The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-26
SHALL TT BE a RALLYING
POINT

POINT
We, yesterday, indicated, In general
way, that so far, in our judgment, the
farmers movement" as it is called, had
been barren of results, except, possibly,
in single state, where the extent of their
success is yet to be determined. We, also,
stated, and gave our reasons therefor, that
the oranges of Vermont were aiming at
something impracticable. The expert
ment had been tried before, and under the
most favorable auspices possible, and had
proved disastrous failure. In that failure,
and the other disappointments referred to,
the one fact ought and, II seems to us,
must necessarily he brought home to every
thoughtful person, be he farmer, mer-
chant, mechanic, lawyer, laborcr or doc
tor, that in this day and age one class,
trade or profession cannot be independent
of another. 1t is true that the cultivation
of the soil is the grand underlying basis,
and, perhaps, support of all other occupa-
tons, yet farmer could not succeed with
out the aid of the physician, the grocer,
the manufacturer, the lswyer the laborer
or merchant, any more than they could
without the products of his labor and the
fruits of his industry. No advance can be
made in any kind of reform by class or
clannish action alone. Such action, or at
tempted action, repels rather than draws
recruits to the standard. We did not mean
to indicate that the movement was and ia a
complete failure. and will prove to he a
fiasco and farce. We should regret any
such result, and we do not believe it will
SO prove. .hs
The movement may not accomplish the
primary object of its organization, but that
result will be attained in some way and at
been hastened by their action. Monopolies
cannot long exist in free country, and,
although the first movement against them,
in its original form, may not be successful,
yet it is after all the entering wedge which,
eventually, produces the result. This was
evidenced in the history of the anti-slavery
movement, and its elimination In the cx-
tension of civil rights and suffrage to the
former slave. The original anti-slavery
party, If left to themselves, would have &C.
complshed little if anything. They, how
| ever, opened the door, by which food of
light was let in upon the subject, and men
began to read and think, and then to act in
a proper and legitimate way. The cause
was well nigh wrecked, at the very outset,
by tho efforts of the leaders to effect their
purpose In disregard of law and regardless
of demonstration, which they declared to
be ga covenant with death and league
with hell" The moral sense of the COM
munity WAS, also, offended by their denun-
Citations of the Bible, and their reputation
of God and all Christianity. The cause of
the freedom of the slave came to he asso-
ciated with that of irreAgion, inidelity
and disregard of constitutional and all
law, and it was, therefore, with difficulty
that law abiding, God-fearing people
could DO enlisted in the cause, nOtwith-
standing they looked with adherence upon
mans claim to a chattel ownership in his
brother man. This was, in the end,
remedied and the monster slavery, fought
in legal, constitutional manner, and the
result has, finally, worked out satisfactorily,
but in an entirely unexpected way, and at
q much earlier day than the most ssnguine
enthusiast or dreamer had dared hoped for
There is lesson to be drawn from our
anti-slavery experience, and it is enforced
by the aimless character of the farmers
movement" so far as it has yet been devel
oped. 1t may, and we hope will, prove
the entering wedge by which much good
may be accomplished. The freight ques.
ton, as We have, heretofore, endeavored Ia
show, is but one of the evils under which
we are laboring, and this crying abuse, we
4 believe, will be corrected in business way
and by business men, both farmers, me.
chanics, tradesmen and professional men,
We are in need of great reform in oul
politics, and our methods of legislation.
Public men must be made to understand
that they are responsible to their constitu
ents for their action and that their disgrace
is our disgrace. Public business must b.
transacted with the same economy and in
tegrity that the servant of the public
would manage his own private affairs
Jobbery, and corruption, and population
and fraud, must cease. Legislation mus
be for the benefit of the whole people, ant
not of party, class or favored few
Offices must be filled with men who are es
pecially qualified to discharge the dutiei
thereof, and must seek the man, and no
the man seek the Office. All these an(
, many more political reforms the people de
, mand and will have. The time is ripe TO
| their accomplishment, and they cannot b.
, long stayed. The party of the future mus
array itself upon the side of the people, O
+ honest reform and an economical admins
tration of the government. Mistakes MAJ
be made, and the consummation tcmpora
: rily delayed, but it will only gather volum
therefrom, and finally sweep ON In an ire
sistable torrent. We have faith to believ
that unless this farmers movement Ia frit
ted away In useless attacks upon abuses
which must be corrected outside of Tn
a ballot box, or shall loose Its power by flu
9 tile attacks upon constitutions, laws an,
i. the courts, 1t will be the nucleus aroun,
). | which all that Is good and pure In our poll
1 tics shall gather for the regeneration an
Z saving of the nation.
n