in a free country like ours. It
may be carried to such excess as to
take away the entire surplus created
BY the inhabitants Of a rich agri-
cultural country like ours. The IN
curbed use Of the taxing power will in
evitably bring about exhaustion Of
The wealth of any people. Let us first
then briefly consider the mighty
power Of taxation exercised by the
Federal government in the imposition
Of import duties, an exaction which
comes to the doors Of every house
hold and lays it's heavy hand upon
every man, woman and child in the
United States.
The constitution Of the United
States confers that great power
upon Congress for the sole purpose
of paying debts, and providing for
the common defense and general
welfare Taxation beyond the point
of The production Of sufficient revenue
10 pay tie expenses Of government
economically administered, even if
done under the forms Of law, is a
misuse and abuse Of the taxing
D0wef. The almost countless millions
~of money which congress by its
RariG laws il exacting annually from
the people. and which goes into the
pockets Of the manufacture and trust
magnates, is not only in violation Of
the constitution, but it is robbery, it is
crime, continually committed against
The people, and that smells rank to
heaven, That far-sighted statesman,
Mr. jefferson, one Of the wisest, ablest
and most patriotic founders of our
system Of free government, foresaW
tic danger that would arise from the
unrestrained use of the taxing power
in Ieyying import duties. His OPP
position, unfortunately, was oyerborn
BIZ Alexander Hamilton, who saw in
the taxing power a powerful aid in
building up a strong, centralized
government. And Mr.. Hamilton was
enabled by his great influence with
Che administration of General Wash
ington to iuaugurate the tariff policy,
which at the present day has attain
ed such stupendous proportions that
no kingly or monorchical government
on the face of the earth imposes as
heavy burdens upon its people as does
Che tariff system nov in force here.
We lay the fattering JUNCTION to our
souls that we live under the aegis Of
D free. constitutional form Of govern
ibent, and yet our Federal government
Ii more tyranical and oppressive of
the masses of our people by its inn
position Of tariff taxes than any of
Chs despotisms of the old world.
Revolutions and foreign wars may
destroy forms Of government. but we
have no fear from that source. The
liberties Of d free people may be
more surely stolen. and a system Of
governmental tyranny installed and