The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-01-16
THE FARMERS, REVOLUTION, AND
poLITrcAL PARTIES.

those of all the States. The act was
one of startling significance. Party
associations are not severed, by an
honest individual citizen, without q
cnuse. How much greater must be
the impelling motive when the whole
farming population of a great agri-
cultural State rise en- mdsse and
voluntarially renounce allegiance tc
the parties with which are inseprrably
connected the history Of their fathers.
the tradition Of their mothers and
their own lifelong preference and
prejudice. The farmers Of Illinois
literally did this, and the farmers Of
Iowa virtually followed their example
while those Of Oregon and Other
States, where farmers organizations
have not been brought to such per
fection, have, without an exception,
applauded the action of their broth
ers. We say again that there is a
deep Significance in these popular
unprecedented expressions Of senti-
ment. No supernatural vision is
Required to discern the cause Of this
rnarshaling Of the claus and these
declarations Of political independ-
ence. Unlike all former uprisings
Of the people, politicians are not in
the lead. Nor are they permitted to
follow, except as the jackal precedes
the caravan on its march to the
shrine at Mecca. l9 oas
| q The farmers have at length awaken
cd to the fact that to the assembling
and sordid management Of politi-
clans is due the responsibility for
the evils of which they now justly
complain. And, having purchased
this knowledge at q fearful cost, they
have determined to right their
wrongs by taking the reins of gov
ernment in their own hands. That
they have the numerical strength to
do this is fact too patent to elicit
argument, and that they have resolv-
to do so they have given emphatic
public notice. Not only have they
given such notice, but on the oc-
casion Of the late elections at the
Eastthey demonstrated their sincerity
by an independent expression through
the ballot-box. So quiet has been
the marshaling Of the laboring hosts
that many are still skeptical regard
ing the gigantic proportions Of their
organization. No martial strains
herald the march of the advancing
column; no waving plume beckons
them on to glory and to death; but
silent as tho tread Of Enchantment,
and panoplied in Jtrong faith in the
final triumph of their cause, they
move forward in the magesty of
conscious power.
The unthinking may inquire why
tho farmers are just now making
suce demonstrations after submitting
SO long to tho sway of professional
politicians? tt is only necessary in
reply, to refer to the rapid advance
Of misrule and corruption in every
department of the government with
in the last decade. Justice has been
banished from the halls of national |
counsel, while bribery, rapine and |
open theft stalk with unblushing
front in the highest places. Liberty
has been outraged, State Govern
ments have been subverted and citi-
zens forced to submit to the rule of
imported vagabonds whose most
exalted virtue was their boldness in
the preparation of open fraud and
public robbery. The back-pay steal,
the Credit Mobilier swindle, the
wholesale granting of the public
lands to dishonest corporations, the
Freedman's Bureau larceny and the
thousand minor thefts by subordi-
mates which have lately gone mn
whipped Of justice, constitute q list
Of crime unparalleled in modern
times and only equaled during the
most proaigate years of the Roman
. N u.
Let it be remembered that this
fearful array of crime is Justly charg- I
able to President Grant and his
supporters. The Democratic party {
is responsible for no share in the
shameful catalogue. A few men, {
Ders Of Congress calling themselves {
Democrats voted with the Admins
ration buccaneers for the back-pay
teal, but they were promptly con-
lemned ut home and universally
by the Democratic press.
This being true, the Democratic
'arty has nothing to fear from the
lrmers' revolution now in progress,
iet the party maintain its integrity
y a wise and liberal policy. Let
rejudice and jealousy be banished
rom its counsols and lot active, intel
gent and honest men be placed boz
're tho people for the various
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