Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-09-12
THE FARMERS AND THE PROBES.
SIONS,

We have not word to take back of
Of all we have written of the capacity
of the farmers movement for good,
and Of the Importance of thorough
development of agriculture; but the
incipient war, here and elsewhere, on
the part of the farmers, against the
professions, argues a weak pointin the
movement which leads to the inference
that whatever may be the objections to
the professions, the farmers are not
without their specimens of weakness
and indiscretion. Lawyers and doc
tors, teachers of high and low schools.
preachers, editors and printers and
every branch of mechanics merchants
and grocers, and common carriers by
land and waterfall in fact, who live
otherwise than as tillers of the soil,
are, as consumers, the very life of az
riculture, and without them, the pro-
duets of the soil would rot upon the
hands of the producers. Is it not
then, matter of grave consideration
whether or not, it is the true policy of
the farmer to array himself against
any, or all of these different classes of
consumers? Or, what is worse still,
10 single out any one of them as an OBJ
ject of enmity and persecution
We have been led into this train of
thought by observing disposition, on
the part of otherwise intelligent far
mers, to single out the profession of
the law, and to saddle upon those who
pursue it all the political evils which
Cypress this country in common with
the entire South. Whilst we insist
upon a reform of the abuses which
have crept into the courts and which
entail heavy burdens upon the tax
payers, yet we see no chance for such
reform until the farmers elect as their
Representatives in the legislative halls,
the men who are competent to detect
those abuses, who know, and can ap-
ply, the remedy. The successful law
yer is necessarily, man of intellectu-
al power, of close observation, extern
sive information and deep research
into the mysteries of political economy
and the science Of government. Be-
cause there are shysters and tricksters
among them-likequack doctors, mere
pretenders to a knowledge of medi-
cine-does it follow that the qualifca-
tions, just cited, make the learned
lawyer knave, or unfit him to repre-
sent, with ability and effect, the varied
interests of his constituents? We
think not, and earnestly insist that no
man, whatever his calling, can be a
wise and efficient legislator without a
fair intellect, improved and Strengthened
by study and observation of those sub
jects which bear most directly upon
those political doctrines and funda-
mendamental truisms which underlie
all systems of good government. Here
and there, among farmers, we find such
men, but they either have no ambition
TO play representative, or their neigh
bors do not appreciate them, and as
there is c0nceit in most men, that
they are competent to fill any position
however high and responsible, the
chances are, that in the scramble fol
office the standard of fitness with the
people will be, that their representative
shall not be lawyer. When farmers
generally, are educated up to the point
of fitness for legislators, they may claim
the right to fill those offices with those
of their own calling. But, until then
they should remember that the right
10 sacrifice their own interests, does
not embrace the right to victimize the
thousands, of other pursuits, who are
entitled TO all the benefits to be de-
rived from a wise administration o
public affairs.
Intellect is irrepressible and will lel
in any community, and under any cir
cumstances, and until farmers can fur
nish all ofthat commondity that is need
ed to give a healthy and wise direction
to their government, their policy should
be to foster talent and learning, IL
whomsoever found, and endeaver t.
make it available for the public wei
fare. GAINESVILLE and Montgomery, il
other days, were power in the State
but then the people of both, were in
diligently harmonious and patriotical
ly united the petty jealousies of class
were then unknown, and when a mar
was presented for Office, the question
was-''is he honest, is he capableY
not whether he is from town, or coun
ty, or whether he is a lawyer, mechan'
ic, or farmer. These jealousies, inge.
niously played upon by demagugues
and soreheads, are substituting discorC
for harmony, misleading farmers into
grave indiscretions, and raising large
crop of small potatoes to supply the
market for official positions. No one
is born a statesman, and none are made
statesmen except through the proper
cultivation of native intellect; anC
the most skillful farmer, or artizan
unframed in the broad field of politi.
zeal ecouomy-the science of govern
ment-may be as untitled to make
and administer laws as to paint pie
ture, or calculate eclipses.
But, the cry is, that lawyers as leg
islators, studiously shape the laws so al
70 make business for themselves. l
is human nature for all to foster thei
own interests, yet the highly enlighteu
ed lawyer we'll knows that his interest,"
are dependent upon the general pros
perity of the community in which h
lives; he knows too, that such pros
perity is dependent upon the wisdom
of the laws which govern all alike
and that, under the most Favorable
auspices, there is always enough o
nassion, wickedness and folly to GROVE
O,,rts with clients Lawvers do no