The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-03-06
The Farmer Qaestlon.

The farmers seem 10 he in earnest. All over
IN. country there is . general movement; they
are forming Clubs, Associations, and Oranges,
the object of all being their own protection.
They complain that the merchant Hxes the price
on his own goods, and also the price on the farm
.g's produce, and that the price Of the latter is
Gu, down TO a ruinously low figure, in order that
the middle MEN may make heir profits They
hold that, by proper organization and effort. they
can obtain rates of freight that will jnstify them
in shipping their produce to the head markets d.
rect, thus saving 70 themselves the profits that
are now pocketed by the middle men; and that
they can obtain their goods 1T wholesale prices,
instead of paying heavy profit to merchants or
compel the merchant to sell them the goods at a
reasonable profit.
While it is . fact that the emerchant now makes
the profits both ways, and often considerable
profits, it is equally true. that when . sudden
panic or crash IN prices takes place the merchant
must stand the loss The merchants are eongrat-
ulating themselves that when the farmers get
their system into operation, they will benefit by
it, for there will he no more credit and heavy
losses, which will enable them to sell goods at a
much smaller profit. The farmer can now buy
Of from six to twelve months, until he can get
his produce to market, or unttil the prices suit
him. But when they set up for themselves, they
cannot ask this indulgence Of the merchant, but
must pay as they go, aud run their own risk on
prices Of produce.
1t is in the power of farmers to advance their
interests more effectually than by this system of
buying aud selling. 1t is by taking more interest
in public affairs, and ceasing to be made tools of
by politicians When men are to be elected to
Office, the lawyer, the speculstor, or the profess
ional politician is promptly on hand. He secures
the interest of q few leading farmers, who agree
to swing the mass of the farming community in
his favor, aud generally do so. Our Legislatures
are largely of such men, who forget the farmer,
and work for their own benefit. The speculator
labors to raise the interest money, or to aboi-
ish all laws regulating interest, leaving it open
to the mOneyed man to get all he can. The law
yer rips mp the collection laws, the stay laws,
and laws protecting the farmer who has given a
mortgage on his land, SO that the lawyers client
can swoop down and seize upon his money, re-
gardless of the distress it may cause the debtor.
The politician is retained by the railroad and
other corporations, by which means they pocket
their hundreds of thousands of dollars in the
shape of bonds and subsidies, for which the farm
ers are taxed; they secure the passage of assess
ment laws, by which their property is exempt
from taxation, and only their earnings taxed,
which the farmer must pay on his property,
whether he has earned anything or not; and the
railroads are allowed to impose such exorbitant
tariffs as they see fit upon freight and travel.
These lawyers, spectators and politicians, in
crease the taxes, spend thousands of dollars in
investigating Political quarrels, and travel back
and forth on free railroad passes. The farmers
pay for it all.
Since the farmers have aroused themselves to
their own interest. let them begin down at the
bed rock, and they will find the work of relief
lighter than they have imagined. As long as the
merchant or speculator, through his agents and
schemers, controls the votes of the turner's, he
will control their produce, and pocket the profits
Of the same. -. -----