The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-01-19
CORRESPONDENCE.

10 last weeks Journal | tried to point
out to the farmers what considered to
be their just rights and their claims upon
the surplus now In the public treasury
viii you kindly allow me to say few
plain words in your columns TO farmers
and farm mechanics (whose interests are
IN common with the farmers), IN regard
TO the ways aud means to secure their just
rights. ! wish TO say to farmers: In
union there is strength" is true and
we'll known saying aud IT implies that 10
division there is weakness, The railroad
interests discovered that fact some time
ago and have been organizing and consol-
dating until to-day they are able to run
third house at Washington that is abso-
lutely stronger than both Of yours. For
they have succeeded in obtaining from
your two houses of congress grants OF
land and money in such lavish amounts
that an expert committee cannot agree up
on the amount within three hundred and
fifty millions of dollars, and they are able
to secure almost any Legislation they wish
for, They are organized, united and able
to bring concentrated power to bear upon
any desirable point. The foreign labor
element are giving You picture lesson
to- day, OF the power aud effect of organ
ized effort and it is very poor policy for
you to cry out against the oppressive acts
OF either of these classes as they are sim
ply pursuing the course that is for their
own best interests, aud very likely .you
would take what you could get legally
and If you desired anything very valuable
to you You would try 10 make it lawful
to take it,
You clamored for railroad law to reg
ulate rates Of freight, The railroads were
agreeable, bill was drawn up in the
third house and the Interstate commerce
law" was given you, which gives you the
privilege of paying as much for 'short
haul" as you did before for a 'long haul,
which amounts to "a 90 more per car load
from Manchester to Hoosick Falls. But
you are told that you must not complain
now; for you asked for law to regulate
and you have got it.
Farmers, you must organize, you must
unite aud concentrate your power. In |
your present disintegrated state You are a |
feeble helpless giant sniveling against
wrongs and expressions Of great monopo
lies and organized classes who rob and
iispise you at heart for your weakness,
while they pet and natter you because
you are so profitable and harmless. Tn.
ted and well organized you would be 10
,incable. II is claimed Tor the railroads
hat the land given to them to aid IN
building their roads shonld be rated low
because the railroads opened up large
racts Of wild lands and brought them in
o market. This claim is unjust and
wrongs the farmer as it gives the railroad
! credit that belongs to the farmer for ]
1tbtft ~ W NC u lhCl |
ailroads have followed the farmer inya
lably and grown rich by the Transports
ion Of the farmers products; aud after
he farmer has endured the hardship and
,riyaiion OF pioneer lifo without any aid
rom government it il wrong to give the
airoads all the credit and all OF the pay
iut this j. only one OF the wrongs that
afmers may expect so long as they remain
one man class surrounded by well or
anized classes, Farmers, unite. concen-
rate your energies; organize into one
,reai body. Borrow Of the labor party
art Of their title and call yourselves
Knights Of the Farm, and live up TO
our calling. Then You can command
ecogniiion aud get It. Now, you have TO
eg for IT aud don't get it. Throw the
riding political issnes OF the day aside
nd go for the interest Of the farmer aud
DO mechanics, who buili your houses
I'd barns ADD shoe your horses, and who |
epend upon your prosperity for their
fospefity. J. :