Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-10-11
LIBELENG THE FAKnERS.

The Democrat press in general, and William l..
wilson in particular have devoted a great deal of
time in recent years to the discussion of the farmer
and OF bis condition, and this hard working but thrift
ty individual has been painted in coors which would
disgust the most object and degraded tramp who fol-
lows the road. The farmer has been represented as
in such deplorabe condition that the or.house
would be only too welcome a refuge from the poverty
OF the farm His hardshps and sulferings are define.
ated in such mournfu coors that the public mind is
filled with commiseration that so much poverty pre-.
walls among class prominently worthy of the fat of
the land Buildings are delapidated, fences have
rotted away, weeds and brers have displaced grain
and grass, the and horses are lean and gaunt.
the children iterate and lclothed and the farm
er spends his days and nights contemplating the fore
closure of mortgages which have grown with far
greater rapidity than did Jonah's gourd Accord
ing to their mourniu tale, the life of the peasant in
France previous to the Revolution was one of ease and
plenty compared with that OF the American farmer of
the present day, and the scenes daily witnessed in
Holland and Germany where women are htched with
horses to the pillow would be picture of delight CON-
pared with the terrible blight which has fallen upon
the once prosperous and happy ters of the soil in our
own land.
Turning from these untruthfu and libelous state.
ments what do we find as a matter of factf We
assert without fear of successful contradiction that in
no other country is the average farmer so happy and
prosperous as he is in this and no former erod of
the countrys history does this statement so fully apply
as the present Few people realize what immeasur
able Improvement in his lot has taken place during the
last thirty years. Comforts and Injuries have been
multiplied far beyond anything of the kind 10 any pre-
vious period Not only has the scale of living been
raised far beyond that Of any former period but the
abors OF the farm have been lessened BY the nroduc
ton OF all kinds Of agricultural machinery until the
farmer is relieved absolutely from many OF the most
grievous burdens which made farm life distastefu in
former generations. His honse is more modern in
modern in character and more convenient in arrange
ment, his family enjoys books and newspapers wholly
ont OF reach of the farmer of generation ago, bis
children are better fed better clothed and better edu
Gated his stock is OF higher and better grade his
farming utensils are less costly and better adapted to
bis wants. and last but not least be under less actual
mortgage Indebtedness than ever before
In order to demonstrate the truth Of what we saw
we will take Mr.. Wilson's own county that of JeTer
son. We allege that it is improving more under a
protective tariff than before in its history There
is virtually no forced sales of land the mortgage Ina
btes arr decreasing, the people enjoy more of the
comforts OF lie than ever BEFORE fences are better and
the farms are improving each year. What do the
farmers oil that rich and prosperous county think of
their representative in Congress decrying the coud
ton OF themselves and their property for the
OF making little cheap political captalf Is it not
about tine to turn leaf and dispense with dema
gognery