The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-10
VOORHEES, sPE AXIS.
To TIE FARMERS OF THE Country

the speech By Hon. d. u. VOORHEES,.
Of Indiana. in the Senate onMarch19:
Mr.. President There is
trouble at this time in the hearts
and uirds Of the farmers of this
county. There is a deep, strong
current Of discomfort, anxiety, and
alarm prevailing in all the farming
regions OF the United States, and
that current is growing swifter,
stronger, and more threatening every
hour. The spirit Of unrest irritation,
and reprOach is abroad amongst the
tilIers Of the soil to an extent never
before known in American history.
The millions who pillow and SOW and
reap are being moved by mighty
and concerted Impulse to inquire 10
to the causes which have led to their
present calamitoas and oppressed
condition.
| propose. on this occasion to aid
them to the extent Of my ability in
pushing this most natural and nee
easarY inquiry and in securing ar
honest and truthful answer. The
farmer is the progenitor Of the hu-
man race, and was the first to stand
10 the presence of the Creator and
to receive from Him the decree Of the
divine on the question Of labor. From
the farmers Ioins has descended the
human family, with all its wide
spread and far,reaching branches,
and wherever his dignity, honor, and
prosperity have been Ignored and
trampled under foot, there the worst
forms Of government and the darkest
scenes of barbarIsm have been found
God created a farmer to begin with i,
and IN all the ages since HIS bless
ings have been most abundant and
HIS civilization most glorious in the
history of the nations and peoples
where tho farmer has ranked highest,
and where his comfort and prosperity
have been the greatest care and chief
concern Of government.
The foundations Of all human pro-
gress are in the hands of the farmer,
and arc laid by him as be asserts
dominion by his daily toll over the
tremendous forces and iliimitable
resources or nature. Who fails to
be fascinated by contemplation of
the commerce Of the seas? TIE
thought is a most inspiring one that
at this moment the richly freighted
ships Of all the nations Of the earth
are moving through the oceans, and
! swarmirg on all the coasts and into
all the harbOrs known TO civilized
mar; and yet all this mighty system
OF commerce, traffic.. aud exchange
IS as dependent upon the corn-fields
and wheat fields of the farmer as tue
fields themselves are upon the dews
and rams and sunshine of heaven
How brilliant, wonderful, and awe>
Inspiring appear the great cities Of
the world to the casual glance Of the
unre1ecting mind.
The ordinary traveller epeeds on
and on thousands Of miles through
! farm lands, gazing listlessly at farm
houses and farm productions, think
/ ing nothing of the vast fundamental
lessons they teach, hut looking for
ward to The problems, and mysteries,
ami wealth contrivances Of the
crowded, specializing and stOck-gam-
bling city which he is rapidly ap-
proaching; and yet that city would
/ "lther and perish, shrtvcl back TO q
barren, naked beach it's wlarfs
would rot, and its swollen corpora
tons and naughty miliionaires would
dwlndle into poverty stricken skele'
tons, 20 better fed than Pharaoh IS
| lean kline, were it not that the foun-
tains Of its wealth, support. and
! grandeur are kept open and running,
lay and night, by the cultivation OF
the soil in the great domain of agri
culture.
Gilded palaces, baronial castles,
marble halls, colossal estates Outri
valing in value the richest duke
doms Of the Old World, all draw
their sustenance from the bosom oil
mother earth their roots strike deep
into the mOIl that is turned by the
piOw, and the farmer at last is made
to pay for all. 1t is estimated that
over twenty millions of the present
population of the United States
counting all ages and both sexes
are engaged in the cultivation of the
soll, and on their produc tive labor
not only the Government Itself lean:
for support, but also all otaer classes
of citizens derive from the same
source their prosperity, their wealth
and too often their profase and crimi
nal luxuries. Is it not well there
fore in the present juncture Of affairs
to turn away from less importan,
questions and look carefully into tht
condition Of the agricultural masses
who bear the burdens and constitute
the strength and glory Of the Re
public?
Sir, it is now nearly thirty years
since the crisis of a terrible war gave
to unhallowed avarice An opportu
nifty to prey upon the self-sacri6cing
patriotism of the country and t
plumber the working people of thel
hard and honest earnings, such a:
was never before IL the history o
nations presented to the basest pas,
sion and most sordid odious vice II
the fallen nature Of man. In all tn,
financial cOunsels of the Govern
ment at that time, Mammor, tn,
demon Of riches for the foyored few