The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-04-03
but let no political element enter your
bOdv." And why not, pray

but let no political element enter your
body" And why not, pray? i,
Have the capitalists, lawyers ana
professional politicians a patent right
an our government ? Now some OF
these advisers by politics mean par
tizanship, and therein L agree with
them. For the word politics has a
wide range of meaning. In its prlml-
tive and higher sense it means govern
ment; in its lower and, l may say
most common use, it implies all the
petty practice connected with blind
party success.
But truly l do not think there is
any danger of farmers unions becom-
ing tools to the success Of merely
nominal party. They will soon or
late enter politics, but not to unite
with any party whose fundamental
principle exists only in name. There
are many who sincerely think the
farmer is the favored creature of our
National legislation.
1 was talking with a friend not
long since and he said, "You farmers
are the most favored and most in
satiate class in the country. Why
look at the establishment of agricul-
tural departments throughout different
States and at Washington" Favored
indeed If sending us a package OF
turnip seed a year, and being told
after due experiment by the depart
ment, that the japanese persimmon
will under certain conditions grow in
this country, is a benefit, then we are
favored.
My friend did not consider the mil
lions paid chiefly by the farmer into
the treasury to be squandered on use
less government officials and fraudu-
lent pensioners, and the hundreds of
millions paid under the protection
system to manufacturers. He did not
consider the legislation effected years
ago and which if not originally in
tended for the purpose, certainly has
had a constant tendency to reduce the
value of farm lands. l allude to the
law restricting land as surety to
money borrowed of National banks.
1 would not enter into any indiscrimi-
nate TRADE against u lawmakers.
There are among them men who, like
Carlisle and Vance, are imbued with
true patriotism and possessed of broad
statesman-like views, who believe in
the greatest good to the greatest
number, and in the liberality of their
ideas include the farmers interest.
But how many special representatives
of the farmers interest hold a seat in
Congress? And can it be denied in
the present condition of affairs that
farmers need special representation !
But some would say this is in direct
advocacy of class legislation, the very
thing that farmers have been so long
protesting against.
Grant that it is. When our country
was in it's infancy and diversity of in.
terests were fewer and less distinctive.
ly marked than now, and l may say,
when pride and love of country i'm
bued by the memory of the revolu.
tionary struggles were more general
and stronger than now, Legislation
was effected on the broad grounds OF
equity and patriotism. But times and
conditions are changed. Interests
are antagonistic, and so long as the
motive of human action is based on
self, so long as human nature retains
it's fundamental principle, just so long
will there be class legislation, unless
influence meets counter-infuence and
strongly conflicting interests be ad-
justed on the basis of political right.
The manufacturer and banker WELD
a powerful influence in National issues,
the farmers influence is at best but
negative. True, he votes, but so does
the most ignorant negro on his farm.
Some times, by virtue Of Individual
influence, he may induce others to
follow in his political footsteps and
vote as he does, and then it may be
that the very man he helps to elect on
account of partnership may cave on a
few nominal, political issues, once
real, now practically dead, have very
different views from the farmer and
hold his true interest in very slight
regard. Is this difference between
the farmer and other classes owing to
the superiority of their numerical or
financial power ? Statistics will show.
In 1880, of l7,39O,OOO persons en-.
gagged in all industrial pursuits, 49,
544, 900, Or three-fourths, were en-
gagged in farming. By the same cen
sus, the capital of manufacturing and
mechanical industries was represented