Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-01-29
The Farmers Friend.
a TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN La FoL
LETTE.
WIsconsia Tobacco Reporter.


EDITOR TOBACCO REPoRTER:-I have
been wondering if the tobacco growers
and other farmers of Congressman La
Follette's district do not begin to feel
| like kicking themselves all around the
state for permitting his defeat. If they
all know as well as do how much they
are indebted to him for those features Of
the Mckinley bill which afford long
sought and sorely needed protection IN
their tobacco and barley. they certainly
would feel ashamed of their apathy and
inactivity in the late campaign. am
farmer myself as well as a tobacco grow
| er. [ realize that farmers in Wisconsin
and all over this country have not had
their interest any too we'll looked after
by our statesmen and law makers. am
interested in the farmers organizations
and in all their united efforts to bring
the needs of their calling to the atten-
ton of national and state legislatures.
believe much good will come from
such political upheavals as was wit
messed last fall. But if farmers would
accomplish their purposes they must act
with discrimination. They must be
able to distinguish between a wise,
steadfast and powerful friend and the
average politicians who approve them.
They must be on the alert to sustain
aud back up their friend as well as to
set back their enemies.
As one of the representatives of the
tobacco growing industry, as well as by
slight experience in public life, / have
in the past few years seen a considerable
OF the influential men of our national
legislature and from the stand point of
farmer. | am free to say there is ne
man in Congress to. day in either Senate
or House who has better earned by
faithfulness and efficiency of service the
highest regard and earnest support of
our agricultural constituency than that
bright bold and vigorous young cham
pion of the farmers cause, Hon. Robt NJ.
LaFollette. Not only did his district
sustain loss in his defeat, but his state
and the whole country are deprived of
q sagacious law maker who though
young is wise and though wise has the
impetuosity and courage of youth.
Though but little over thirty years of
age and in his third term in Congress,
he was given place in the most impor-
tant committee in either house and by
his ability, industry and sober wisdom
he won a position of influence in that
committee, second only to the chairman
! himself, and he used his abilities and his
/ position of Influence to tie utmost tor
the protection and advancement of the
| interest of the farmers of his state and
the whole country. There were farmers
in New York state and in Pennsylvania
who would have cheerfully gone in the
| interest of his reelection among the
| farmers of his district had they supposed
there was not then = full appreciation of
the Importance of his service to our in
dustries. / remember hearing Col. V.
+. Hiollet, prominent protectionist DEM
ocrat who appeared before the Ways and
Means committee in behalf of protection
to agriculture, say to Mr.. La Toilette
that if the Wisconsin farmers realized
/ what he was doing for them they ought
| to be ready to fight man who would
cast vote against him. Mr.. Piollet
was then nearly eighty years old, bat
/ volunteered his services to the valient
young champion of the farm. He said
he would stump for bin in Wisconsin
with q hearty good will and there were
few better political speakers, in all Penn
sylvania at least, than was Col Piollet
who several times during the pendancy
of the McKinly bill visited Washington
and vigorously advocated its passage.
Such organs of the importers and for
eicn syndicates as the U. S. Tobacco
journal have sought to violate the work
of Mr.. LaFolette They have harped
about the "hayseed" politician. They
have talked of"La Folette's folly"
This folly" consisted in being true to
the interest of the tobacco growers of
this country. He was not ashamed of
the ''haYseed' appellation for to him it
was recognition by the enemies of the
farmers, that he was the farmers friend
and so much the farmers friend as to be
feared and dispised by those who sought
to cripple and ruin the farmers by hos
tile legislation.
trust the day will come when the
farmers OF Wisconsin will rise up and
right the wrong which they permitted
to be done to Mr.. La Toilette, not so
much on his account as their own A