The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1888-07-12

sion of public abuses, and partlcu'
larry OF the abuses growing out OF
the railroad and insurance compa-
mics. is only way Of protesting
against the investigations and dis
cussions Of these matters by the
farmer, and in favor Of leaving the
solution Of men who make politics
their trade. Disguise it as they
may. it means this and nothing
more. It means that the class that
has the most vital peouniary inter-
est in thus matter, shall take its cue
and be directed by those who not
only have the least legitimate in
terest. but are most liable 70 have
all Legitimate and wrongful inter
est in it in the way of"courtesies, "
which is the courteous way of say
ing "passes," or in concessions, re-
bates and determinations in favor
of business with which they may
by connected. If the farmer is not
to have the farm-ward side ofthese
questions presented in his agricul-
tural paper, where will he have it
presented? fit is presented any
where, it must be by a paper
whose supreme interest is in the
farm. that lives by it and from it,
and that views all republic ques-
tions from the standpoint. What
paper is qualified to do this but
the agricultural papery The rail-
roads have some of the ablest jour
nails in the land devoted wholly to
their interest. They mold and
shape legislation. Where the in
terest ofthe farmers and the pres
ent managers of railroad clash,
what paper can present this side Of
the question but the agricultural
paper?
We are glad TO see so many agri-
cultural papers taking their proper
position in the matter, a position
of peculiar influence, and to illus
trate this move, we quote the fol-
lowing from the Kansas Farmer.
A correspondent, no doubt some
local politician has written as fol-
lows:
Can't you let politics alone and
write and publish your good and
valuable paper for the farmers, no
matter what party you belong to.
This the editor replies in a
spirit that BODIES we'll for the future
of the great State of Kansas:
Yes, we could let politics alone.
We could send our paper every
week that would have about as
much force in it as q last years al
manac. We could FIJI up the pa
per about routine work on the
farm, about blowing, planting and
marketing; about raising stock and
growing vegetables, never saying a
word about corporate extortion,
nothing about corruption in politics
and not word about taxation,
high salaries or low prices of farm
products; never once intimating
that corporations and trusts are
drinking up the likelihood Of the
people, and never suggesting that
taxes are Unnecessarily high nor
proposing any remedy. Yes, we
could send our lifeless paper We
could show by our want of vigor
that we care nothing about the
very things which do most Of all
concern the farmers. But what
would such a paper be WORTH
What member of Congress would
care to know what it contains?
What influence would such q pa
per have anywhere?s What effect
would it have on public opinion
on any subject? Who has any re-
spect for the judgment of q man
without opinions? Does tho writ
er of that letter, have no interes: in
public affairs? Does be not want
the interest of agriculture looked
after in public places, and in legis-
lature eouncilsg Is be ready to
abandon his own people and let
organized avariee run rough-shod
over the country2
t l. a very notabfa fact hat the