The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-03-27

ton bat it enables the farmer to cul-
tivate both ways and get over his crop
quickly at time when it needs plow-
ing badly and when hoe labor is
scarce and dear. The checking
may be done in two ways. The lows
may be laid off at right angles as in
corn planting and the seed dropped
by hand, or it may be put in with
planter in the usual way. Should this
plan be adopted an extra quantity of
seed should be planted to insure a
good stand. This is absolutely essen
tial when the checking is done aft r
planting or missed hills would lessen
the crop. Given a good stand the
checking can be quickly and well done
by running sweep across the rows,
leaving uncut hills at any desired dis
lance. The cotton should be we'll up
before this is done, and the hoe should
follow to reduce the plants to a proper
stand.
THE FARMER AND POLITICS.
The farmers are accustomed to
hearing that they should take no
hand in politics, that the raising of
crops for the sustenance of the peo-
pie is their high and holy mission,
and that things political should be
left to those who are built that way
and make them their business.
They have heard this doctrine
preached so long that they have
been content to accept it as gospel
truth, and have left the management
of State and national affairs unques-
tioningly in the hands of professional
politicians, division of labor quite to
the satisfaction and profit of the latter
body. Of course every candidate for
public office gives his s>lemn pledge
that he seeks only the public welfare,
and the man with the hoe is assured
that his interest will always rank first.
How these pledges and assurances are
fulfilled can be seen in the condition
OF the farming class throughout the
country.
In a speech before The senate last
week Senator Voorhees, of Indiana
drew attention to the prevailing agri-
cultural distress, and quoted pregnant
statistics in proof of his statements.
He said the farms of Ohio were mort
gagged to the amount of $300,000000
and those of Illinois were security for
$4O2, 100000. Forty-seven per cent Of
the whole surface of Michigan is I'M
der mortgage. The States OF Indiana,
Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and
the whole Northwestern farm lands
are mortgaged to the extent of 25 to
5O per cent. These are startling
facts, and are evidence that there
must be some cause for the
evil. Owing to wise clause in our
constitution which prevents the
mortgaging of Texas homesteads, the
total amount reported as due under
mortgages on Texas farms for 1888
was SO ,297 1854, and it is estimated
that not more than five per cent. of
Texas farms are under mortgage
This is favorable showing, but is
not due to the wisdom of our present
lawmakers, either state or national.
Many causes conspire to make the
farmers occupation a hard one finan-
cially, but there is one towering away
above all others which deserves to be
mathematical and that is our pro-
tective tariff system. There is no
hope of reform till the farmer realizes
the enormity of the curse and takes
political action. The Farmers ALI
ance, Grange and kindred organiza-
tions are doing good work education
ally, but their various constitutions
prohibit political action, without
which political reform is impossible.
1t is time for action, and farmers
should combine on political plat
form, not necessarily as a new party,
but with view to influencing legis-
lation. They hold the balance of
power and could, if so willed, compel
either or any party to accede to their
demands. Such action would at once
be condemned by the professional
politician, as his occupation would be
gone, and he would warn in fervid
tones the misguided agriculturists of
the folly of their action.
80 long as farmers are content to be
mere hewers of wood and drawers of
water for politicians, monopolists and
manufacturers, so long do they de-
serve to bear the burdens under
which they now groan and grumble.
Let every farmer take an intelligent
interest in politics and there will soon
be bloodless revolution that will be
more potent in the development and
prosperity of our great country than
the one we commemorate on the 18th
ofJuly.