The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-10-11
A TALK WITH A SENSIBLE "
FARMER.
n, w,,,.n mere In Mos Even ne.."'
L" w,,nsion 90 Politics or "roe
backs.

that little-fall down on this reporter yes
terday, (metaphorically speaking Says ne
~ have been reading your Mississ'pp'
Tax PAYERS papers in The COMET closely
from first to last. He is inc hrs' ""
who has tried to uDravel the question: u
tha couses and remedies for our SITUATION
unon Intelligent and practical principieS'
He is the first man in Mississippi OF whom
have heard or read, who treats the grave
subject fairly and without any sly or insiai-
ous tendency to bolster up this or 'ha'
marty, or to build up the fortunes OF tniS
or that man, or to strengthen this or ina.
class at the expense of another. don
know who he is, but do believe that ne Is
q trne patriot, and do know that he is
n man of brain and observation ne 10
tbe sort of man that we need in Washing
ron and in our State Legislature. II 'ne
psople would listen and act upon the "o-
vice of such men as he, it would not DC
five wears before Mississippi would again
blossom like the rose of summer
81 am glad, replied The COMET reporter
sthat you comprehend and appreciate these
papers. They are really capital Inc
author, however, is known only TO the eur
tor and he makes it condition OF HIS
,,.r;tiro ot all. that his absolute
anonymity shall be preserved Du''
don't you think, after oil uhat he 10
contributing more to the real welfare Oh
Mississippi by promulgating his salient
and we'll defined points through The COMET
than he could do in Congress or in the state
Legislature? You must bear IN NINA 'n"t
TuR COMET is the most universally read
newspaper in mississippi to-day 1t mas
larger weekly audience than any other
journal, and its class Of readers are, Tor the
most part, the men who do the thinking
and moulding of public sentiment III
their respectictive localities. Ideas tha'
find utterance i'll its columns are not ios'
or buried, but parmeate every sectioh OF
the State, and mus have greater power
in arrestinQ thought and educating the pub
lie mind than any one man could WELD IN
the Legislature or Congress.
81 don't know about that" replied our
intelligent lord of the soil. ut Is quite
true that we need sense in our newspapers
but we need sense more in the Legislature
r. newspaper inculcate fallacies and en-
:, courage pernicious measures there Is Tilt
: reason of its patrons left to measure III
tendencies and purposes and to REJECT IL
teachings at once If Legislature give u
, bad law, we have no remedy for its eVl
effects until another Legislature assemblies
and perhaps, not then. Under GU
d revised Constitution we are compelled
+ to suffer for two years at least
We need men like your CoMEr's MIS-
sissippi Tax Payer to make our laws
and TO save us from the serious trouble o
vague or too much legislation-men wh
understand and feel correctly-men VIII
can subordinate all the mere tricks OF tn
the partisan and political wire puller to tn
real and solid and enduring good OF tn
people-men, who, upon proper occasions
IS can rise above self, or party, or prejudice
. or popular clamor, and legislate in the tru
spirit Of immortal justice and intelll8el
civilization for the material preservatio
OF and advancement of their generation an
y, race. The press is tremendous engine
1t. this country. That is undeniable. BIZ
.. the law~nnaking power is greater engln
An error of the press is short-lived and
carries its own speedy corrective ire
- and untrammeled and intelligent newspape
az Office is not a favorable nursery error
10 II it blunders, it knows how to correct tn
a bIunders or smooth over them. Not 80 wit
an error in the Legislature. That is more Q
less lasting, and the road to relief from II
ne more or less rugged. 1t is hard to recoVe
lis from the effects of vital law which
lat mischievous in its workings, and no one ca
mark the limit to the disasters it ma
cause. Good laws, intelligent laws, prat
ed teal laws, simple laws, and the fewest nun
lis Der of them, is the true legislative theory
be 81 see'-modestly returned The CONE
reporter, somewhat abashed before IL
superior penetration of the sun>burnt herr
10 -'I see that you have gone into the philo
~ ophy of the case, and worked out concl'
hlS sions that are unanswerable. As you are
farmer, am sorry that you are not on
od ticket for the Legislature yourself
h. ooh, that's nonsense-sheer nonsens
30 mans profession or vocation affords
fitness whatever for the Legislature '
don't want lawyers, farmers, editors,
mechanics to make our laws. We wa
or patriotism, integrity, progressiVeness al
,es intelligence, and absolute freedom from
Y a RECOMMENDING influences of any professl
zen or calling. Laws, like the rays OF the 81
should shine upon all alike. When the
freshing rain falls upon the parched cal
loot il makes no selection of classes, no d
,te tinction of CASTE So our laws should
,tv He who would array class against class,
,oo. consent to law that robbed one class
the the benefit of another, is not fit for
Legislature no matter what his avocati
act NAV be. l have no patience with the m
oek who says we must elect farmer or Ia
no ver. or a mechaL o. or merchant, TO gui
Der the interest OF t. class 10 whion ne III
belong. We must elect the man who v
guard the rights and interests of them
tied without partially. We must elect N
attic who when he enters the law-making "a
an tuary will forget that he is farmer 0
g at merchant, or mechanic, or doctor, or Il
lay, yer, and remember only that he Is leg
lator, temporarily clothed with letters
guardianship for all classes and conditl
of people. What need is there Tor iar
les ers, lawyers, mechanics or doctors in
WIZ Legislature? When medical board
uie created TO frame hygienic rules or laws