Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-08-14
The Pennsylvania Farmer Tackles
Mr.. Blaine.

PENN. FARMER.-I sayy you feller in
the telephone, how does the thing
work? .....
CENTRAL.-You call out asif you I'M
derstood it. What do you want?
PENN. FARMER.-I'm an old farmer,
and want to talk with Mr.. Blaine. I
have list of fconumdrums for him.
CENTRAL.--Here he is, and I've told
him horny-handed son of toll wants to
talk with him. Here he is.
MR.. BLAINE My dear fellow, Pm
glad to talk with you. If I've any af-
fection it's for the honest farmer; the
producer, the king of all he surveys,
the bulwark of our civilization, and
FARMER.-There, there, that will do,
Mr.. Blaine. [ want to ask you a few
questions. I'm native of Maine, and
have Just read your letter of acceptance.
AS we are both natives of the same
State, will you please answer few
plain questions relating to the long list
of excuses you offer for the shortcom-
ings of the Republican party and also
as to yourself?
You devote nearly two columns to
show the wonderful prosperity of the
country during the past twenty years
under Republican rule, and then wind
up by saying that we are just entering
upon an era Of prosperity. How do you
explain this?
Why didn't you say something about
your new book, "Twenty Years (of
Sharp Practice) in Congress?'
Why didn't you say why you burned
the Mulligan letters, if they contained
nothing to compromise you?
Why didn't you explain how it was
that you happened to have that sum
stroke the very day before you were to
give testimony before the committee in
regard to the Mulligan letters, thereby
escaping by the very "skin of your
teeth" total political annihilation?
Why did't you revamp the old story
of how you came by the Little Rock
railroad bonds and what you did with
them? Also your connection with the
Union Pacific, if you had any?
| Why didn't you explain to the farm
ers how a man can go to Congress few
years, support a large family in the
meantime, and come out worth two OF
three millions and with seventyfive
thousand dollar house to let in Wash
ington?
Why didn't you tell the shipbuilders
of your adopted State that American
shipping has almost entirely disap-
peared from the ocean since the Repub.
iican party came into power and be.
cause of its mismanagement, and ex-
plain to them what blessing it will be
to keep this party in power forever.
Why didn't you explain why the Re-
publican party, which has been in pow
er nearly quarter of a century, has moi
crushed out Mormonism, if it is evel
going to?
Why didn't you tell the farmers and
workingmen of this country that nine
tenths of all the great increase in wealth
in which you speak has gone into the
hands of great corporations and mo
nopolists, and that poor men are grow
ing poorer and rich men richer every
day?
Why didn't you tell the farmers how
the national banks took for years from
| 10 to 25 per cent. out of the hard earn
ings of the people under Republican
rule?
When you spoke of land grabbing
why didn't you say anything about th'
hundreds of millions Of acres of the bes
land in the country which have beel
taken by the party in power and di
vided among their favorites during tn
past twenty years with your own help
i Why didn't you tellus how much yo
paid for the substitute you sent to tn
war instead of going yourself?
You make Pecksniffian groan owe