The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-13
THE FARMER ~ a SOCIAL CON.
HTIIURNT.

quotes some account Of a meeting { (
granger farmers in Massachuset 70
which has mater we'll worth the
Southern turner's urgent attention.
One speaker believed relief to the
American farmer had to come from
his thorough acquaintance with his
business, his ability to say 81 know"
instead OF 81 think" Other speakers
enlarged upon the advantages of or
ganizitiOn. The farmers should meet
oftener, discuss more, make them
selves heard. insitt upon taking their
full part in public matters and having
their interests conscientiously at
tended to--be living, acting, .inhu-
encing portion OF the community
not bs tributaries to anybody, as they
are now, when the cotton-grower must
pay tribute 10 the lion manufacturer
every time he puts an iron tie upon
his cotton bale. The secretary Of the
State Agricultural Association up
braided the farmers for the way they
keep themselves in the background,
where every one can overlook them or
wrong them. Farmers ruminate upon
their grief5, grumble about their hard
ships, complain that their interests are
neglected, their fortunes failing and
their prosperity disappearing; but
they do not come out a1d make their
claims, utter their protests, and de-.
mand their right, aloud in the face OF
the sun and before the eyes OF their
fellow cit ans, as they should. There
are multitudes enough living upon the
farmer, making fortunes from products
that he has raised and then reaped
only poverty from, and those depend
ents upon his labor and 'itJ fruits the
farmer can influence il he will. To do
so farmer must cling 20 farmer. Indi.
vidual action goes for little, yet let the
farmers stand by one another and
stand together, and with a right cause
,no - can effect what to-day they would
consider wonders. The farmers t6>ls
and salt and ties, and most OF what he
uses and consumes, is taxed heavily
but he, while contributing to enrich
the monopolists who Cypress him,
must himself make his way unaided
by anybody as best he may. The
Massachusetts farmer thought the
time was come 10 get "a gcol living
and farmers rights" He said that
was not to be done by bearing all and
complaining ef all; he must out when
his ballot IL wanted, ont when his
right requires vindicating. He must
cease grumbline to the bushes and
matchmaking among the burrows,
and making the evenings freside q
misery to his wife by his meanings
over misfortune. He must out, Join
in the struggle OF life, take an active
Fart in the onward march of human.
ity, be prepared TO accord to every
man mans rights and demand his
own rights among the rest. Why
must the artisans and manufacturers,
merchants and lawyers in the town fix
the farmers destiny and tax him at
will2 Only the farmers supineness
permits this. Let him change the
grumble aud complaint for straight
out, patriotic talk with his heart
in it, and who can stand against, con-
troll, or overcome him? The crimes
and cheatings aud rings and POOLS and
syndiCates are not found where the
farmer tolls under the summers sun,
and the winters cloud, and why then
should be stand back when black
guards, blackmailers and tmbe zzlers
show their unblushing faces and
scheme new Iaicality? The quiet,
retiring, long suffering farmer is wa
cd in tho active world to aid honest
men to put down rascality and to bring
back once more something OF the pu-
rity and sacredness of the earlier days
OF our great republic.