The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-08
Agitation and the Farmer.

Mr. Editor:-There seems to be great
agitation throughout the country, appar-
emily in the interest Of the farmer. Is this
really in the interest of the farmer, or the
demagogue and politician? / have watched
this agitation with good deal of interest,
and have been unable to really determine
what wrong the farmer expects to get righted,
and what his real grievance is. Some say
the railroads are robbers others want
cheap money; still others want the scrub
farms that have been abandoned occupied
But, as yet, have failed to find any we'll
developed scheme whereby legislation can
benefit the agriculturists that was not
adopted by the last congress. 1t seems that
a large number of the people in some states
have an idea that if the farmer makes the
laws there will be a great improvement in
his condition. / think there has never
been time in the history OF Vermont when
one branch of the legislature has not been
made up of farmers by large majority,
and when anything that large body OF
farmers has asked for has not been granted.
Now, If that large majority of farmers has
been hoodwinked, bought or sold by
sprinkling Of lawyers and doctors land do
not believe they have, they are very dan
gerous class of Lawmakers.
| am one OF those who believe there is
natural cause for things being as they are.
/ believe that the Whole thing is, in a nut
shell, overproduction. 1t is an utter i'm
POSSIBILITY LOT Il vermont IdTIner on some
of the rough, worn-out farms, to compete
with the farmer on the rich prairies, with
the modern machinery. Now, when the
great West gets more densely populated
and the soil becomes virtually exhausted
the western surplus will diminish and prices
will advance. Land in New England that
now does not pay for tilling may pay then I;
but to call in Swedes and Norwegians now
to occupy these places, under present prices
of agricultural products, will prove an
utter failure.
There is great cry going up because of a
shrinkage of population in rural commune
ties in the East. Now every sensible man
ought to know that, with the improvement
in machinery and TOOLS one man can do as
much as two could forty years ago-and
eastern farmers cannot use the modern
farming tools to as good advantage as the
man on the prairie. So along comes the
demagogue and politician, and many a
gullible farmer takes down his whole dose.
When we seek a man for an important
Office it does not matter so much what his
occupation is-whether he is farming on
the hills of Middlesex or practicing law-if
he has the brains and the honesty to make
a tirst-class statesman.
We are not in special need of men who
have only one qualification, that of working
their mouths | never knew of one such
man who helped to make any great reform.
Our greatest need to-day is more good
paying TdUlltT IHdn
and this forcing production is merely fore
ing prices TO lower ebb than they already
are. Agriculture is in a more deplorable
condition in Europe than here. l will VEN
ture to say that there is more arabic land in
the British isles, that is going back TO its
primitive state, than there is in New Eng
land.
There is great cry for cheap money.
Now, there never was time in the history
of any country when money could be
loaned on good security so cheaply as now
either in large or small quantities, and to
go on and initiate the currency with money
that has not sound basis is only inviting
disaster to the agricuturist, as well AS every
one else, Every nation or people that ever
tried the experiment of fiat money has,
sooner or later, come to grief.
| have yet TIC learn what great benefit is
to arise from Gripping the great railway
industry by legislation. Many of us are
desirous of more railways. Capitalists
will not invest their money where they
think it is likely to be meddled with by
demagogues and cranks. What great bene-
tit, | ask, except to the mine-owners to
stamp eighty cents worth of silver one
dollar? These cheap dollars will cheat
somebody sooner or later-and the man
that raises hay, corn, beef or wheat, will be
the worst-cheated man of the lot.
SYLVESTER BANNIsTER.
Warren, Vt.