The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-05-21
OUR COUNTRY-ITS DANGERS
THE REMEDIES--AND WHO
ARE TO APPLY THEM.

AXE ~ AEELX j II M.
Mr.. EDIroR:-Mr. Lincoln made a
predi :tion, when he said, in substance,
that the civil war of a few years since
had opened the way for the introduc,
ton and reign of the money king. He
said she tremble1 for the future of
his country" His prediction has been
almost or quite fulfilled. Its fulfill
ment is seen in the combines that
have been entered into, and which are
still being formed. 1t is seen in the
keeping up of the protective tariff. In
the policy of the present administra,
ton. These things say, as plain as
words can speak it, that money is to
be king. that this country is destined
to be under the rule of a monied land
lordism, unless the present course of
events is checked.
These things say that honest labor
is not respectable, and that it is to be
bound more firmly with the shackles
of slavery, and the liberties so dearly
bought by our fathers are to be for
eve buried. Now, what must be the
results if this state of events is not
checked? One word answers the
question-disaster!
Already country is being filed
with cringing sycophancy. Look at
the horde of Office -seekers, who are
crowding around the White House as
a pack of hungry cormorants, waiting
for the multiplied positions that have
been created to s~atisfy.the intense greed
of such. And so heavy has become
the drain upon the agricultural ele-
ment of the country in order to pro-
vide for these cormorants; that many
of our young men are discouraged by
the outlook in the agricultural world,
and they are seeking other fields; and
sad to say, some of them have caught
the Infection of greeds and have be-
come poisoned with that insidious and
slouching malady-sycophancy.
And sadder yet, many of our girls
are looking beneath the humble tillers
of the soil for husbands. 1t is, indeed,
a sad comment upon many of the fair
women of our land, that a high-stand-
ing collar, a pair of sp~ider-legged
pants, a pair of tooth-pick shoes, a
bob-tail coat and a pair of gold
plated eye glasses, with something in the
shape OF a man, who brawls instead of
talks, can have more influence with
them than a son of honest toll, with a
head full of brains and good common
sense, if his attire is homely, his
cheeks sun-burned and his hands hard
and horny from manly labor. Again,
| say, this state of things must be
checked. If not, then history must
inevitably repeatitself. Reduce honest
labor to slavery, and a nations tend
ency is degeneration. 1t goes down
from virtue to vice; from moderation
to voluptuousness, from the bright
summit of intelligence to the murky
plain of ignorance; from the pure
light and joy of innocence to the cess
pool of crime. Such is the history of
Rome, Greece and others.
Where, then, is the hope of our
nation =? 1t is in preserving our free
institutions. A nation has no right to
tax its subjects in favor of a few (com-
paratively) individuals. No set of
men have a right to destroy their in
dividuality by forming a combine to,
Cypress the many. Already our liber-
ties, literary, civic and religious, are
threatened.
Now, upon whom does it devolve
| To hrnoH tho fTro1Of nhoIn ond throw
off the yoke that threatens to become
too heavy to be borne? 1t devolves
upon the agricultural element of this
country more than any other. They
have more at stake than any other;
they furnish the bone and sinew of
this country; they furnish the money
of the country; they furnish the
brains. AS a class, there are higher
principles of virtue, morals and re-
ligion among them. This is true,
because they are not so given to vo
righteousness, not so much exposed to
temptation, not so ambitious of worldly
honors, and there are fewer fawning
sycophants among them.
Now, what must they do? Work
more to build up the principles that
unite them. Seek for broader intel
lectual strength, broader philanthropy,
enlarged benevolence and active be-
neficence.
Think less of finance and more of
moral excellence and religion. Then
God will be on our side; and if God
be for US, who can be against us?
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