Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-04-23
FARMERS AND WAGE-EARNERS.
How High Protective Tariff is Eating
Up the Farmers.
SPEECH

HON. DANIEL w. VOORHEES,,
of Indiana.
In the Senate of the United States,
Wednesday, March 10, 1890.
The resolution submitted by Mr.. VooR
HEEs on the 17th of March was read, as fol.
fows -
Whereas the deep and widespread depression
and decay of the agricultural interests OF
the American people, the enormous and
ness on agricultural lands. the total
| failure of home markets to furnish remu
palpable scarcity and insuficiency of money
in circulation in the hands of the people with
which to transact the business of the country
fair rates. are circumstances of the most over
whelmfng importance to the safety and the
| ll-being of the Government: Therefore,
| Be it resoIued That it is the highest duty Of
Congress in the present crisis to lay aside all
discussion and consideration of mere party is
sues and to give prompt and immediate atten-
tion to the preparation and adoption OF such
measures as are required for the relief OF the
farmers and other overtaxed and underpaid
tlaborers of the United States.
Mr.. VOORHEES,. Mr.. President, there
is trouble at this time in the hearts and
minds of the farmers of this county,
There is deep, strong current of discon-
tent, anxiety, and alarm prevailing in all
the farming regions OF the United States,
and that current is growing swifter, strong.
er, and more threatening every hour. The
spirit of unrest. irritation, and reprOach is
tabr0ad amongst the tillers of the soil to an
extent never before known in American
history. The millions who plow and SOW
and reap are being moved by mighty and
/ &oI To ,&r& = 10
which have led to their present calamitous
and oppressed condition.
propose, on this occasion, to aid them
to the extent of my ability in pushing this
most natural and necessary inquiry, and in
securing an honest and truthful answer
| The farmer is the prOgenitor of the human
| race. and was the first to stand in the pres
ence of the Creator and to receive from
Him the decree Oh the divine mind on the
question of labor. From the farmers loins
has descended the human family, with all
it's widespread and far-reaching branches,
and wherever his dignity, honor and pros
perity have been ignored or trampled under
| foot, there the worst forms of government
and the darkest scenes of barbarian have
| been found. God created a farmer to begin
with, and in all the ages since His blessings
| have been most abundant and His civiliza
|
nations and peoples where the farmer has
ranked highest, and where his comfort and
prosperity have been tie greatest care and
chief concern of government.
The foundations of all human progress
are in the hands of the farmer, and are laid
| by him as he asserts dominion by his daily
toll over the tremendous forces and illimi-
| table resources Of nature. Who fails to be
| fascinated by contemplation Of the COM
merce of the seas? The thought is a most
| inspiring one that at this moment the
richly-freighted ships of all the nations of
| the earth are moving through all the oceans,
and swarming on all the coasts and into all
| the harbors known to civilized man; and
yet all this mighty system of commerce,
| traffic. and exchange is as dependent upon
the corn-fields and wheat-felds of the
farmer as the fields themselves are upon
the dews and rains and sunshine of heaven.
| How brilliant, wonderful, and awe-inspir.
| ing appear the great cities of the world to
the casual glance of the unrefecting mind.
The ordinary traveller speeds on and on,
thousands Of miles through farm lands,
gazing listlessly at farm houses and farm
productions, thinking nothing of the vast
fundamental lessons they teach, but look
ing eagerly forward to the problems, mys
j teries, and wealth contrivances of the
crowded, speculating, stock gambling city
which he is rapidly approaching; and yet
that city would witheE and perish, shrivel
back to barren, naked beach; it's wharfs
would rot, and its swollen corporations and
naughty millionaires would dwipde into
poverty stricken skeletons, no better fed
than Pharaohs lean kline, were it not that
the fountains of all its wealth, support,
and grandeur are kept open and running,
day and night, by the cultivation of the
soil in the great domain of agriculture.
Gilded palaces, baronial castles, marble
halls, colossal estates outrivaling in valne
the richest dukedoms of the Old World all
draw their sustenance from the bosom OF
mother earth; their roots strike deep into
the mold that is turned by the plow, and
the farmer at last is made to pay for all. Ii
is estimated that over twenty millions oi
the present population Of the United States,
counting all ages and both sexes, are en-.
gagged in the cultivation of the soil, and or
their productive labor, not only the Gov
ernment itself leans for support, but alse
all other classes of citizens derive from the
same source their prosperity, their wealth
and too often their profnse and crimina
Injuries. Is it not well, therefore, in the
; present juncture of affairs, to turn away
from less important questions and lcoE
carefully into the condition OF the agrlcul
tural masses, who bear the burdens apc
constitute the strength and glory of the
Republic.
Sir, it Is now nearly thirty years since
the crisis Of terrible war gave to uphal
lowed avarice an opportunity to prey upor
the self-sacrifoing patriotism of the 'coun
try and to plu.der the laboring people O
their hard and honest earnings, such al
was never before in the history of nations
presented to the basest passion and mos
sordid and odious vice in the fallen nature
of man. La all the financial counsels o
the Government at that time, Mammon
the demon of riches for the favored few
seemed to preside and control.
Mammon the least erected spirit that fell
From heaven; for cen in heaven his looks an(
thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more
The riches of heavens pavement, trodden gold
Than aught divine or holy else enjoyed
In vision beatific.
Nor did this evil god of i'll gotten wealth
this fallen angel of greed and lust for gold
once a dweller in heaven, but now an in
habitant of hell, for moment fall short O
his delineation by Milton when, in his base
hard, grinding, and oppressive spirit, on