The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-10-17


their rights abridged.
>. Railroad monopolies are extortlon-
ate in their rates for transportation. .
3. They are injured by every class OF
men, who handle their wares before
going to the consumer and through
whose hands their farming implements
and machinery passes before reaching
them.
1. They have no voice in the COM
merce of the country. The produce
they sell is priced by the purchaser, and
they are compelled to purchase all OF
their articles at the prices stated by the
seller. r.,
The remedies, as proposed. are as fol-
lows: >,
Make the farmers equal with other
classes by legislation: ,
Reduce the railroad monopolles IN the
same manner.
Remove the middle men, and estai-
! lish direct communication between the
manufactures and consumers.
Rule the price of produce, and, IN
stead of having it priced for them, price
it themselves.
Improve in all things pertaining to
the calling of farmers.
For the accomplishment ofthese endS'
farmers have orc aniZed Oranges. These
| so-called grievances are simply without
foundation. An honest and intellgent
investigation of this subject reveals these
three truths: ,
/. That the farmers are not an abuSen
| class: on the contrary, they are the
most successful and Independent class OF
| people in the nation. :,
,. That the changes proposed, II
wrought, would bring no benefit to the
farmer.
,. That the proposed changes can
never he brought about.
Farmers can grange; they can listen
To the stirring %cloqucncc of Birch or the
| Editor of the Rural World; they can
listen to the siren of ambitious speakers;
| bu, these stubborn truths Will be the re-
suit of all unbiased investigation.
Farmers are not m abused class. and,
consequently. have no more right to
| complain than any other class. 1hey
| complain of high taxation, cost OF labor.
implements and machinery. and the low
prices of their products. They urge
that. i'm consequence of these, they real
i've no more than two or three per cent.
on the CAPITAL invested. The same fig-
ur,.S that show their gain. will show a
less per cent. for other classes. The
phvsician. the LAWYER. the teacher, and
many merchants do no more. Many
professional men Of worth. who have
| spcnt "A lifetime and hundreds upon hum
jrcJs of capital. are realizing a less per
cent han the farmer. True. there are a
few bankers and brokers who are rich.
and rettinr rich. bv their being favored
by the Government. But other classes
are equally Interested in bringing them
to IN equality. Mechanics and machin-
lists toll on. a majority of them not hav-
ing 4 years provision ahead. Teachers
are restricted to a certain limit. and
there is no promise of wealth To those
who remain in the profession. Profess
sional men are barely living. The mar
gin on merchandise is reduced So low
that not more than one merchant in n
hundred makes anything more than 4
living. And If farmers succeed in pro
viding for themselves and families. they
are on equality with the majority oi
other classes. But they are doing more.
Those farmers who use such means of
/ getting Wealthy rs are in their power.
are succeeding. The wealth of Andrew
county is not in its professional men. nor
lis banks, hut NAV safely he said To h'
in the farmers of the county. There Is
no doubt hut that Farmers could he more
successful than they are. II they would
: spend more time in thr Improvement %!
their stock and farms, tend less ground.
and make better provisions for the
care of that which they have, they would
undoubtedly have less reason To COM
plain of the proceeds OF their labor.
Where is the farmer who keeps hi,
barn and stable in proper repair, his
bins properly secured. his ground ms
nurcd. his stock improved and properly
cared for. his implements and machin-
cry in the shelter. and who keeps clear
of securities. who does not add yearly
hundreds of dollars to his capital And
how many farmers are there that sit in
the council of the Oranges, or listen t.
the tale of their wrongs rs maCnified by
some ambitions orator, whose fencing i
at the same time below that which the law
requires, whose land has become worn
and thin, producing but half n crop,
whose farms are stocked with scrub
stock with no shelter, whose bins ar,
leaking away the grain stored, who's,
barns and stables are unfit for the pur.
poses intended, and whose implement,
are decayiny away in the field where
they have been used last-these same
furnish such a grand theme for discus.
sion. II farmers had the power of max.
iug the changes proposed, there can b,