The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-12-17

rrun ths chicsso Inter ocaan-

rIl-L tl4r 4--Nt-~ t-----
Il Is bscomirg more and more evident
eyery day that The unrrsi among the tar
mers is the coming feature Of American pom
tics. Agitate as they may the free traders
viii find that the protective tariff Of 1880 has
come to stay, modified. perhaps. but not es-
sen,ially weakened. The farmers are the
supreme power in this cOantry- and they are
not worrying and striving over the price oi
Havana cigars and French champagnes. and
they know enough 10 know that as salt
iron. steel. etc, went down in price under
ptoteciion, as soon as the protection had fair
lv had chance 10 work. 50 lin will be all
the cheaper ifmined and made al home.
They are content 10 give the new duties time
TO bear their legitimate fruit. But they are
restless and Disconnected on quite other
grounds. Whether they seek relief and
betterment through the old parties or a new
party will depend upon the developments
OF the near future.
The average farmer is very faE from being
a politician in the sense OF an ofice-seeker,
but bis political convictions are deep, clear,
and strong, based on conscientious princi-
piles. Ifa lot Of demagogues think they can
twist the granger vote and make it tail ou'
their own little kites they are bound to be
disappointed. The farmers will go with
their respective parties unless they see some
special yet general reason for breaking those
ties. Whether 1892 will be 1890 over again
with emphasis, or 1885 repeated. it would be
idle to inquire. Nor does it matter, SO far
as concerns the duty ofcongress and the
Legislatures ofthe season.
IL would be both impolitic and unpatriotic
for our legislators, National and State, to not
steer their course this winter according TO
the demands of dn;y, rather than supposed
temporary expediency /, is not enough TO
End out what the farmers want even as
suming that they are properly represented
by those protesting TO speak for them. Are
those demands based on sound reason, and
would the granting of them be really bene-
cialg 1t is equally true that those demands
must be given a careful as well as respectful
hearing no matter how foreign they may
/ be to preconoeived convictions. Hay seed
is not sign Of either sapiency or folly.
There is this much. however, in favor of
the farmers They look at public questions
from the standpoint Of mode of life requir-
/ ing both hard physical work and no littlein-
tellectuai effort. The man who undertakes
/ to run a farm BY hand instead Of by head Is
pretty sure 10 run behind and make fail
ure of il. Thinking and toiling must go
i together 10 insure success. The habit OF
running ones own machine develops the
brain, and is largely the reason the higher
walks Of life are recruited so heavily from
the rural population. This intellectually is
not clogged by the peculiarities ofagricuitu-
raj life The true statesman cares Gar more
to know what the farmers are thinking
about than any other class, not simply be-
cause they are 80 numerous. but because
they are level-hesded. and not distracted in
thought by the Perplexities or competitions
Of ordinary business. one secret of Lincoln:
marvellous craftsmanship was his RrIfound
respect for granger opinions, and if the Re
publican party wants 10 avoid breakers le
il have more of the spirit Of Lincoln and les.
of the spirit Of the supercilions child Of for
tuitous accident.