Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-02

Ore OF the most instructive indications
OF the drift Of popular thought and feeling
IN the West is TO be found in the farmers
meetings that are now taking place in. SO
many Western States. 1t is a new thing
10 see farmers 7et at all for the redress
OF grievances; it.shows that there is some
wrong which they have endured tiE they
can endure It no longer. They are patient
and long-suffsring class Of, citizens, the
hast TO move in favor of anything like re-
form; but when they do move in concert,
they are able to produce an effect.
They are moving now 80 they are
forming r ,,sgranges.n farmers clubs,
and other associations Of various names,
but with common purpose. One remark
able fact is to be noted in all their discus
sions and resolutions: The farmers ara
drifting into opposition to the policy and
practice of the Republican party. They
cannot avoid it; they do not aim at party
objects; they propose TO have nothing to do
with party politics in their oranges and
clubs, and in this they are wise. But the
moment they begin to discuss their griev-
ances, they see that the present governing
policy of the country is the fountain head
of those grievances. The farmers Of
Rock Island county, Illinois, dis
cover that the excessive railroad
charges on their grain are largely
the effect of excessive tariffs on rail-
road materials; the farmers of another
county of that State denOunce the, iu-
ceased salary robbery by the late on
gress in terms of sturdy indignation; the
farmers of Kansas justly demand that the
salt they need for their stock and the lum
Der they need for their houses and fences
shall be admitted free of duty; and they
ais hint strongly at an opposition TO the
National banks; and other meetings de
nounce the extravaganza of the National
Government at Washington, the corruption
and veDality of Congress, the subserviency
OF The Government 10 wealthy and powerful
| corporations, and the excessive taxation to
which the people are subjected.
We clip the above from the 81. Louis
Republican of LAST Saturday that Southern
farmers may see the propriety of uniting
with their friends Of. the West in common
purpose to work out much needed re-
form. 1t viii require very little research
to satisfy any intelligent farmer that the
expenses of the Federal Government are at
least twice as large and onerous as they
ought TO be. The wrong is so plain that no
inconsiderable share of the supporters of
the Republican party admit it. Many are
ready to unite in any reasonable effort to
reduce the tariff and internal revenue taxes;
reduce the fifty million dollars
that go yearly to the army
aud navy; reduce the expenses of the civil
service, TIE notorious corruption of Con-
gress, by giving more attention to the NOR
al character Of candidates for seats in the
National Legislature. 70 a large extent
the evil has its origin in carelessness IN
choosing representatives Of the people.
Our Government is conducted and man.
aged on a lottery scheme that has some
fifty blanks to one prize-the blanks for the
people, and the prizes for the office holders.
Such a policy must be resisted,
no matter who is at the head
of the Administration, Our
| national industry cannos prosper, if bur
d ,ned in peace with the large expenses
Characteristic of war. The recipients of a
| tx equal to about a million dollars day
on the labor of the country care nothing
for its depression. So long as farmers, me-
chsnics and business men submit to war
taxes, extravaganza and stealing will flour
ish for the benefit of few at the expense
of the many. Let the public mind be en-
ligatened on this subject, aud change for
| the better will soon follow.