Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-09-23
The farmers Movement in the West.

The Farmers Nov ement in the West.
The following Communication will illustrate
the intensity of feeling in connection with the
Farmers mosemeptin the West We give
1T tosour readers as sign of the times. rather
than; as affording any ligh. upon the future Of
the movement. or its probable effect on the
Legislation of the country
From the workingmen's Advocate
WEST OAsco. AUGUST 26. 1873.
The Chicago Standard, the organ of the
Baptists, has column of platitude on the
farmers movement, acknowledges the farm
ers' power and their. ability to carry any
measure they propose, bur don't see how tie
wrongs they plain OF, and the relief they
complain of, aud the relief they seek. are to
be managed by legislation. Can't stop 90 per
cent interest for money, or prevent gambling
knaves from backing it up. Ell :. Can't stop
the monopoly of landhoding, and their
schemes for grabbing? Can't prevent rail.
road from pauperizing whole community?
Can't bring down. the wages OF Congressman
and editors, and preachers to level with the
men who work twice az hard, and double the
number of hours? Gan'tprevent judges from
selling their decisions. and legislators from
u.onopolists? Well, perhaps we can't, hut
we will try. But we .'taik unwisely; i. wont
do to discuss this matter in the spirit Of
French communism. respectable people will
he frightened, and driven away from IT,
We hone so; respectable people" who can't
live on 5, 900 a year. and resort to selling their
votes, and their decisions and their influence,
and their editorial support, and their ability
as preachers, TO bolster up knaves and knav..
cry. to propose laws and to support laws, that
enable the few to live in luxury on the toll Of
the many; these very 'respectabIe people"
have been the curse of the masses in all ases.
We don't want them in the movement, hut
they will get in. and they will propose this as
a compromise. and that as an expelient and
the other as palliative. They will prevent
all radical. real re orm. if they can, and cheat
the masses who trust them, to the extent Of
their mower. The only way to prevent this,
ia to have it clearly understood in the hesin>
ming, that treachery and cheating won't an
swer. That Legislators who make laws, and
Judges who exercise them, will be held re-
sponsble. That if law does not reach them
and nnhic opinion is despised hv them a rope
and tree will he substituted The hanging Of
half dozen Congressman, who sell them.
selves to nlonopolists, wnnld purify our egs>
atinn more than the drivelipy, sniveline half
hearted, half withered denunc CATIONS Of thou
sand newspapers, any one Of which, the Com
gresamen knows, he could buv up with fifty
dollars We are mt t" he frightened bv CALI
ing in the sho.ts of the commune, or the reign
Of terror. Murat and Rnhespierre nndnubt-
edv shed innocent blood, hut not one ner,
ished bv them, for thousand murdered in
the name Of law and order But the victims
Of Mnrat were "resrec'ahle people," who h.d
lived in luxury on Others toll fur their life
time, while the victims Of law and order were
pnor devils who lived by toll The reign of
terror did for the toiers of France, what no
hero, or statesman or rhilanthropst has doIe
tor any other country in Europe.
II would he we'll for those who think CONS
mnn'sm s" great n scare to investigate little
and see: First What it is that enables France
TO nav tax that no other country in Europe
could sustain? Second Why II is that the
virtorions Germans are leaving their country
nv millions, while the over taxed commnne-
scared FIR nrh don't send shin load Third
How many Communists have been murdered
in cold blood nv the French "rrspectahles. ="
FIR every life taken in hot blood by the com.
mnnists
w" tell those sapient editors We intend to
s'nn,hese hriheries and rnhherics in the courts
Of justice and the balls Of Legislation and t..
mt down these gigantic mon"rolists that cat
our vitnls under the nretontinn Of law We
will he free in fact aa well as in name We
will he slaves no longer. And We will use
means adequate t. the end We shall ,lercud
hut 1i'tle and he inf lnenref1 hn, little nv whin
ing, milk and water editorials. whether "re-
spectacle people" are frightened or not
FARMER