National Republican., 1873-10-04
A SIGNIFICANT PHASE OF THE FARM
RRS MOVEMENT,

NOTWITHSTANDING all mat mas Dctn salu ana
written on the farmcrs movement In the
WesA thore Ia one aspect Of 10 which we do
not remember TO have yet seen alluded to any
whore. II really marks the beginning Of q
ncw era In our civilization, and Is. In tho light
Of The history Of the worlds social and polit-
icai progress, full OF the deepest and strong
Get slgnihcance. II Ia less than half q century
ago since the great distinguishing work Of
the present ccntury-co-operatlon its
rise. About that time, ln England and other
countries, tho working and manufacturing
classes began TO form themselves into socie-
ties and organizations for mutual advance
mcnt and Improvement, Tho result OF tnese
united efforts Is seen In the radical and sweep
ing changes that have been made in the laws
and constitution OF Great Britain. Conccs-
slop after concession was won from the COM
paratlyely small but all.powerful minority,
and the power which had hitherto boon con-
centrated In the hands Of tho few, became
divided among the many. II marked the rise
of the middle class" the first step In the de-
cay Of the aristocratic element.
Mr.. John Stuart Mn, writing nearly
forty years ago, said. "In the more back
ward countries Of the present time, and In all
Europe ct no distant date, we sec property
entirely concentrated In small number Of
hands, tho remainder OF the people being,
with few exceptions, either the military re-
taincrs and dependents OF the posecssors Of
property, or serfs, stripped and tortured at
pleasure by one master and pillagcd by a hun
drod. At no period could II be said that there
was literally no middle class, but that class
was extremely feeble, both In numbers and
In power; while the laboring people, absorbed
In manual toll, with difficulty earned, by tho
utmost excess Of exertlon, more or less
scanty and always prccarious subsistence"
This was the Fcudal age. Mr.. Davis, the
present candidate for Governor In Minnesota,
made speech few years ago In which he
compared the existing condition Of society In
the United States to that which existed In
Europe In tho days Of Fcudalism. Tho rail-
road monopolists wero tho feudal barons; tho
farmers and tho mechanics were tho tcrfs.
The simile painted IN exceedingly faithful
picture. The condition Of society was pre-
cisely identical-lt was the same old story Of
the strong prcying upon the weak, Of i'm
m cnsc power and wealth on the one hand, Of
weakness and almost poverty on the other
The Feudal chieftain held the license from his
King TO rob and plundcr and Cypress, for
which he paid sometimes real and some
times nero nominal tribute. The railroad
monopolist came armed with o Congress
charter, with what was called law, obtained
by bribery and continued by Wholesale, rsck-
menscly greater than that possessed by any
mailed robber Of tho Middle Aycs. Instead Of
q few hundred or Q few thousand acres In
which to exercise his authority he had thou
sands Of square miles; instead Of townships
and counties, domain larger than score Of
the petty monarchies Of the Old World.
As the middle classes" Of Europe grad
ually emancipated themselves from and broke
tho chains Of the plain and palpable tyranny
that oppressed them, so arc tho farmers OF
the present day freeing themselves from the
more silent and subtle but nevertheless
stronger despotism that In the name Of law
and vested rights has been grinding them to
the dust. The history Of railroad legislation
and Of railroad operation In the United
States during the last nfteon years would, II
It could bc written truthfully, form one Of
the darkest pages Of human wickodnoss and
venality that was ever printed. No one party
Is responsible for II; no one class In society.
It bent to Its wicked aud unscrupulous rur-
poses every known agency Of influence and
powor--the pulpit, the press, tho rostrum,
the caucus, the convention, and throw Its
slimy trail across even the virgin pages Of
our literature. The growth Of The farmers
organization marks Its downfall, or rather,
We should say, sets the mctes and bounds 70
Its hitherto unchecked sway. II has been
struck by the power that 1t desplsed; brought
to terms by . class Of men whose isolated po-
sition It was supposed would have rendered
them powcrless in the face Of compact, dis.
ciplined organization. The farmers, the
serfs Of the railroad kings of yesterday, arc
to-day their masters, debating terms, elccting
Legislatures and Congresses and Governors,
moulding legislation in the interest of the
many instead Of the few, and insisting that
official purity and honesty shall In the future
be the rule instead Of the exception. Tho
agencies which have enabled Ihe farmers "a
unite as one man In defence Of their right,
arc almost exclusively peculiar 10 the United
statos, the outgrowth Of republican institu
tions. The printing press, the telegraph ant
the post Office have become the daily hand
maids Of every branch Of business, annlhilat.
ing space and time, carrying 70 millions Of
homes every morning and evening common
thought and common purpose. "Thcre !.
not, " says an eminent philosophical writer
"a more accurate test Of the progress o
civilization than the progress Of the power o
cooperation" Iu this farmers movemen
we have cooperation where cooperation wa
deemed impossible. II has been possible her
because we have attained to the highest con
dition Of progress that has yet been reached
The NOMINATION Of the Hon. s. r. Mad
dor to be the candidate Of the Rcpubllca
party for State Senator Of virginiA from Ii
counties Of Goochland, Chesterfield an
Powhatan Is among the best yet made. II
convention was harmonious In its action, IN
although small handful Of sore-heada q
tempted to create diversion against NJ
Maddox the district Is good for at least II
Republican majority. Maddox Is not on
On intelligent but an active and effecti
worker, and this renewed recognition Of h
services merit the approval Of every tr'
friend Of tho party.
I'll The Norfolk Virginian, attempting
arouse tho whites Of that section Of Virgin
, TO tho necessity Of more concerted and enth
: siaspc support Of the sham-C Conservati
: ticket, declares that 1--WE must make this
Il soldiers hght," meaning that ex-Confe
;. crates must stand by each other In the pen
l. ing campaign. 1t Is the old story Of tho I
N bcllion over again, viz; 'the rich mans "
d and The poor mans fight" The rich railro
l. kings are trying to bag the money and l
o ceive all the benefits of the control Of 4
,s State government, while the poor people a
'. relied upon to stand the brunt Of the batl
y as they did during the rebellion, and will !
a ceive but empty thanks for their servic
70 when the struggle Is over.
IT HAS BEEN POPULAR to characterize 4
people Of North Carolina as Rip Van WI
kIes, and now they are engaged in assertil
their right to that Characterization by !
searches Into the long forgotten history
the State. Among the latest results Of the
: effects Is an alleged discovery by the Hon.
NJ. Waddell that the State twas visited,
not settled, by voyagers from ireland pri