The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-10-01
ATTACKING THE FARMERS.
A Mouthpiece OF Plutocracv INDUCES in
Reckless Talk. III


Reckless Talk.
The farmers who are endeavoring to
relieve themselves of some of the op-
pressive burdens imposed upon them by
Republican class legislation will be in
terested in a few remarks in recent is
sue of the New York Tribune, the lead
ing Republican organ of the United
States.
The Tribune says that "the condition
| agriculture has long been a favorite
topic of politicians and demagogues on
on all sides;;' that "the farmers are
many" and like to believe that they
have been wronged;" that eff they have
made any errors of Judgment or conduct,
they naturally incline to believe the
,demagogues who tell them that their
troubles are not Of their own causing,
but have been produced by railroads, or.
elevators, OR banks, or money-lenders,
or. somebody or something else;" that
"a large proportion of the farmers are
steadily accommodating profits either in
the form Of more land owned and paid
for or in money invested;" and that
"only minority. fail to accumulate,
wealth, either through theia. 0aon inca
| pacity or from other causes
We can not:belieye that the farmers
throughout the country, who have re-
Gently been organizing themselves into
alliances and other associations for the
purpose of securing fair treatment from
the National Congress and State Legis-
latures, will relish this kind of talk
from the principal newspaper mouth
| piece of protection and monopolies
Will the Tribune succeed in convincing
them that they have no real grievances;
that as u class they are becoming
wealthy, and that such troubles as they
have are due to their own incapacity or
| extravaganza? we doubt it very much.
/ The average farmer knows very well
that his calling is improbable and has
been for number of years; that the
| prices of his principal products have
been steadily declining; that he has to
sell these products in competition with
the entire world, while he is compelled
to buy what he consumes in artifcially
restricted markets; that the tendency
of nearly all the financial and economic
legislation of the country for quarter
of acentury has been to build up other
classes of people at his expenses; that
the cities are rapidly growing in wealth
and population, while the rural districts
are declining in respect of both; that
the value of farming lands all over the
country is decreasing, while city prop
erty is everywhere advancing; that his
/ life is one of constant toll and self
denial, while that of the city dweller
is relieved by many pleasures, and
privileges which are denied him; and
that the principal causes of these things
are bad government and unjust legisla-
tion. Knowing these things, the intel
ligent farmer will resent with spirit
tho untruthful and offensive language
which the Tribune employs toward him.
We have before us a petition which the
Farmers alliances in the Eighth judi
cial district of Kansas have addressed to
the Judge of that district 1t affords a
striking commentary upon the Trib-
une's complacent assurances to the
farmers that all of them are prosperous
who deserve to be- The petition reads:
/ To HON. NJ B. NICHOLSON, JUDGE OF THE
| EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF KANSAS:
4 In view of the disastrous failure Of crops and
the general stringency OF money matters we,
the undersigned petitioners, do hereby most
earnestly request that proceedings in the fore
| closure OF all rcal-cstate mortgages now pend
/ ing, Or that may be commenced within one year
from date be delayed tt,
]; Not all the farmers of the country are
d so badly off as those of the Eighth judi
cal district of Kansas, but great num-
bers of them are, and there are very
few indeed, who receive adequate re-
turns for their labor. The organs of the
tariff rings. will find it. uphill :work. to
convince them that every thing is love.
ly with them and that the grievances
they complain of are imaginary In
dianapolis Sentinel.