The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-03-03
THE FARMER AND THE BEES.
From the Cincinnati Grange Bulletin, published
by requeBtl

From the Cincinnati Grange Bulletin, published
by requestl
During the meeting of the National
Grange at Washington, D. c., Novem.
ber, 1880, it was found that Alex, Il.
Stephens, who is member of Congress
from Georgia, was stopping at the Ma.
tional Hotel where most of the n EN-.
bers of the Grange we're staying, and
where the meetings were held. Under
the guidance of Bro. T. ]. Smith, Worthy
Master oft Georgia State Grange, sev.
eral little companies of members called
upon him in his rooms. Physically be
is almost helpless, being confined most
of the time to wheeled chair, which
he also occupies on the floor of Con
gress-but when talking his eyes fir
up and his words prove that mentally
he is as active as ever. 1t was found
that he was we'll posted upon the aims
and work of the Grange, and fully real
lied the situation of the people of our
country in their relations to the rail
road di;Comprehending the dangers threat
ening, and the necessity of earnest mea
sures of relief. One point was 80 well
made that we wish every farmer in the
land could have heard it, and so we give
it here, if not in his words exactly, still
the idea is the same and should be re
membered. He said: You farmers
keep bees, and in the fashioned
hives which you can open, you look
through the glass and see the bees at
work. You note the progress they are
making; you watch the seasons and the
weather; if all is favorable you say
"Well, the bees are laying up a good
store Of honey; they will have a good
surplus that we can take from for our
use, and still leave them enough to 90
through the winter without starving. II
the season or the yield of honey is not
30 good, you cannot take 30 much from
them, as you always take care to leave
enough to keep them alive and in good
humor until another year, This is your
present situation as farmers. You are
the bees, you work and toll through
heat and cold, wet and dry, good sea.
SOILS and bad, to produce the honey.
Your owners, he railroad kings, get in
their palace cars and ride out all over
this broad land of farms. They watch
the bees at their work, in the great corn
fields and grain fields, the sheep and
cattle feeding upon the broad prairies
and upon athousand hills; they note the
weather, they watch the markets a.
home and abroad, then they agree how
much they can take from their bees, and
still leave them enough to go over the
winter, keep from starving and be rea-
souably we'll satisfied. Just as the far.
mer leVies upon the stores of the bees
"what it will BEAR" 30 do the railroads
to-day in their freight charges levy upon
the crops of the farmers, his grain, his
stock or his other products, just suCh
freight charges "ss the article will bear"
If foreign crops are a failure and prices
go up, the freight is put up just in pro
portion and the bees are robbed. The
farmer no logger has the benefit of rise
in prices, it is taken by the rise in
freights. The rise Of Eve cents per hun
dred made in November last, on farm
products from the West to the sea
board, was just seventy; five millions of dol
Lrs extra honey robbed from the farmer
bees, and so says Judge Black in his
great letter. Farmers and Patrons, let
us think on these things, talk them over
with our neighbora, read all we can on
the subject and get others to read join
the nearest Grange, and then tCOrk. Let
us show that we are not willing to be
longer robbed. That we will save for
wife and home an honest share Of what
our harVests YIELD"