Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-03-08
City Folks, Railroads and Farmers.


Robert Burns.
City Folks, Railroads and Farmers.
The Bratteboro Phenir (whose we'll
conducted agricultural department it is a
pleasure to read) notices our recent remarks
in reference to the influences which impair
the representative character of agricultural
journals published in the large Cities and
after printing liberal extract from our ar
ticle, says However true of considerable
class in the large cities Dr. Hoskins estimate
may be, the majority there are laborers as
we'll as in the country, and their sympathies
should be with their own class"
Now without doubt this is true; and
there is no question in our mind that not
only should the sympathies of the working
people Of the cities be with the working peo
Pile of the country, but that they actually
are so. Yet what representation have the
feelings aud opinions of the working people
of the cities in the press2 We know, person
ally, that there are able journalists in the
offices of city papers whose sympathies are
all right; but they do not presume (know-
ing well that they would not be allowed) to
voice their personal opinions in the papers
with which they are connected. The "ma-
iority" in the cities has no voice in the
press nor, for that matter, has the "major-
ity" in the country. Most country papers
take their tone from the city press and from
the village sentiment which surrounds them !;
and this is not conspicuously respectful to
the working element, although it often
thinks it for its interest to coarsely fatter
it, The fact is, that nothing is respected in
this material age but power; and the nearer
the power is to our daily life the greater, too
often, is our respect for it. Half the press
| of America, at least, looks coldly upon the
struggles of the down-trodden people of
Russia, Germany and Ireland. Mr.. Locke
comes back from Ireland converted, by
the awful logic of seen facts, from his sym
pathy with England and his autipathy
to Ireland, and the Phenir copies his
soul-harrowing report, without editorial
comment. The atrocities suffered by the
Russian Jews hardly excite a ripple in
America, because the American press,
bowed down before the idol of material
progress and power, is recreant to the most
halowed of American traditions. Even
slavery would have hardly stirred our blood
effectively if it had not been localized, and
become an element in sectional contest for
supremacy in the national government
The old aboitionists can tell how that was
and they have little respect in their hearts
for men who first mobbed them, and then
when they saw power gathering in theil
hands, bowed down before it-and took the
offices.
1t is so, too, with regard to the giant
power of corporations, which now overshad
ows us. 1t is fifteen years since the mag
nifcent trope Of Wendell Phillips (when
speaking of that threatening power he said
"The robes of Tom Scott, as he passe
along, cause legislatures to rustic like deat
leaves,") was uttered and that power ha
grown ever since unchecked, save by tn
manly stand of the western farmers in tn
so called "Granger laws" And to-day tn
voice of the country press, which ought T.
represent the people, but commonly repre-
sents only a knot of county politicians
quavers before the face of power, as repre-
sented by our railway kings and dukes, an
qualities and qualities and qualities ava
, every vigorous statement of wrong by az
pealing to the usefulness of railroads" q
, course they are useful that was what the
e were built for. They were built to be us,
full to the public. They are being perverte
: to the purpose of making millionaires,-
new aristocracy of wealth, by no means pa
sivei and rather timorous, like the out-wor
aristocracy of Europe, but fierce, able. al
gressive and defiant, like the robber baror
of the middle ages to whom the effeminai
lords of Europe 80 proudly strove to trac
l their family lines-quite often only to fin
y them "waxed at the other end"
le This new American aristocracy is not
be withstood with squirts throwing ros
W water. Its advance has to be met by me
who know the principles of free COVER
ment and mean that I" it shall not peris
from the earth" 1t has to be met by me
who love their country, and worship som
=, thing higher than material success. III
in old spirit which met British tyranny al
I'd southern encroachment is not dead. +
from that. 1t survives in all its vigor in Il
breasts of the men of the farm and Il
workshop. As yet, however, it finds We
little voice in the press, even that portion
it which processes to represent them. Br
E with such backing as it has, it will not lol
u lack voice. Some Horace Greeley will ri
up soon, whose rallying cry will be hea
throughout the land.