Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-01-14

distributed more evenly, increases the pro-
ductive power Of people, preserves aud
perpetuates our liberties, makes men less
inclined to prey upon each other, and fits
them to be jurors and arbitrators 10 the dis
putes that arise, and in all these ways is
education the friend Of the state The third
evident right Is, a voice Of influence 10 maxi
ing the laws. The right to vote is not
natural right with no limitations, as then
the babe, the child, the idiot, the insane, aud
much more reasonably, the woman would
vote. IL is therefore agreed that the youth
must be tweDty.one years old when no 10
allowed to.vote, and il is also agreed that
the men who naturally would eight the battles
shall do the voting, and tho mau represents
the family. There is, however, consistency
in claiming that there shall not be taxation
without representation; and 10 allow women
TO vote would not be in all cases unjust or
Inappropriate. But the point TO be observed
is, that a people largely engaged in one
pursuit have similar interests, and a nation
having twenty millions engaged in agrioul-
ture ought in its council to have some farm
ers. One account Of the number Of repre-.
sentatives in Congress makes them 1866 Of
these 22S were lawyers, and 26 farmers, and
the presumption is that these farmers are,
some Of them, ouly 50 IN name, as our own
farmer, Governor Peck, achieved all his hon.
ors aud notoriety as a lawyer at the bar or
Judge upon the bench. DO that as il may,
there ought to be better representation Of
this large class from their own numbers.
Are they not qualified ? If this costly eju-
cation that is paid for largely by farmers
and does not qualify them to get a living,
neither qualify them to represent their class
in Congress or hold any important Office,
then away with that system of education !;
support il no longer. Whose fault is it
that most of Congressman are lawyers and 90
few are farmers 2 Yours. In Vermont
there are by the census 81 1888 farmers and
" lawyers.) Your sons and your daugh.
ters, whose loss upon the farm you mourn,
aud whose strong mental powers and mus
culaF arms aud brave hearts have added
constantly to the wealth Of the cities, have
seen that honOrs are never likely to come to
the farmer, il a salary is connected with il
that is at all tempting to a professional man.
If you were by force deprived Of representa-.
ton, million soldiers would be in the field
to sustain an inaienable right, but by pack
ing caucuses, by hiring runners and work.
ers, men constantly lead us, as it were, by
the nose.
In the grange we are to develop a higher
manhood. and womAnhood. Some say that
in New England the grange takes hold of
no great question, but tor one | am willing
to fool away my life about small things, If
indeed it is 4 small thing to plead for the
more practical education Of $4,000 chill.
dren, whereby their lives may be fuller of
happiness and their homes more complete
their labor attended by better results aud
those that choose the farmers life as likely
as any class to attain the honors Of this land.
The maintenance of these rights was once
esteemed great thing. Is it a small thing
to-day, and beneath the attention OF this
convention ofiarmers2 think not.