The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-05

tho virginia IaffneIs cOHlplhlus III vioof W
find out what these grievances are large
number of interviews are to be held with lead
ing farmers in every part of the State. Com
munications are to be forwarded for written
expression of opinion, and every means are
20 be used TO obtain the views Of agriculturists
on the point to be elucidated.
What is to be done with this information
when obtained? What good is TO be accom-
plished by it? This is only known in the
occult recesses Of the Secretary's brain.
There is no reason why Mr.. Rusk should i'm
pose upon his agent in this State at this hot
season the heavy task Of collecting tho e1-
pressions Of opinion Of thousand Virginia
farmers. The answer 10 bis question Is
plain one. and The TINES will proceed TO re-
leve the Agricultural Department of the e1-
pense of obtaining replies in the manner
proposed by giving this answer at once.
The purely local grievances OF the virginia
farmers, it may be first remarked. do not OF
course, come within the purview OF the Secre-
tary's question. To say that they do IS 10
acknowledge that Mr.. Rusk is interfering IN
matter that cannot even by stretch of his
flexible imagination be brought within tue
sphere of his duties as national officer. The
grievances Of our farmers that are dependent
upon local conditions can only be
removed by ocal legislation. The Secretary
would not presume it may be fairly supposed.
10 inquire as to these special grievances. be-
cause it must be admitted even by him that
his department has no concern in them from
any point of view 1t must therefore be the
grievances Of our farmers thatare more or less
national in their bearing about which be is
seeking information. The question Of the
Secretary can therefore be answered in few
words.
The grievances of our farmers which lie be-
yond the scope of remedial State legislation.
are, first and above all, that the farmers are
ground down by the operation of the most
tyrannical. oppressive, and outrageous tariff
that was ever imposed upon civilized peo-
pie, tariff that virtually amounts to confs-
cation, tariff that not only eats up the
profit on agriculture but also the capital in
form of land and stock, tariff that throws a
Chinese wall around the United States, and
thereby deprives our famers OF foreign mar
kets in which they could sell to the highest
advantage.
The second grievance of our Virginia farm
ers is that the General Government under
which they live is administered in spirit OF
of such wastefulness by the Republican
party that it has been brought TO the verge Of
bankruptcy. Money wrung from the sweat
of our farmers in the wheat, corn and to-
bacco fields Of the State is poured like water
into the laps of pension-grabbers. unscrupu-
lous jobbers. wildcat spectators and de-
signing schemers. Instead Of strict economy
there is the grossest extravaganza; instead Of
careful business methods. there is looseness
indescrbable and unexampled.
These are.the principal grievances ofthe Viz
ginia farmers. Can the Hon. Jerry Rusk rem
edy them? Certainly not as long as he re-
mains an obsequious servant of the party
whose policy has brought all these terrible
evils upon our people.