Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-04-18
POLITICS IN AGRICULTURAL
PAPERS.

raj, one of the ablest and most popular Of
the many very able agricultural newspapers
in the West. We print it more particularly
because we have been taken to task by one
or two friends, lately, for saying so much
about politics, with the delicate intimation
that farmers papers land, theoretically, the
farmers themselves,) have no right to NEEDLE
with political matters, which it would seem,
in the opinions Of some, ought to be left en-
tirely to party leaders, party newspapers,
caucusses and rings
We are aware that, generally, the eastern
agricultural press has avoided the discussion
OF public questions, however interesting or
important to their patrons, but il is not so at
the West, and we do not see why it should
be so at the East. II seems to be time, il
ever, when the honest yeomanry Of the cOun-
try having, with arms ip their hands, taken
leading part in saving the nation from dis
memberment, should now take an equally
important part in saving it from disgrace
and ruin. Having tried a government of
lawyers and professional politicians for forty
years or more, would it be any harm, in view
OF all the results, to try awhile a government
of intelligent, honest laboring men ?
Some who do not like to see any attempt
to stimulate farmers to think independently
on public questions, have endeavored, with
very small results, it is true, to prejudice
people against the FARMER by speaking of
its editor as democrat"
We believe in being perfectly open and
above board with our readers, and therefore
we do not, and never have, hesitated to say
that we call ourself democrat, aud are
proud to bear name properly denoting a
person who believes, with President Lincoln,
ono of the most thorough democrats that
the world ever saw,-in " GOVERNMENT OF
THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEG.
PLE" Our democracy is the democracy of
Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln
the democracy Of the Declaration of Indie.
pendence and Of the Emancipation Proca-
mation,-a democracy in which, as was truly
said to US by our venerable Governor, in a
recent conversation which we held with him,
We are In harmony with three-quarters land
we believe he might as truly have said with
nlne-tenths) Of the people Of Vermont.
This question Of reform in political NOR.
ais, and of a larger participation of the la.
boring classes in our government, is not
party question. Neither party, as party,
as representing the great masses of the peo-
ple-is opposed to it. Those who a,e OPP
posed to it are the men who live by politics,
and the men who live and grow rich by plum.
dering the people through the help of the
professional politicians. The people of all
parties are against them, and the result of a
movement among the farmers will not prove
injurious to any party,-unless it shall be
led by its politicians, as u portion of
the democratic party was led during the
war, to place itself across the pathway of
an aroused and indignant people
We hail with the sincercst pleasure the
efforts that are being made by prominent and
able men and influential journals OF every
shade OF opinion to promote reform, economy,
justice and honesty il public affairs. With
out the help Of such men aud such papers it
were vain TO hope for success. 1t is but
slanderous folly to charge that all our prom.
inent citizens III public office and in control
Of the great journals Of both parties, or of in-
dependent views, are corrupt, or the friends
Of corruption, But now is the time when
the people can find out with precision who
those citizens and where those journals are.
They must take their places now, either
among the sheep or among the goats. 1t is
only those that fear the exposure that must
follow this compulsory definition of their
position, who fling dirt at citizens and news
papers that favor reform The farmers have
a right to take part in this great movement
they are, indeed, already taking part in it
with very significant emphasis in their tones
and the newspapers which really represent
them must take part in it too. Among these
may surely be rcckoned the VERMONT FARM.
Err.