Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-03
IN UNION THERE IS STRENGTH
Agricultural Masses Must Organize to
Secure Those Things Which They
Are Entitled To.

controlled.
OF all the infamies ever perpetrated
in this body Of interest controlled
misrepresentation of the people, this
fastening Of a tax upon the cotton
grower. for the benefit of the steel
trust, that gigantic industrial tyrant,
the offspring Of constituencies COM
mercialism and the ward of a degener.
ate national congress, none are en-.
titled to higher rank than this, writes
Hatton W. Summers in Farm and
Ranch.
1t is vain to search for a motive
for this vote, in the realms of justice.
The reason for 1t cannot be found in
the workings of an impartial mind.
This vote does not reflect the legisla.
tive conscience of members, but in.
dicates a servile subsection of the
Judgment of members to the win Of a
greedy master who demands implicit
obedience, and when its own interest
is involved, will tolerate no heed of
duty's call, Of recognition of the ire
mendous responsibility to the whole
people, which, under our scheme Of
government rests upon national legis.
lators.
Is the cotton industry of this coun-
try so insignificant or so local In It's
importance that congress may be ex.
cused for its action in refusing to put
ties on the free list on the ground
that, owing to the multiplicity Of items
and industries appealing for its con.
sideration, 1t may have acted without
proper understanding as to this item?
Such thing cannot be done. Con-
gress knew that the production Of
cotton ranks among the nations most
important industries; that 1t consti-
tutes its chief item Of export; that 1t
and its by-products annually bring
from foreign lands more than a half
billion dollars per annum-more than
our entire balance of trade.
Congress knew that this, the ma
tons chief money crop sends its in
fuence for thrift and prosperity
through every village and city of this
country, giving life and vigor to the
nations industries, not only of the
south, but of the north, the east and
ing this import tax?
Can the action of congress be justl.
fed on the ground that there is a
general scheme of mutual protection,
and that it is right, under this scheme,
to force cotton to reciprocate by pay
ing that import tax?
This cannot be done for the rea.
son that cotton is not afforded any
plan under the tariff bill, or any other
bill, by which 1t may get back the
money, or any part thereof, which it
is forced to pay as a tariff tax. Since
cotton is given no right to tax other
industries, right does not demand that
other industries should tax it. Does
the imposition of this tax fall within
the scheme adopted by the Republican
party under which scheme it is con-
sidered necessary to force the pay
ment of a greater price for the pro-
ducts of American manufactures than
for the products of foreign manufac-
tories in order to encourage the 'in-
FAINT industries" of America?
Is the matter closed? The God Of
the free forbid. The day will come
in America when this tax shall be
paid back to the people with COM
pound interest. But that day will
not come-it cannot come until the
agricultural masses are organized and
the organized farmers of the whole
nation stand together for those things
which the farmers of the several Sec
lions are entitled to. 1t will not come
until the farmers of this country re-
fuse to accept hot air" but demand
results.
Those congressman who represent
agricultural constituencies and who
have been voting with Aldrich and
his crowd whenever they could do so
with any pretence Of justification,
must be defeated. l know the temper
of the farmers Of the north, the west
and the south. and l know that they
are ready to unite in a non-partizan
effort to help each other.