Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-05-31

BURLINGTON, May -, 1875

BURLINGTON, May %, 1873.
To the Editor of the Free Press and Times.
J. R. Forest, champion Of the reformers,
has issued his circular to the voters of YER
mont, and the two rival political parties of
the land. in which he says:
"While the farmers, mechanics and labor
ers have been at work, cunning men have
been planning and working schemes by
which they have lined their pockets at the
expense of the Industrious laborers. While
they have hardly lifted tn u hands to DO a
chore, they have the fine houses and grounds,
horses and carriages, dogs and servants. and
while others are starving they haze food to
waste"
Such things as this show what We are
coming to, as a nation. The farmer Of old
sold butter at l24 cents per ID. and paid 25
cents per yard for calico. lie bought his wife
two new gowns, calico for Summer and a
bombazine for Winter Isl yards the PATTERN
each year. and he wore his home made
clothes the year round, except when he
brushed up his brass-buttoncd. swallow-tail
coat, for Sundays. His monthly trips to the
nearest village were made in the old wagon
filled with truck" His face. however,
was clothed in smiles, and contentmcnt sat
gracefully upon his goOd-humorcd cOuntc-
nance. His annual cash receipts often did
not equal the price of the modern farmer :
"spring buggy" and his whole family ex-
penscs did not exceed the present cost of
Samantha James outfit, as she leaves her
rural home to go to a modern boarding
academy.
To-day. the farmers, as class, have finer
horses, finer cows, more stylish girls, hand
somer houses, more money, in fact more of
everything, except contentment. The things
they have are better than of old, except
their boys-who are too often brought up to
drive too fine horses. and to consider labor
as only an accidental condition of life, to be
avoided, if possible. These are the kind of
"larmers" and laborers whose discomfort
furnishes "bait for Sturgeon for Mr.. For
est further informs us that - ID. b. Sturgeon
is our head man, who on application OF ten
or more voters in any town willing to abSolve
themselves OF all allegiance to the old par
ties, and one dollar to cover expenses Of a
charter, will send an engraved charter en-
blematic of the principles of the national
party, and constitution and directions for
organizing and governing the club or council,
with the privilege of obtaining printed docu-
mcnts. badges, campaign song books, etc, at
about cost"
There Who shall say this is not a free
country, when all you have to do is to kick
over the old political pitcher you have ear
ried to the well 50 often incl0se one dollar
and receive through the tyrannical mails of
the United States, a spick-span-new charter,
with the inestimable privilege Of obtaining
printed documents" Z" cOmpaign songs, J"
etc. at a. about cost"
Such thoughtful care for the welfare of the
"farmcr," mechanic" "laborer." etc. =
"sons of honest TOLL like Forests GER
tainly cheering ray of sunshine amidst the
gloom brought about by the schemes of"cun-
ming men,"
But alas, alas what shall 10 said Of us,
when We cannot even read such generous Of
fers as these without the suspicion that not
all tho cunning" rests with those who
"toil not" Who knows but that ID. B.
Sturgeon" means "dcad beat. and that, in
order to get from the horny hands of toll
supply of "greenbacks,' with which to
"lino" his pockets, he holds out this delu-
sive offer, and that, in return for the dollar
sent, his dupes will receive something about
as valuable as twice turned paper collar?
Yours, T.