The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-11-13

of the most numerous class of their
constituents"
Each reader will probably decide for
himself how far these statements cor
respond with the truth. That they are
true of some farmers we have no doubt;
but we do seriously doubt their being
more true of farmers than of any other
class of American citizens. We have
never seen more intense partisan big
otry or more of it, anywhere, than
among men and women belonging to
what are called the educated classes
professional and business people, and
capitalists. We object decidedly, there
fore, to this indictment of the farmer,
specially regarded. And as to matters of
opinion, aside from prepossessions of
various kinds which from the beginning
tend to bias all of us, one way or the
other, we must remember that no one
can stand shilly-shally between con-
tending opinions upon practical matters
calling for immediate political action.
The very fact which all admit, that in
free countries parties must eXist-that
they are necessary in order that every
measure should have full discussion
before being submitted to the test of
practical trial-secures beforehand the
practical admission that no discredit at
taches to any man for the political
opinions he holds. Most of the great
points at issue in each generation re-
quire not only discussion, but fair
trial, before it can be positively settled
which view in regard to them is the
true one. Often it happens that the
test of time shows both sides more or
less in the wrong. Meantime the chance
must be considerably less than one in
two that any particular citizen will hold
exactly the right opinion in every case.
All people must have more or less
clear conception of these truths, and it
is a fact that very rarely is any man so
much bigot as he may appear to be
when excited over points of controversy.
This is shown by the freedom of social
| intercourse and intermarriage between
families of different opinions, political
| or religious. Were these not true, we
| should never see the decision of ma
jorities so calmly acquiesced in. One
party is nearly always willing that the
other should have the opportunity to
try its measures, if by argument it can
convince a sufficient number of voters
to give it the power to do so. And the
very fact of the close equality of num-
bers in our two great parties, continu-
ing generation after generation, shows
that they exist more from the very
nature of mankind than from any ir-
rational intensity of passion, such as
marks the bigot. When the reverse APP
pears to be true, here in America, il
sonal interests of large portions of our
people have been endangered, as in
the matters of slavery, free trade, etc.
Down at the bottom, when we come to
reflect, we are all conscious, even in
the midst of hot dispute, that Ameri-
cans agree upon ten points where they
differ on one; and this consciousness
insures essentially friendly relations
between all our people, in spite of the
differences, however wide, that may
exist on particular questions. But
while this is all true, and while the eX'
tract given above is very much toe
highly colored, it does indicate faults
which exist among our farmers as
well as other classes of citizens. Thai
they do not produce all the evils which
it appears that they might do, is due tC
the fundamental common sense of the
people, and the stern condemnation
which all our public men proved guilty
of prostituting public interests to private
gain meet with from us all without dis.
tinction of party.