Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-04-12
NAV do Farmers Occnny the Back Seats !

SUBJECT. Dut my SUBJECT Is Wholly lOIelpu
to agriculture, except in so far as agric1l-
ture requires a good, Just and equitable
government.
There is no class that has amore abiding
interest in the laws of the land than the
farmers, and yet mono that has less intu'
ence in framing its statutes. In my late
reading, my attention my attention has
been called 10 the fact that there is a
general impression that the farmers occupy
the " back Seats" socially and politically.
Not long since received prospectus
of an agricultural paper; the editor says:
Farmers, to the front you have oceu-
pied the back seats long enough" and, as
with wavo of the hand, no commands
the professional men to retire TO the rear.
The editor is referring to the legislative
halls, and his language certainly opens a
wide field for thought.
Arc we, as class, on the back seats,
and If so, why? think three words will
give full explanation: knowledge is
power" An intelligent people cannot be
enslaved.
AS an illustration let us look ut India.
A small island in the north Atlantic ocean
thousands of miles away, with an area of
SO, 800 square miles Ia little smaller than
the state Of Oregon), holds in complete SUBJ
lection its untold millions. This is politi-
cal and military force. Here we see that
knowledge is power.
Then let us look at Archimedes with his
geometrical progression. In his enthusi-
asm he boosted 10 king Hero that if there
was another world on which he could
stand he could move this one at pleasure.
The historian says that the king gave him
/ n IN n a
of his invention by graphing the bow Of
Il war galleys, with its armament and full
complement of men on board. This he
drew towards him. on dry land, with one
hand as steadily and with as much ease as
if it were floating upon the water. And
when Marcellus laid siege to Syracuse,
Archimedes had invented such weapons
of defence as quickly compelled Marcellus
10 turn the siege into blockade, and had
it not been for treachery, and strategy
that nearly equaled that of the Trojan
horse, he would have had to raise his block.
ade and retire. Here we see that knowl-
edge ,as power.
But if we take possession of the front
seats shall we be able to hold them, or
shall we be driven from them by supe-
rior? If we would hold the front seats
VIC have got preparatory work to do and
do it ourselves, for no one can do it for US, |
and let US remember that be who would |
be free himself must strike the blow. l |
admit that we are on the back seats, but |
"the fault is not in our stars but in our
solves"
! Yes look in what direction we will, we |
are soon made aware that knowledge is
power, and for the want of it we have to |
succumb to superior intelligence. And l
mere reiteratc what have often said, that
outside of the classics, there is not the
least excuse for farmers wanting q good
general intelligence. For if we will use
them, there is no class that has opportu
mites equal TO the farmer for reading, COM
pairing and deducting; and when VIC do
this, and accustom ourselves to public
speaking, we can meet the professional |
men in the legislative hall or forum and |
give them to understand that Greek has
met Greek and now "comes the tug of
war"
Some days since heard some farmers
| talking on the subject of legislation; one
said the house was largely composed of
| farmers but that half dozen LAWYERS run
the whole thing. But if we make scape
goat OF the lawyers it is not much to their
about the laws of the last legislature that
some of the town treasurers can't agree
about the discount on taxes; and in some
towns the listers put into the list the same
kind of property that in others was left
out, and yet all read tho same law.
The reason why we occupy the back
seats is because we have not better
knowledge of agriculture. a better knowl-
adj ~ ivil off Of ha 81 ir;I
goycrnment-in short the whole theory Of
political economy. Do you say this is a
libel on the largest half of Vermont cti-
zens2 Let US look at the last legislature
That certainly was composed largely of
farmers. How many of them arose in
their places and in few sharp, concise
words pointed out the inconsistencies, and
positive infractions of the state constitu-
ton in the new listing law? They created
a fourth branch of government while the
constitution recognizes but three. They
created trial court without Jury, which
the constitution forbids. For the proof of
this refer you to the tenth article of the
constitution. They called on the secretary
of state to formulate questions to the law
and adjourned before they knew how ho
was going to define the law. And before
he could formulate, must he not collatep
end if so, it would seem that his Office
was Of a double nature, both legislative
and judicial. Then look at No. l2S and
compare it with article seven of the con.
stitution, and say whether by any varying
of that instrument this law gan be justified.
ask by what right such benefits are be-
slowed upon the wealthy and withheld
from the Goa, paratively poor.
D,,k; - =, 81 81 To-,
age and stimulate manufactures, but is it
right to encourage the few at the expense
of the many? If we cannot have manu-
factories without wrong to any then let
the manufactures bidc their time and not
attempt, by unconstitutional legislation,lo
force premature birth.
In our last presidential campaign the
hardest democratic charge that | had to
meet was, that republican legislation, both
state and national, was calculated to make
the rich richer and the poor poorer. This
denied and refutcd rs best | could; but
the last Legislature verified the democratic
charge
There is just ground for the opinion that
farmers do not make intelligent legisla-
tors, If any dispute this let them show
that they are tho peers Of the professional
men and can meet them in logic and de.
bate, But if the professional can demon
strate that they are the best fitted for
places Of public trust, then by all means
let them have such places, for the fittest
onght to survive and the public good re-
duires it. But see no incompatibility in
statesman and farmer. If we had better
knowledge of public affairs VIC would have
n better knowledge of agriculture, and
this knowledge We can obtain if we will
arouse our latent energies.
Then it would seem that we want a
better general knowledge, and how shall
we obtain it? would not dogmatize on =
this subject and will only say how am
going to work to acquire it: First, by the
study Of the history of my own country
the constitution of my state and of the
United States, to know my rights and du-
ties when weighed by them. The consti-
tuition Is to us what the magma charta-