St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-19
AN ELECTION JUNKET.

The bill Senator PIERCE has intro
dueed in the senate, providing commits
sion to find out why the farmers are not
getting rich, is an election device of
some ShrewdneSs. The senator drew
the short term, and as the long term
man represents the same part of the
state, it is a matter of difficulty for the
senator to so fix up the home situation
that he can get into the siX-years term
TO be filled by the legislature to be
elected this year. The perplexity of the
situation is enhanced by the fact that
about three fourths of the population is
located east of both of the senators, and
includes the famous Red river valley, a
region as prolific in material for sena-
tors and statesmen as it is in its peerless
wheat. 1t has score of men who
would not only be willing to go to the
senate in place of PIERCE, but look upon
him as lucky man Of the hour,
who is inferior to them in ability. In
view of this situation it was necessary
for the senator not only to keep the old
fences in repair, but to build new ones.
In his state everybody likes to be re-
garded as farmer. With this view of
the lay of the land, it may be easily I'M
derstood why the senator should intro
duce bill to provide a commission
nOminally in the interest of the farm
ers. 1t provides for conclave of seven
persons to go about the country and ask
the farmers what is the reason that
they are not prosperous. 1t assumes
that the agricultural interests are de-
pressed, and this IS matter of solicit
tude to the senator. Consequently, he
wants the president to select seven men,
of whom four shall be farmers, to
spend perhaps seven to ten months
going about over the country,
at ten dollars a day, asking the
farmers what is the matter with them.
AS they would not have to report till
next December, it is not expected thew
would miss many of the $40 days. The
view of the partisan and narrow-mirded
has been indicated. They assume that
the senator, having been an occasional
resident of the agricultural territory
and state Of Dakota for three or four
years, knows all about the interests of
the farmers and could give all the
lieeuHu ltllOI iiiollOi. Duls UclllS III a tlg 1t
place politically, he wants to attach TO
himself the dominant voting element
Outside of his state, where the personal
situation is not understood, his action
excites much criticism. Republican
papers are even more critical than
Democrats. They look upon it as a
dangerous concession that the high
protective tariff is not benefiting
the farmer. Senator PIERCE ought
to know that if the farmer is not doing
as well as he should it IS all owing to
the excessive charges of the railroads
in shipping his products, and the fact
that protection has not had time, or is
not prohibitory enough, to build up the
home market to absorb everything the
farmer can grow. Uncharitable Demo-
Gratis and tariff reformers look upon if
as, aside from the personal assets, a
party scheme to bridge over the hazard
Gus situation and hunt up delusive rea-
sons that will divert the attention of
the farmers from the real facts. Sc
lected by high tariff champion. the
commission would work in that inter
est, and whitewash the oppressive mo-
nopoly features. If it were an honest
effort to benefit the farmer, junketing
tour at cost of many thousand dollors
would not be the preliminary essential.
It should be treated as a mere election
expedient.