Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-23
THE FARMERS CONVENTION.
What do the Farmers WRnt-Have
they had their Just Share Of Rep
resentatlOu?

resentatlOn?
To the Union and American:
Now that the farmers have had their con-
vention, the people, farmers and all natur-
ally inquire what they have dote and what
they wish done.
Is this movement a Esprit Of health or
goblin damned?" Does it bring with it
''airs from heaven or blasts from help" IL
comes in such a questionable shape we
know not what to think Of it. Are we to
join or not to joiu?
CONVENTIONAL INTEREST LAW.
Will farmer, or lawyer, or doctor, or
merchsnt, who believes that 10 per cent.
int rest law is not adverse to the interests
of farmers, make good Grange or meuR-
Der of the association of farmers?
Will farmer who holds railroad stock
and gets no dividends be considered good
s'granger" unless he advocates lower rates
Of freight and cheaper transportation? Are
the agricultural interests properly rep
resented in our legislative bodies is ques-
ton that can receive but one answer. The
House of Representatives Of the Legsla-
ture of 1S70-7l was composed of thirty six
farmers and thirty-nine lawyers, merchants,
doctors, teachers, mechanics and capitalists,
and many of the latter classes were men
more deeply interested, and indirectly, in
the prosperity Of the farming interest than
any other. Can it be truly said that the
farming interests were no. represented?
In the last Legislature, fully one-half of
the members, whether lawyers or farmers,
were the owners or the representatives OF
owners of farming lands. These facts fur
nish an explanation of the fact that farmers,
as lobbyists, are not found incur legislative
halls-they are not needed. But when a
railroad wants anything done, no mat er
how just and proper, it is compelled to send
some one to explain the object and design
of the proposed measure. Permission 10
issue consolidated mortgage bond, not af-
feeling the inter st of the State or the peo-
pie, cannot be had without the influence of
lobbyis.s-2nd why? because two-thirds Of
every Legislature go to the State capital
prejudiced against railroads. and rsitrosd
men.
Several years ago, saw bill introduced
in the LEGISLATURE to declare 1t 3 misde-
meanor to hunt over q mans farm with
dogs and horses, snd to punish the offence
with specific fine, when, strange to say,
nearly all the farmers voted against and all
the lawyers for it.
Whenever the farmers are agreed on what
they want in legislative bodies, they will
have TO trouble in getting it.
Whenever they agree that they want q
dog-lsw, for the protection of the wool
growing interests, they will get it. When
ever they agree chat ten per cent. interest
law is detrimental to their prosperity, It
will be repealed.
But as long as there are two owners Of
dogs to one who owns sheep; as long az
g.. 70 ant
per cent, and those who have to borrow
know they cannot borrow at six, sheep will
90 unprotected, and the price of money
will not be fixed by legislative enactment.
Even if bodies composed exclusively OF
farmers could be secured, it is certain they
could not make more corn grow without
more rsin-they c1ud not keep early frost
from biting the cotton-they could not
make their soil plowed three inches deep in
stead of twelve produce twenty instead OF
eight bushels of wheat
Seriously, Mr.. Editor, what State legisls-
ton, in the last four years, has injured dir
ectly the agricultural interests?
The State tax is high, but not higher than
it should have been, if we intend to pay our
State debt.
The merchant complains because he Is
taxed privilege tax equal to his ad vaorem
tax; the cities complain because they have
taxed themselves enormously to build rail-
roads and Nicholson psvements, and the
farmers compllin because they cannot make
big crops by scratching their lands with a
one-horse plow.
These complaints cannot be remedied by
levying all taxes on real estates, nor By
doubly taxing merchants, nor by continual
extravaganza, nor fixing the price OF money
and driving away capital, nor by STUNNING
g generous soil, instead of stirring its
fruitful foundation.
No special legislation will benefit the
fax miDg interests, unless it also benehts oth-
err interests. That which will injure the
commercial interests is as certsiu to operate
disadyantageously to the farmer as the night
follows the day.
A reduction in the rate Of interest, say all
monied men, is certain TO drive away capt.
tai, vet the farmers convention has adopted
this as one plank in their platform, for
their relief and the relief of the people OF
the State.
Neither Conventions, nor Legislatures
can compel the people to plant corn III
particular way, nor to SOW wheat IN the
drill rather than broadcast, n3r to SOW Or
chard instead of blue grass, nor to WORK on
farms at ten dollars a month when they can
get forty or fifty on a railroad. Indeed
do not SIC how we are all to get over our
troubles.
Legislation may have produced them,
Init there have been too many farmers in
the Legislature and their influence has
teen too great for me- to pc
lieye that any legislation was intended
otherwise than to promote the AGRICULTURAL
interest of the Stste.
Nav no. the effort to protect that interest
hsye had the effect of injurirg it? Ii mer-
camille. commercial, mining or manufactur-
ing capital is kept away by unwlse la ,ns
consumers are kept or driven away BY the
same laws. and the more consumers there
ara the better it is for producers. NJ