Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-06-20

parent to every intelligent observer that a
great social and financial revolution is rapidly
forcing its way to q position of q serious pub
lie feature among the masses OF this widespread
country of ours. A conflict is begun and is
spreading with such fearful speed and inten-
sity that all the artful schemes of wireworking
trcksters and political demagogues can never
assuage its power or check its sweeping adj
vance until the goal is reached. When the
toiling masses receive the same attention and
| fostering care from the hand of legislation as
the few knots Of capitalists and monopolists
who have ever been ready to reach forth their
hands to grasp the bread from the starving
mouths Of the poor that il might be converted
into gain to add a little more to their already
inflated Golfers.
The issue has been forced upon us by the
fawning, cringng minions of capital They
have entered into and allied themselves in
leagues, rings and corporations to prey upon
and fitch from us the fruits of our industry
and toll. Well may they now stand in dis
may at the counterpart we are beginning to
assume in this matter. They gee in this move
ment no ordinary strike Of the common la
borer dependent upon their daily wages for
support. If such was the case they could
eventually counteract the movement by shut
ting off our resources. But on the contrary
the fact is so self-evident that we possess the
| foundation, the broad acres of this republic,
from which all other resources in this life must
depend, that it requires no extraordinary
stretch of intelligence to discern through COM
| bination it is our class who have it in their
hands TO shut off those resources and force them
| to accede TO such terms az we see fit to dictate.
The true principle which should govern all
classes is, the old tme-honored maxim of Give
| and let live.' 1t is maxim which we as q
class have ever been willing to accede to. A
rule which, if properly observed by all classes,
would not cause us to be painful witnesses of
swindling cliques and rings, composed of men
of reasonable competence to-day, by fraud and
speculation becoming miionaires tomorrow,
while their victims before becoming entangled
| in their meshes, were men of equal compe-
tence, (as the sequel often proves, but find
themselves and families suddenly reduced in
many instances to miserable poverty and
eventually fill pauper graves.
| Men OF enterprise are q very essential ele-
| ment in every branch of business. We cannot,
as people, dispense with the various chan
nels of our commercial relations. The mer-
camille, manufacturing, transportation and
shipping facilities are absolutely indispensable
for our welfare and prosperity. But each one
should be governed with an eye single to hon
esty and regularity, SO as to place no unneces-
sary burdens and restraints upon the masses
who give vitality to every branch of business,
and constitute the substance and life-blood of
the nation.
Questions originating from the rapid prog
ress of affairs, have furnished great stimulus
to the organization which sprung into exist
ence-the Order of Patrons of Husbandry-
which is assuming such gigantic proportions
throughout the West The great demand for
the protection of agriculturists from the OPP
pressions Of monopolies supersedes all other
questions in its Importance. Farmers are hold
ing meetings all over the country and pledg-
ing themselves for future action.
There is a very important question relative
to our great body polite which is beginning
to assume considerable magnitude in the eyes
OF our farmers. If the progress of the age de-
mands SO much class combination as has here
tofore characterized every branch of business
except agriculture, have we not arrived at
point that the agricultural interests demand o
class representation also? The profession of
agrculture-the largest and most useful of
any other-has the least influence and repre-
sentation in the halls of legislation of any 9TH
er profession of any Importance The forty
thousand limbs of the law are each one of them
represented in the halls os Congress eleven
hundred times stronger than the farmer, me-
chanic, and laborer Even the cooks and no.
Tel walters seem entitled to higher distinction
than The who once bore the title of Natures
nobleman) the tler of the soil Yet when
our National Senate was appointing COM
mittee upon agriculture they seemed so scarce
ofmatcrial they could find but two farmers to
place upon the list. The remaining three were
two lawyers and one physician. One would
infer that the desire was to keep the control
of that committee out of the hands of those to
whom it legtimately belongs, as four Sena-
tors are farmers. But the legal fraternity
was magnanimous to us after ALL for, from
our profession, which numbers over twenty
millions of our national population, we have
four Senators, while they have forty-six; and
out of the many standing committees they
could control all, if they wished, but they
could be generous enough to give us even
numbers with themselves upon the one which
had direct relations to our interests. with the
chance of the ones who could pull the strong
est getting the doctor.
Farmers of Montgomery l find but few
crumbs of comfort in such representation.
The question how can we effect legislation in
favor of our interest without representation
like the ghost of Banquo, continually looms
up before their mental vision, and will not
"down at their bidding" There seems to be
but little prospect of relief from the present
parties, whose whole machinery is run by law
yers, cliques, and mercantile rings. But we
know we have the numerical strength, requir-
ing but concert of action to run ticket sue
cessfuly over the head of all opposition, with
just as much case as to continue to remain las
we have been) the dupes of political knavery
The physician who would properly treat a
disease seeks first to remove the cause from
IL. L "a s.l H.