, 1874-03-07
FARMERS.
Their Relations to National
Affairs,
The Reforms Which They De-
mand.

mQnQ.
An Address Of Clinton Babbitt,
Of Rock County, Wis.
THO following Ia m addresB rccent1y delivered
boforo Farmers' Association by Clinton Dab
bitt, Of Rock County, Wis.,. which has attracted
considerable attention aud comment fu that
BtAto:
THE ADDRESS.
Ladies' amt Gentleman:
Vol mny wo indulge love md pritle for our
noblo staee. Hor sconory unsurpassed, ovor
which our oyo Ia accustomed to range her vast
ptro'a commerce her n1ajaatie rivers mud truck
less forests -att inspire devotion aud patriotism
Beneath our worry foot AFRO iuexhaust1blo uineB Of
lead, "copper". aud frot, aud an arabic =. soil
globo. This to ua is tia dearost spot Of oartll,
for 1t Ia homo. Hore, for many yoars, wo have
lived; and here too, at last, NO hopo to sleop In
peace.
1a ansvor to the call Of tho heart, como up to
ua from tho paat endearing memories. But. III
order to understand
oun DoDnLE OBLIGATION TO BrATE AND NATION
in tho light Of a broader and moro refined Gull
ttaro. wo must romotnber that the United statoB
tho appollation of American farmer. Oittzon-
Bhip ontitleB to protection. It also demands ur-
yielding obligations. .Wo cnnnot hhriuk from
tho responsibilities It imposes. If VIC havo bad
laws to govern US, wo cannot say wo arc guilt
loss: II oppression grlndB, no cannot Bny VIC
might not havo checked tho power that warmed
1t into life. This gathering Indicates t4at Wis.,
conhin farmers are awasing. to tlolr duty.
Thought and reflection are demanded by tho
times. Concert Of action, aud thorough organ
zntion. will surely achieve tho results for which
wo labor. We complain Of oppressive and bad
laws. Wo 1nenn repenl. We mean reform. It
IL our duty to dotnand from our public servants
at Washington, and our legislators at home a
fair representation OF OUR sentiments and opin-
ions. Economy must 10 adhered to in the dis
burscmont Of public money.
TAXATION sMALL lie LESS Du1DENsoME,
aud government. throughout its various
branches, loss expensive
Money is raiBod by indirect taxation, and, for
every million put into the National Treasury,
two moro arc lost through Improper tariff. laws,
expanded on tax-gatl,erers, aud protected mono
poes Of various kinds.
4 year before tho War, the cost Of Govorn-
ment, gu or valuation, was Il OF per cont It
now costs per cont, without taking into account
indirect exponaos, but including interest On tho
a11 M esass a s e sasa me he cent sss
principles Of economy prevailed now Us then,
thore would bn q saving TO Taxpayers Of at least
3per cont. This country, under suoh advan-
tagos in government, would spring into newnoss
restored. hen we should not foal our blood
t!ng,o, and sxperionce pangs Of ohagrin. that
not ono Of tho great occan.steamora regularly
ontorinK antl clearing our porta from foreign
lines Of Jnm,n, aulon, Star, Anchor French,
Bremen. Hamburg. and Cunard, Is the property
of mn American taxpayer. Wonderful indeed,
would bo the transition for our unsurpassed
resources would plnco ls at tho hoad Of nations
III commerce aud power.
va must demand that the laws imposing
hoavy duties Oil what wo require for daily use.
or must hayo for national Development and i'm
proyesnent, enabling III to holt the land with
iron bands that aid in creating cheap froigats
AMI easy Transit, be ropoa,ed.
We havo right to de1nattd an honest profit On
capital invoRted when wo como to soil tho pro-
ducts Of tho farm; ind to dctnand, also, pay
ment Tor them in, in mon,Sy,-a currency at par in
it is our duty to enforce public Justice, II need
bo, by
AN 1nnEs1sr1p1E CONCERT OF ACTION,
through the influence Of q ',ecrot organization
! am aware tho prevailing disposition shown
for tho past few months has been Wholesale
fault-tnding. THO scrutinTzing watchfulnoss
indicates tho overthrow OF corrupt legislation.
people to rise iu their consco III might, and en-
! FORCE oyon from arrant monopoly, obedienco.
Tho ballot IL more powerful than tho sword i;
! md with tint tho controlling power Ia yours
NORo AlOW l1Glt HtE0uEIn bGHt0F LtlAIl Lub bbH-
tlemen Of tho Grangcs know theira,-than You
| know yours, farmera md ht,ritculturiats. Oh
! what mighty ohauge1 0nta you wore almost
slaves. Self-proaeryat1on,- that law Which knows
no master,-wlth one sweep OF its wand, has
! raised from the dead, mouotonous routine Of
| daily lifo the toiing producer Of the worid's
! wonlth, aud agriculture; aua tho Patrons Of
IIusbaudry will, to great desreo, be responsible
! for future events.
Last September tested what was real
pnH Wf1at III
ference betwoen fortunes based on owner
shlp Of soil nnd tho products shut come from it,
! aud those based on pretentlons. nallroaa.Kinga
| and broken bankers, with hosts OF specuiators,
| All eyes turned in1ploringly to tho only source
! Of hope. The farmers wore in possession Of
| pork, beof. Aomp, tobacco, grain md cotton,
amounting to tho grand aggre gato Of sC00, ,000,-
| 600. In oleycn months Of the past year. tho
United States exported, III wheat alone. 900. :
QUO Of bushels, amounting II. al to 965, 5,G69 180
| A careful nunIyBiB OF tho items OF exports will
! show whnt tho agricultural iotorcst may do
towards oqualizing u TRADE III Which balances ara
however, - do ~ not overlook tho fact tint foreign
| powers only purchase whcn failuro Of thoir own
crops, or luck Of supply, compals. Tho Natto":..
ea Stock sa b%s for Of Re Ga''sfi flits has wsa Ts|'
na9e crowned tho 1abor Of tho hus~
| baudn1eu, and tho virtue which rostralned taem
from forsaklng their quiet walks for specusative
ccntleB, where fortunes seomod to be secured
with 30 groat case, the whole country would have
been engulfel in the terrible mae!stron which
has swallowed 30 many whose namsos but yentar-
| day wore worth their thousands and millions
! wherever presented" Tho agricultural classes
| never yet faItered IN RESPONSE 10 groat public
duty, md thoir industry will ,DpIe' ,opo'n
noss interests will ouce moro reach
Bolid' ground. The world il progressing III evory
! department. Wo aro marching to tho front.
Perfection in grains aud tilago; fastor ti1nc and
moro strength in horses weight unequ ned,
With bnauty aud purity of blood, in Short Horns
! and southdows,s; Art hitherto triumphant and
still to be surpassed, Manhood, universal broth
| crhood, IL Ut hand. Tho thrce great 1ightn Of
| American civilization arc burning aud atand
round The aitar. Agriculture, manufacturer md
progressive knowledge blend their glorious rays to
cheer the world. But history asBorts tho fact thu.
| HUMAN NATURE III APT TO oyEnREAcH ITSELF,
aud tAat tho oppressed in tiHo become opprs'sA.
ots. Intelligence aud virtue constitute tho t'ni
wark Of safety. Doncakh their influence Mon
arcIlios orr,nlbIe and Republics thrive; lDtoser
auce and corruption, both in religion and IAali-
| ticH, vanish forever.
Wisconsin farmers, duty demands OF you sucl
Hffr r.