194 Wisconsin state agricultural society. 
Thus we have not only to pay the bond-holder’s losses, but also 
to pay about $800,000,000 in gold to the holders of these bonds 
more than we received in gold for them. Thus agreeing that such 
a large sum shall unjustly be transferred from the pockets of the 
people into the coffers of the bond-holders. If the alreadj' tax- 
ridden people will patiently submit to this outrage, there will be 
no hope for them being aroused hereafter, for they may be ex¬ 
pected to bear any burden that may be piled upon them. How 
long will farmers submit to being misrepresented by such men as 
now control our National Legislation, in the interest of eastern 
capitalists? We ought to turn out every one of the old political 
hacks, who have been misrepresenting us, and send intelligent 
working men who will represent our views and our interests. 
I need not tell this intelligent audience that the consumer pays 
the duties on imports, or that the farmers have to pay the whole 
of the tax collected on railroad iron, and upon all material im¬ 
ported and used in constructing and equipping railroads. If we 
consider that the expense of building and running the same comes 
principally out of the pockets of the farmers, it will be some ex¬ 
cuse for us being interested in their management, and for insist¬ 
ing that they shall be our servants, not our masters. 
But when we add to this list of taxation, another tax which the 
late secretary of state (Mr. Breese) recommended, to wit: that we 
should pay all the state tax collected in this state. Many farmers 
thought it was a bright idea of Mr. Breese, to make the railroads 
pay at least $1,000,000 a year, and save all other classes from 
paying state taxes. But nearly every dollar of that million 
would come out of the pockets of the farmers by increased 
freights on the produce shipped over the roads. We think 
Mr. Breese was only joking, when he recommended in effect that 
we should pay every man’s state tax, as well as our own. I have 
no doubt but a large number of farmers believe that our state 
legislature ought to pass a law to tax railroads the same as other 
property. Such a law appears to those who have not investigated 
the matter, to be what injustice we ought to demand. But when 
it is known that all such taxes instead of coming out of the coffers 
of the railroad companies, come out of the pockets of the farmers, 
whose produce is shipped over the roads, (in legal parlance, the 
