Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-01-23
5seIntnttt Chronicle.
THURSDAY, JANUARY %, 1890.
FARMERS AND CONGRESS.

FARMERS AND CONGRESS.
Cleveland Leaeer.
The Grand Master of the Wisconsin
State Grange, in his late address to the
order, contended that there ought to be
more farmers elected to Congress. This
is matter which is very much in the
control of the farmers themselves They
are in the majority in many districts,
and if they do not use their power to
put themselves forward for positions
that they are capable Of holding they
can only blame themselves. If they
educate themselves and their children
to become public speakers, and if they
take an active part in public affairs,
there is no reason why they should not
be more numerously represented in Con-
gress. But the greatest obstacle to this
is that when the farm boy gets good
education he wants to come to the city
and be railroad magnate, a successful
lawyer, or merchant prince. The best
lawyers in our cities are, as a rule, men
who were bred on farms. After they
get pretty well along in their profess
ion, they invariably seek the more Iu-
crative field in the city. The preemi-
nence of their families generally begins
and ends with them. Their children,
born, reared, and educated in the midst
of the city's plenty, inherit a bright
name, but seldom rise above respecta-
BILE mediocrity.
OF the Presidents of the United States
one might count on the fingers of one
hand those that were not born in
the country or small towns. The fathers
of thirteen out of the twenty-three were
farmers or planters, and these thirteen
Presidents were more or less reared to
farm work. In the present Congress
many of the Senators and Representa-
tiyes were born and reared upon farms
or plantations. Had they not possessed
superior ability and enjoyed educational
advantages they never would have left
the plow. General Garfield was lawyer
and farmer, and between sessions of
Congress he worked ON his farm at Men
tor, following the plow for hours at a
time. No farmer could regret to see his
son leave the farm and rise to high dig
nifty and honor, filling posts of great
usefulness to his country, and leaving a
name and fame among men. But it is
hardly possible for him to stick to his
farm work and remain a farmer and at
the same time be a statesman and a
scholar. If he has the ability he will
naturally leave the hard work of the
farm for more congenial pursuits. If
the farmers educate their sons to be
statesmen they will not toll on the farm;
if they bring them up to be farmers they
will not, as a rule be likely to become
statesmen. But there are many we'll
educated farmers, endowed with the
best of common sense, who might by a
little more attention to politics, figure
conspicuously in public affairs and be
of great service to their country.
DISCOMFORTS OF THE PASTE
Nowadays the workingman enjoys
Injuries in furniture which; were but
three centuriessago beyond the reach of
the king. Even in the time of Eliza
beth the comfort of a carpet was seldom
felt, and the luxury of &. fork unknown.
Rushes commonly supplied the place
of the former, and fingers were the in
variable substitute of the latter. The
bedding of this period is stated to have
been straw pallets, or rough mats, cov-
cred only with a sheet, under coverlets
made of skins of animals, and a good
round log instead of bolster or pill
low.
A householder of seven years after
marriage thought himself well lodged
with mattress of flock bed, and a sack
of chaff for pillow. Even ''the lord of
the town" seldom lay in a. bed of down
or whole feathers.
As for servants if they had any sheet
above them, it was well; for seldom had
they under their bodies to keep them
from the pricking straws that ran oft
through the canvas of the pallet.
Again in Skipton Castle, one of the
most splendid mansions of the north at
this period, there were not more than
seven or eight beds, nor had any of the
chambers either chair, glasses or carpets.
In merchants house, about the same
period, we find the parlor had wains-
cot, table, and few chairs; the cham
bers above had two "best BEDS" and
there was one servants bed; but the in
ferior servants had only mattresses on
the floor.
Yet this merchant is supposed to have
been better supplied than the neighbor-
ing gentry. His plate, however, con-
sisted of sixteen spoons and few COB
lets and ale pots.
THE GRAVE GETS TIRED YAWNING,
Seemingly, for certain wretched invalids
who toddle feebly along, though always
looking as if they were going to die, but
emitting to do it. They dry up, wither,
dwindle away finally, but in the mean
time never having robust health, know
nothing of the physical enjoyment, the
Zest of that existence to which cling with
such remarkable tenacity. They are al
ways to be found trying to mend by tink-
ering at themselves with some trashy
remedy, tonic or 'pick me up" to give
flip to digestion, or 'help the liver" If