The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-12-25
FAnMRaw nionra



Thinking that the farmers srs too
busy. are too ignorant 20 cohcsrn
themselves about government our law
makers have not concerned themselves
very much about agricultural interests;
ss least not ia such n way e 70 pro-
tect or help the producer. Indeed.
until recently the politician has not
regarded the farmer as factor Of any
importance in the civil problems Of
this country. The latter has been
looked upon as 3 voter simply. -one
who should cast his vote Without ques-
ton and according to the direction Of
some party leader.
So tamely and - long has this pcli-
cy been accepted. that il 4 probably
not very surprising that the politicians
should be indignant ss they now Ave.
because the farmers are presuminR to
claim some recognition La the discus
sfOns Of government and 70 express =
wish to share in It's benefits.
Assumptions unquestioned soon BE-
come rights In the eyes of those who
make them and 'squattsr sover-
eighty has become as bold IN politics
as ever it was IN the Western re-
serves 1t Is strange that IL has oeen
submitted to so long. No doubt many
party leaders have come really. 70
think. that because farmers have not
asserted their rights that they have
forfeited them by the law Of hmita-
tiona
This is serious mistake and the
sooner 1t L. recognized the better
We give below from the Western
Rural a non-partisan. fair and dis
passionate statement of some rights
which farmers may still claim.
Please read Il In the same spirit OF
equity.
There are certain rights which
calm, fair judgement will accord to
the farmer. even though 1t may be the
judgement of some one who Is not
pleased with all that the farmer does-
The farmer has been drifting toward
independent political action more and
more. and naturally this does not
please the partisan. who in his anger
may not stop to think that the pro
ducers of the country have suffered
real wrongA and that these wrongs
ought to be redressed The Rural Is
not . partisan paper and hence gives
no advice as to what the farmers
should do politically. Nor are we
politicians but We believe thGt IL is
good common sense to say that the
old parties can break up any in
dependent political movement 10 no
way so surely as they can by
making an honest inquiry into the
merits of the complaints of the farm
ing community and then set them
selves about the work of encouraging
reform where 1t is needed. It is all
folly for our great city partisan dailies
to keep harping about good crops. In
the first place it will require more than
one good crop to enable the farmer to
square himself after all his years of
misfortune and hence those who think
that the farmers political creed be-
gins and ends with his pocket-bo
will find that even with bursting grain
bins and corn cribs the supposed mild
inspiration to the farmers remon-
STRANGE to things as they exist = slim
pocketsoook-will still remain after
paying his Indebtedness. At least that
VIM be true in q sufficient number Of
cases TO make q good sized army of
FAULT finders
But the farmer Is acting upon prin-
ciple. He has been g student Of the
tendencies OF the time He knows
that he has been overchArged by the
railroads and rings and trusts He
knows that taxation IL not equal and
that no is the main sufferer from the
inequality. he knows that while he
Is producing the nations wealth to 9
very large degree. he Is not getting
his share 81 IL; and everybody who
knows anything at all about II
knows that too. While farming
should be in the nature Of the case
probable in this country. Il Is not; and
| 1t is not probable because OF prevsnta-
tive causes Now. the newspapers. az
q rule. are not in favor Of robbing the
| producer. but they become angry BE-
cGuss the producer does MOI quietly
submit to partisan authority. Not only
| justice. but the welfare of political
| pzrties demand hone It fair treatment
of the farmer. and that truth will yet
be recognized. - Southern AIliancs
| Farmer.