The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-05-24
The Farmers Meeting.

The Farmers Meeting.
The proceedings OF the meeting of The
Farmers of Augusta county, held in Staun-
ton OH the 10Th inst, will be found in this
issue of the VIRGINIAN. 1t was composed
of representative men of this important in
respected for their intel
ligencc, their high social standing, and the
deep concern they feel in all matters affect
ing the prosperity OF the State. \
1t is rarely that this class of our fellow
citizens are moved to public demonstrations.
Their habits of life, their business pursuits,
and methods Of thought do not lead them
into public exhibitions. or incline them into
public lisputations. The influences that
operate upon them must be of more than
ordinary character to induce them to ADAM
don their secll,sion and gather together for
consultation in reference to matters affect
ing State legislation and State policy. We
are not surprised, however, that the intelli-
gent farmers of Augusta, who read much
and think much, have been impressed with
the necessity Of some action on their part 20
avert the fearful tide of oppression that is
pressing upon them, and duplicating ali
their interests in complications that must
sooner or later involve them all in ruin, If
not checked. They realize the fact that
those entrusted with the control Of State
legislation and the administration of the
affairs Of the Commonwealth have been un-
able to provide remedies for the evils from
which they ale suffering-that the revenues
drawn from their sweat and toll have been
expended without relieving them of any of
the Obligations for which their property is
mOrtgaged-that even the interest on the
public debt is not adiusted-that legislature
after legislature has met and adjourned,
after exhausting every moment of time al
lowed by the Constitution, at heavy unnec-
essary expense to the taxpayers, without
dcvising any measures to promote the gen
eral welfare, emancipate them from their
burdens, or uphold the credit of the Com
monwe alth. All the agencies they have de-
pended upon TO improve the condition of the
State, and open up some promise for the
future. have utterly and shamefuliy failed to
accomplish one single act that gives assnr-
ance, of relief, Surely these considerations
were enough to move the gentlemen who
composed the meeting last Saturday to agi-
tate the questions which constituted the
subject OF their deliberations, and to ask that
the papers of the State give their proceedings
circulation, that the farmers of other por-
tions of the Commonwealth may second
their efforts to arouse public attention to the
impending ruin that frowns before them.
The apparent Indifference of this class o.
our fellow-citizens to the more important
concerns of State, in which they are so deeply
and directly interested, has been wonder
to us. We have, time after time, sought II
arouse them to the necessity of active inter
ests in all movements that had reference t
State legislation and administration, because
we very plainly perceived that if they dit
not come forward and assert their rights AM
exercise their influence, the whole manage
ment of the vital interests of the Common
wealth would be transferred to the hands ol
the designing demagogues and place-hunt
els, who care for nothing but the offices ant
the pay that attaches thereto. They feel nj
concern for the farmer who pays the take
from his labor, so that he pays enough t.
supply the Treasury with the means to fur
nish the per diem. The farmer may swea
and toll :; he may cconomize, and stint him
self, to meet the demands of the tax gath
erer, and be compelled to sacrifice his pro
perty to avoid levy-this concerns not tn
creature of the caucus who has been desig
mated to squander what has thus been wrunt
from the tillers OF the soil and the labor ant
industry of tue country. The caucus ha
nominated him-the masses haye been driver
to his support by the party lasll-he la
been elected, and it is his legal privilege tt
dissipate his time, neglect the business o
his constituents, draw his pay, and protrac
the session of the legislature until the Con
stitution interposes its authority to end thu
term. No benefits accrue to the people dur
ing all this time, and this sham legislation
Indeed, there is no further use for them afte
and satisfied the tax-gatherer. The result
Of their labor are in the Golfers of the State
and they have appointed the caucus dema
gogue to draw it out and spend it. This i
faithfully done, and that is the last OF it
The public debt is not thought of-the inter
est goes by default-the obligations augmen
year after year, property depreciates, indus
try is ,stagnant, tie farmer is respondent
but the demagogue blooms.
we are sure, if the class of citizens wh'
combosed this meeting can be reached by tn
action had, and impressed with the emer
gencics that confront them, we may look fol
concerted action all over the State, with ;
view to some well-defined method to devise
relief in some way or other.
We do not propose at this time to discuss
the questions presented in the resolutions
They are sufficiently lucid to be understood
and while we cannot approve Of all OF the
recommendations, the general purpose ant
motive which have Influenced them, have oul
hearty concurrence. We shall recur to this
subject again, and give our feeble aid to fur
ther tile ends had in view by these intelll
gent and worthy citizens OF this great county
The prosperity of all other interests in Vir
gihia is based upon the healthy condition o
the farmer. His interests naturally antago
ntze rings and monopclies, and it was en-
tirely appropriate that they should proclaim
it that hereafter this sentiment would be
cfystalized into acts. We shall be much
mistaken if there is not an earnest response
coming from every portion of tine State to
the Independent and manly resolves of the
Farmers of Augusta, arousing public atten
ton to the perils that beset the Common
wealth and the necessity of providing some
means to avert the ruin involved in them.
The Farmers of Augusta have spoken OPP
pertuneiy and well. They have taken the
advance position in what we hope will be a
great work Of reform, working out their own
redemption from the domination OF rings
and pot-house politicians, and the rescue Of
the Old Commonwealth from the clutch Of
professional politicians and demagogues.
A sensational story was sent out FROM
Washington to the effect THAT there had beer