Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1891-11-20
From the Pioneer Press
LOST IN THE SHUTTLE.

From the Pioneer Press.
LOST IN THE SHUTTLE.
Every intelligent farmer must ask
himself where he comes in as he looks
at the crazy efforts Of half dozen diff
ferent warning organizations to assert
their right to his vote. 1t is not very
long since there first appeared u dis
position on the part Of farmers to Or
ganize and look after their own inter-
ests. This was always local, a conse-
quence of some local abuse in man
agement of elevators or discrimination
in freight rates, or something of the
kind, and the first activity Of those
interested was confined to bringing
the force of their demands to bear
upon the members of the state ]egisla-
lures elected by old political parties.
The movement was very successful, as
it was bound to be: for both parties
are anxious to defer to so important a
part Of their constituencies, and
reasonable reforms were made ev-
erywhere that this method was fol-
lowed. So far. the organization Of the
farmer was al entire success.
1t was at this point that the politi-
clan stepped in. He found the agri-
culturalist made fully conscious Of his
own power, and filled by his very sue
cesses with a conviction that there
could be no limit to it. He shrewdly
fed the fires Of ambition and discon-
tent. He made new grievances, and
argued that old ones were only half
redressed. He advocated class legis-
lation in the farmers behalf, invented
wild schemes for the farmers alleged
betterment, took the tiller OF the soil
up into high mountain, and showed
him how he might live life of ease
and plenty if he would intrust the
management of public affairs to him.
the politician. For q moment the
bait was swallowed. In a few states
the farmer took the saddle of these
scheming tricksters on his back and
their bit in his mouth, and they have
taught him at what merry gait they
ride. They have spent his money,
raised his taxes, captured his Offices,
and have not done for him one Of the
impossible things that they promised
And their whole effort today is how to
make use of him for their future pro-
fit. His interests have disappeared
in the shuttle.
Jerry Simpson, with newly acquired
socks, running about the country like
a freak escaped from a dime museum
and giving particular attention te
wine suppers, is not better object
lesson for the farmer than the excited
conflict of discordant interests at In
dianapolis. What passed there is not
in the least an honest effort to work
tor the farmers good. 1t is merely 9
strife Of selfish interests to see who
shall have the benefit of the farmer:
vote and get hold of the Offices which
he is supposed to be able to bestow
We have actually lost count Of the
number of so-called political parties
now in existence, each of them stoutly
asserting that it is the sole represent
alive of the farmers cause and the
custodian of his future good. There
is the Farmers Alliance, and the
Farmers Mutual Benefit association
and the Peoples party, and the anti
third party concern, and the anti-sub.
treasury organization, and as many
more as may have been born over
night. There is actually not one
word of promise in any of them. There
is not syllable of anything helpful
in all their speechifying and platform
making aud maneuvering to get into
position for the farmers vote next
year. They are organizations direc-
ted by Office seekers, who propose to
the farmer the widest and craziest
schemes Of government and finance,
insulting alike his intelligence and
his honesty in their desire to get them
selves into political power through
him. We should have immense re-
spect for any body Of men, however
mush we might feel obliged to dissent
from its platform, that consisted Of
really representative farmers, or that
hap their interest honestly at heart.
But the crowd Of ffth-rate political
hacks that is now going about the
country in scattered bands, each pro-
claiming its fidelity to the dear farm
err, and exhorting him to stand by it
and give It votes and comfortable
places and plenty Of pap in return for
moonshine, is enough to turn the
stomach Of All ostrich. Fortunately
the farmer is hard-headed mai, with
plenty Of horse sense. Nobody is surer
to see through the scheme, nobody is
more disguised with this exhibition of
new parties, nobody is more deter
mined than he that these busy gentry
shall find themselves left high and dry
and hungry and sore and free to look
after another job suited to their pecu-
liar abilities.