Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-05-15
The / farmers Position.

pendent named Thomas Whitaker and
he has lately enlightened the readers OF
that paper on the real, true position heln
by the farmer, and the estimation in which
they are held by the world the compare
tive "socal position OF the English and
the American farmer, and matters per
tainug to the subject. Here is an extract
from his article which will give a fair idea
of his condition of mind:
But one of the greatest reasons why the
English farmer occupies higher so
cial position than the Americans because
the English farmer stands upon his dlgni
~, as farmer, and us the most important
member of the body polite, and would
not exchange his calling for any other re
quiring he same amount of investment, il
he understood it. He knows he under
stands the business of II farmer, and no
other, while the American farmer is for
ever whining about his occupation and his
position, producing discomfort in the minds
of both SOUS and daughters, and is moi
only willing. but stands ready at any time
to sell out his farm and move into the
city, if it be only to keep third-clas,
boarding house. If he decries his occupa.
ton, he must expect that others will take
him at his word, and decry him, because
he is in such position. / want it under
stood that there are many noble exceptions
to this in America, but | am representing
the average American farmer.
| remember, when Il boy, seeing pic
ture which would represent the position
" hich the English farmer places himself
in This picture represents II priest in his
canonicas, saying: 81 pray for ALL
Another figure was Il soldier saying: And
tight for all" The third figure was Il
farmer of good round size, with his hands
in his pockets and his hat on his head,
saying, And pay for ALL Let the
farmers of America take that stand, and
say to priest, soldier, politician, trades
man and banker: Gentlemen, you may
all be useful and ornamental in your vari-
Gus positions in the body polite, but re
member am the corner stone, the head
stone of the corner; any one of you can he
dispensed with, though it may be incon-
venient. Yes, Mr.. Editor, we might pos
sbly dispense with you, but | cannot be
dispensed wiLh--if you build your struc-
ture. it must rest on me.
Thomas WHITAKER.
Hillside Farm, Feb 1873.
Evidently Mr. Thomas Whitaker is an
admlrer of dignity, and has an adequate
idea of the farmers Importance us Il men,
Der of the body polite, whatever that
may be, and we doubt not that he is one
of the class, both numerous and noisy,
who is forever whining about the farmers s.
position, complaining that they are by far
loo seldom found in the legislature, in
congress, and offices of trust and profit. In
mlsrepresent the farmer, to set him in a
false position, to have him looked down
upon by the rest of the world, than all
other causes combined. In the first place,
we DO not believe, from what little we
know Of English society, that the farmer
there occupies II better social position lhans
do our farmers here. The lines of society
there are much more strictly drawn than
here, and no tenant farmer would ever
think of assocating with the landlord ex.
cept in the well-understood condition of in
inferior. Below him the laborer has his
place, and knows, accepts and keeps it,
and we citizens OF republic cannot feel
or understand the absolute acceptance OF
position in monarchial government-an
acrep ance which yields place to his so
cal superior. us entire and unquestioned
rs that which he expects in turn from his
inferior. In America this is not the case
We assert it confidently, that the farmer
not only is socially I'm equal, but is so con
sidernd and accepted, and those who com
plain of the farmers inferior position are
mostly those perncious writers who are
constantly whining Of the injustice done
the farmer in point Of social standing, and
especially official position, and in the same
bI Gu h, with self conceit almost sublime,
Boosting of their Importance, as chief
among ten thousand, and altogether love-
ly. Such talk is cheap enough, to be sure,
b 1t il does harm. 1t leads some farmers
who read it to think that in some way.
They don't Justly know how, they are de
prived Of some rights and privileges they
should possess, and leads others in other
industries to be,ieve that farmers are the
inordinate boosters and braggarts which
these men represent. Life nor society
"a, &c
is given by the Giver of all, and can and
does exist without the farmer. The saw
age in American or African wilds neither
plants or reaps,yet he lives, such life as il
is, and civilization depends alike, perhaps
not in equal measure, upon all. The cler.
gyman, the lawyer, the tradesman, the
artisan, are just as necessary to civiiza-
ton as the farmer, and without them
farming would be but limited industry
and we cannot conceive how either could
be Withdrawn without general ruin to all
The fact that they exist shows their neces-
sity. So much for The farmer us class
As person he will take the place in thai
mythical American institution. society
to which his personal qualities and in
diyidual ability entities him. In our owl
state who hears Messrs. Fassett, Mason Of
Pringle, even whining about his socia
position, or complaining of lack of appre
0 at onP and we give those n .m,s becaus
they come first into our mind, and they
will stand as the representatives of hun
dreds and thousands of our farmers who
know their business and 60 quietly abou
it, making no fuss or buster. and W.
venture they have no trouble about socia
position" How it would be if the,
should go about with such constant ant
offensive self-assertion as Mr.. Whitake
comments to the American farmer
Gentlemen, you may be useful anG
ornamental, but I am the corner stone
you might be dispersed with, but l can
not" we cannot say, but we have al
idea that sensible men of all trades would
rate them at about their true value
Every nun ha ha f,rmar mocha n la