National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-12-19
"Thc faImcr P0yS I0r A."

HgOEHtH, on ilN IHl tN'll b'NhhoH
which presents ilselfto unduly cxalt
the flaming interest, and denouncc
the government, the laws, and all
other classes OF society. The sum
aud substance of Their hue and cry
is embodied in the popular catch
word "The farmer pays for ALL
1t is giaycly asserted that, not
only all the expenditures q! the
Government, but the entire expense.
rs of society, are derived solely from
the farmer, aud that all other classes
like so many parasites laltcn upon
his toll.
1t ia a fact, as notorious AK
indispulablc, that those countries
and communities where the vast
majority of the people are solely de
voted To agriculture, are compdrd
lively poor and feeble. Modern IA
lions like Spain, Portugal, Brazil
Mexico and the. SoGth American
Republics, where the people are
chiefly engaged in filling the SOL,
do not present a desirable state OF
society. The reasons are obvious,
Whc,e the huSbandman is compel
ed not merely to till the soil, but also
to construct his own pillow, his cart,
and his tools, and the garments
which clothr his body, his produces
i've power is reduced to tue minis
mum by the variety of these tasks,
so that he Will be unable generally
TO raise himself above poverty and
ignorance.
1t is the division of industrial
pursuits, ana the organization of
different classes 10 act co operative
" which has enabled modern evil
zation to place so many comforts
the land. The numbcrIcss inven-
tons of tho present day have EN-
powered the farming communicates
not only to multiply manifold Their
productions with the same cxpendl
Iure of labor, but have also enabled
them to dispose Of their surplus pro
ducc at Il profit, and 10 receive as an
equivalent therefor, such luXuriCs
as they may advaltagcously select.
IN view OF these facts 1t will take
hut the slightest reflection to estab
lsh the cOmN lotion that the inventor
and man Of scieucc ale Indispensable
TO the farmer. The doctor, the
lawyer, the clergy man, The teacher,
the miner, the merchant, the printer
and even the Office holder, The sailor
and soldier, are rs essential to the
flaming interest as Is the farming
interest to them.
We donot claim that the divisions
Of society are numerically well adj
lustrd or that members thereof are
alike useful. There are poor laws
Ncis aad doctors. as well as poor
farmers but the classes themselves
are essential to the attainment Of
the greatest degree Of comfort, be.
cause II is the organization OF force
which enable the least eNpendltnrc
oflabor TO obtain the greatest result.
In our large cities this same IclasS
Of agitatOls that III the country tell
the farmer that he pays for ALL
make similar assertions To the work
ing man. In France and particularly
in Paris, this long-contnlucd aglta
ton produced its legitimate result
in the Con- II une revolt, and the re
we saw the devastatlons which
doctrines like these bring to the
popnlacc.
Every citizen W no has the welfare
of the country AT heart, and espccl
ally every intelligent agriculturist,
and our American farmers as class
possess rare good sense and Judge.
Incnt-sl. ould set his face against
these base attempts toexcltc hostlll-
~ aud jealousy between different
classes Of civilized society.
Another system Of Remuneration
lIas been lracliccd against What Is
called the "mlddlc man. 1t IS pos>
slble that 60 operative association
of farmers for the purpose of i'm
porting or diSposlng OF certain artl
cles, may be pccunlarlly advanta-
peous, though hi,herto nearly all
such associations have III time
ptoved failures. But if the farmers
think they will prove Of advantage
let the experiment be fully tried;
but the ndis 'rimlnate dGnu. citation
of retail merchants and other classes
of mercantile men is wholly uucall>
ed for.
Suppose the farmers of Orange
county, or OF any other county,
should organlze.a system by which
one or two stores should supply
them with all the dry goods, dru s,
medicine, hardware, machinery, AID
in fact with all articles now supplied
by All hundred establishments. II
those one or two establishments
should supcrscedc the others it
could drive away the doctor, The
minister, the blacksmith and me-
chanic, and reduce our villages one
half or more. What would the
farmer gain Suppose he should
let his goods % per cent. cheaper,
he would still be the loser. Where
will he have his market for his wood,
irult, vegetables, butter, eggs and
other perlshable produce a sam
pie OF this system can be seen in the
South, where the large planters
used to import everything from the
city direct, and where for many
miles not Il ,nage or school house