The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-07-31
strength of FarmHrs.

The farmers of this country, it
should be remembered, are posse ss-
ed of more physical strength than
Ill other classes combined; and If
trained to utilize their numerical
stength and their opportunities they
have also unequaled power in the
ballots they hold. But of what
avail is all this strength without or
saniSatioh, without concentrated
purpose, and without unity of &C
ton? With no will or, ability to
control or make useful these inhe-
rent and spontaneous elements of
manhood and strength they are
subject to the will of other classes,
lust as the greater strength of the
brute creation is subject to the will
of man.
The OK, horse and elephant have
immense animal strength but it is
subordinated to the purposes of
man. So, too, has the agricultural
class the advantage of superior
numbers and voting strength, but
their ballots are never used in &C
cordance with any well or wisely
considered plan for the advance
ment and upbuilding of their own
class, but always in obedience to
the artful schemes of those who ar
rogate to themselves the leadership
in political matters, and who by
this means use almost the entire
resources of the many for the ag-
grandizement of the few. Farmers
are disqualified by no natural in
tellectual disability, but only by the
inferiority of discipline that results
from lack of thorough organiza-
ton and unity of purpose.
The discipline of partizan leaders
is hardly less complete, and indeed
we might say hardly less severe
than that of military commanders.
Though the rank and file hold the
muskets and are the physical
strength of the army it is useless for
them to murmur, and they dare not
revolt SO the political antocrat
surrounds his followers with wall
of discipline that leaves them no
chance hut to obey his mandates.
Thus it will ever be so long as the
industrial classes bring themselves
and prerogatives a willing tribute
to the class that holds such merci-
less and despotic sway over the
destinies of a majority of this ''free
and enlightened" 81 people.
Will farmers always permit their
opportunities to run to waste and
their strength to be absorbed by
others? Is there any reason for
supposing they will sometime
awake from their lethargic stupor
and rally around a standard of their
own? Are there any signs on
which to found the hope of the in
auguration of a movement the pres
ent campaign for the deliverance of
the industrial classes from the polit-
ical bondage in which they are now
held? Or is it not more likely that
in antogonism to each other, whose
interests are alike, they will as here
tofore, range themselves on one side
or the other in the old parties, eager
to serve their old task masters?
1t is constantly urged that the
common people who are sovereign,
ought to take more lively interest
and study more attentively the SUBJ
iect of politics. But we are at a
loss to understand how any further
demands in the interest of party
politics can be made on that class,
when almost every paper they
patron;ze and read is political text
book and every man a political
teacher. What more remains to be
desired by the insatiate partisan,
when every body believes his party
is fully right and the opposite one as
entirely wrong; when a mans fit
ness for any public position is
measured by his ability and dispo-
sition to vilify and abuse the oppo
sition?
If the industrial classes are to let
the present golden opportunity go
by and not make any demonstra-
ton in their own behalf until an
other election comes round, two
years hence, we advise them to take
but little stock in the pending
contest. They may allow their
thoughts, their time and their money
to be absol bed IN the excitement
that will be wrought by interested
politicians, and if the party they act
with succeeds they will find they
have gained nothing, and if the
other party succeeds they will not
find it much worse.-Dirieo Rural
SnacfoIfiaS I'm FARMING