Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-12-05


children; but how much more pitiable
the case is when the parent himself be-
comes demented and no longer recogni-
yes that he is poor and miserable and
/ blind and naked.
Talking with Capt Greer short
time ago, he said: Yes. the farming
interest of the country does need some
attention, but the Republican party
Will give it TO them" Must the parent
then stand without and beg? Oh shamei
You, Peter, viewed the eclipse, 1
think, through smoked glass; hence
it seemed to you like the bandanna was
in eclipse. Tome the phenomena bears
the more serious aspect of eclipsed man.
ly integrity and sound judgment. |
have good chance here to see some of
the workings of our past legislation.
Here more than in Barber county the
land is owned by landlords and occu-
pied by tenants. Here the exiled from
the West are fiocking in, pushing each
other around-and Overlooking each
other for land to rent. We are only one
family among many others that are
here partially dependent on charity for
subsistence, and at the mercy of land
lords for terms of occupancy. Yet men
who own land say that farming does not
pay. Can you account for this, Peter?
Is it over-production or under-produc-
ton? Is it because of the last years
Of npmn0rofio rrrlo 10 0E
the previous % years of Republican
rule? Is it because the tariff has been
too low? What is the matter. Corn 20
cents bushel; corn starch 10 cents
pound; beef cattle one cent a pound;
beef Ia to 10 cents; beef hides to 8
cents pound; leather 40 cents; hogs,
S4.S5; breakfast bacon Ia TO Is cents:
pig iron to cents pound; stoves $50;
harvesters $500. Taxes per cent. to
per cent. on the valuation of property
Money, made by the government, at
mere nominal cost is "a per cent. year
to the farmer, but to the banker it is
nix; and to the congressman it is nix
and to the brokers on Wall street It is
snippety-snase and soft snap.
Seventy-fve bushels of corn will buy
stirring pillow that costs less than So
to make it; l25 bushels will buy corn
pillow that taxes the manufacturer less
than $40; 375 bushels will buy moving
machine that represents about $50; $50
bushels will buy you cooking stove.
Fat cows are being sold in Kansas City
for less than the freight charges and ex-
penses of getting them there. Sheep
likewise. The board of trade sets the
price on oar produce! Bankers set the
price on the money we us; Armour sets
the price of our meat; the milling COM
pany sets the price on flour; Arbuckle
gives us coffee at his own rate; the SUI
gar trust refines our sugar at their own
sweet will. For leather, iron, cotton,
wool or other manufactured product,
we pay the price that is set or let it
alone. Everything is set for the farm
CT and congress meekly sets and
looks on.
All other classes recognize the pru-
dence of cooperation and organization
for their mutual benefit; but the farm
ers are every man for himself and the
devil take the hindmoSt Out at the
knees, yet bawiing tariff; barefooted,
yet intensely anxious about protecting
the manufacturing interests of this
country; off celebrating glorious Re-
publican victory while the better-half
sits at home patching the breeches and
the larder Is without tea, -four or salt;
yelling ''hurrah for Harrison!" while
the banker is laughing in his sleeve and
planning TO foreclose the mortgage in
the most bland and gentlemanly man
ner. Wearing Harrison badge with
all the ostentation of turkey gobbler,
while the children are wearing patched
shirts made of discarded -four sacks
and stamped Roller Process
Now, is this sense? Is it prudence?
The Farmers Congress has just had
meeting in Topeka and passed some
huge resolutions" How many OF
them, before passing the resolutions,
had spent whole year on Harrison and
the Republican party and thus practic-
ally thrown away every bit of available
influence for good as far as the anchor
alton of the farming interest is con-
cerDed. The grange has given an
other kick or two. They kick like a |
mule and then go and vote for the par
ty that illustrates every movement they
make. Penny wise and pound foolish. |
Saving at the Spite and losing at the |
bung-hOle. Is this sense? No, nv |
brethren; These things ought not so |
to be-" God has given you this govern
ment, so why do you tamper with it in
this senseless manner2 Who has con-
troll in this landp The majority. Who
are tue majority? The agricultural
and laboring classes-no, the agricul- |
tural and laboring asses-long cared |
chaps that raise the corn to feed the
geese to feather their nests and set ON
the golden egg.
What have we gained by the election
of HarrisOn2 Four years of delay: four
years more for the wealthy to pile up
more wealth; four years more of oppres-
sion for the very ones that, most of all
in this government. need protection.
Would it have been better if Streeter had
been elected? Yes, eminently. 1t
would have filled the whole house of the
great big agricultural fatherhood of
this land with music and rejoicing.
The pillow would have sped blitheIy
along the furrow. The steps of the
weary laDorer woulA haze once more
been springy and hopeful.
Peter, don't think we are defeated.
We are not. We are beginning our
next campaign right now and we will