New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-05
FARMrrS AND SncLALMTS.


FARMERS And SOCIALISTS.
1t is little too easy to laugh at the Social
lists, as Mr. Hewitt's committee and the audi
ence did on Saturday. SocialistIc notions are
very Imaginable, il is true, but it is a sad fact
that a great many persons in this enlightened
country hold these same absurd notions.
Moreover, the number is not perceptibly
diminishing ; to all appearance, 1t increases.
These people are not convinced by ridicule,
however much it may be deserved. An over
turning of society, which seems only
laughable to others, seems eminently
desirable to them, and their political
effort is mainly directed by a sincere
desire to accomplish changes which appear to
most men in the last degree absurd. Ii there
were to be considered only the few who
logically ayOw hostility to the whole estab-
hshed order of things, Tidicule would be as
appropriate as it is easy. Unfortunately
behind them are multitudes of voters, who do
not as vet push theories to logical conclusions,
but who are nevertheless constantly intlu-
enced by the very notions to which
the Socialists only give full and
free expression. 1t is not a laughing
matter, but a very sombre fact, that a great
body of voters in this country has come to
consider that they are wrOnged by the exer-
else of rights of property by individuals;
that there is some gross injustice in the
possession of large property by few
and of little or no property by the
many; and that the poor majority has some
sort of right 10 resist payments of money
loaned, or of interest thereon, and to demand
that the power of government shall be EN-
ployed to cut down the profits of the rich and
to increase the incomes OF the poor.
Until recently it has been the general be-
lief that the great number Of farm-Owners in
this country would form an effectual barrier
against any assault upon rights of
property. But it has come to pass
that many farmers have adopted ideas
essentially communistic ia two respects. A
very large number of them desire Reputation
of local or national Indebtedness. large
number also, want initiation of the cur
rencv, in order to secure higher nom
inal prices for land or products. The
fact that enormous sales of breadstufls
abroad are effected only because the prices
here are low, and that the farmers themselves
would be the chief sufferers if initiation should
so raise prices as to check exports does not
estimate the enormous losses of a community
which result from Reputation of its debts.
These farmers think only of immediate gains
Lighter taxes and higher prices-and they
find themselves in unnatural alliance with
socialists who are as hostile to ownership Of
land as to ownership of bonds and whose real
purpose is to destroy the savings of all who
have accumulated property, and to place on
level in rewards the shiftless spendthrift and
the most thrifty and enterprising accumulation
of wealth.
The farmers are likely TO be the chief suffer
ers from the prevalence of communistic notions.
Money-lenders can protect themselves, and
when debased public opinion and debauched
law give them no protection, they levy the
heavier tax upon the community which
foolsbIy tries to plunder them. Dealers,
brokers and merchants also have certain
power of self-proteetioD, which they are
not slow TO exercise. But the farmers,
who are the owners of n great part Of the
real estate, have to pay the larger share
of the increased taxes which bad faith
inevitably causes, and, as producers Of the
articles which are most affected in price by
increase or decrease of foreign demand, they
suffer moro than anybody else from imitation
of currency or hope of imitation. To what
ever extent the ideas of Socialists
prevail in this country. the farm
owners will pay much of the cost,
and the help which some Of them
are giving to schemes of reputation and in
lation will bring greater loss upon them than
upon any other class of citizens. 1t would
be well if all the farmers in the country
could read with care the wild state
ments made by Socialists before the Congress
! sional Committee. Sensible property owners
would find therein less occasion for laughter
| than for Indignation.