Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-23
FARMERS In POLITICS.
They Are Asked to Give Opinions
Upon Agricultural Products,
BUT INSTEAD MAKE PRESIDENTS.
Blaine and Cleveland Ahead as Candidates
of the Two Parties.
HARRISON AND HILL GOOD SECONDS

SPRINGFIELD, MASS, Dec. 22.-An
elaborately planned canvass to ascertain the
opinions of farmers throughout the country
on certain practical, economic and political
questions has been conducted on an exten-
sive seal. for the past three months by the
agricultural press of Springfield. In order
to reach the farmers OF the whole United
States. the enterprise was worked in the
New England States through the NeU
England Homestead; in the Atlantic and
Middle States through the eastern edition of
Farm and Home, while the Central States,
West and South, the Northwest ard the
Pacific Slope were reached through the
western edition of Farm and Home, pub
llshed at Chicago.
The voting was not confined to subscrib-
ers of these journals and nearly 100, 900 cards
were received answering these questions:
First-ls the silo system worthy of general
adoption?
second-what is the greatest need in the
dairy?
Third-What is most needed in beef produc-
ton?
Fourth-In sheep husbandry what advice
most needs to be followed?
Fitth-What change or Improvement is most
needed II horse breeding?
reueral A1d to Agriculture.
Sixth-A. Is Federal aid to agricultural col
lege and experiment stations wise policy2 b.
Should the rudiments of the agricultural
science be taught in the public schools?
Seventh-A. Will the new tariff help Ameri-
can farming as a whole? B. Will the proposed
reciprocity with South America benefit our
farmers? c. Will reciprocity with Canada help
the farmers of the United States?
Eighth-Would il be wise to suspend the
from sale or occupancy all public lands for agri-
cultural and grazing purposes, for a period of
years, in the hope that population and con-
sumption might catch up with psoduction, and
thus relieve agricultural depression?
Ninth-A. Should Government own and oper-
ate the telegraph? B. Should Government own
the railroads?
The Last the Most Important.
TeIth-Who should be the Republican and
Democratic nominee tor the Presidency In 1892?
Mote that the question is who should be, not
who will be, our idea being to draw out the far
mers' views as to the best men for the presi-
dency, rather than guess who the politicians
may set up).
The answers have been fully tabulated,
only so far as they relate to the last uues-
tion, but enough has been done to show that
Federal aid to agricultural education and
the teaching of agricultural science in rural
public schools are overwhelmingly in
dorsed. The sentiment regarding Govern
ment ownership of railroads is quite evenly
divided. A great many who vote against
such ownership insist on Government super
vision and full control of railroads. The
views expressed as to the new tariff law,
reciprocity, and the proposed modification
of the national land policy are so diverse
that it will be some days before they are
classified.
The Vote on Presidential Preferences.
In reference to the vote for Presidential
candidates, it is explained that the journals
interested interpreted the November cleo
tions as meaning that the farmers were
weary of old favorites and old measures and
demanded new men and new issues. These
journals therefore advocated j. NJ. Rusk, OF
Wisconsin, the Secretary of Agriculture,
and Congressman William NJ. Hatch, of
Missouri, ex-Chairman OF the House Com
mittee on Agriculture, as the proper Repub-
lican and Democratic standard bearers for
1892.
In spite of this influence, however, the
farmers expressed their preferences for
Presidential candidates in the following
manner:
The Republican Preferences.