Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-29
POTATOES VS.. POLITICS.

feeds the cows surprises lawyers, doc
tors, politicians and those who live by
urban pursuits by the words of practical
wisdom which sometimes fall from his
lips. 1t is a great mistake to suppose
that farmers are not as intelligent as q
class as any other set OF men in the
country. From their ranks have come
many of the leaders of thought in the
United States, and evidences are multi
plying that there is no decadence in
the brain supply of the tillers of the
soil just at the present time. Instances
o. this are not wanting in Texas, as the
capitalization of events at Corsicana
last week during the proceedings Of
the Alliance convention abundantly in
dictate.
The great central fact in that meet
ing, composed of leading farmers from
all over the state, was the emancipa
zion OF the Farmers Alliance from the
condition of confusion aud the false at
titude in which the conspiracies of
schcming politicians had placed it, and
the beneficial results of this action
have already been pointed out by THE
GAZETTE.
The normal aim of the Alliance WIS
illustrated in homely, pointed phrase
by one of the delegates, who said to a
reporter: GLOW to get the best results
from the soil and the higher economy
Of time and resources should be more
fruitful themes than matters of a politi-
cal nature. Jim Hogg is not so i'm
portant to farmers as Poland China
hogs; ana potatoes are more important
than politics."
That man, whoever he is, has a
bushel of brains in his head. He has
talked the words with the bark on
them. Farmers should take what he
says into serious consideration, for
there is sea of suggestiveness and an
ocean of wisdom in his utterances. If
many member o. the Farmers ALI
dtlCO WILL lOOh DlCh po5u
year and calculate the amount of his
valuable tire that has been squandered
in listening TO the harangues Of dema-
gogues, the burden of whose speeches
have been TO ill his heart with hatred
for men in other walks of life, to cloud
his mind with misrepresentation of
the causes of business depression aud
to harrow up his soul and curdle his
blood with the recital of wrongs and
abuses in legislation without pointing
out the proper remedies for removing
them: that member will inevitably be
forced to the conclusion that the aggre
gate OF his days aud hours thus wasted
could Rave been more protitably spent
in attending to the details of his farm,
informing himself on the statistics of
those agricultural products that are
merchantable on which his livelihood
ascertaining what it is most
profitable for him to raise and how to
raise it: and devising methods to in
crease the store of the good things of
life. to educate his children and to add
to the comfort and adornment OF his
home.
There is no reason why farmers
should seek redress for grievances by
banding themselves together in secret
political organizations and binding
themselves to vote for this man or
that measure under an irou-clad pledge
imposed by caucus rule in midnight
conclave. They are Americans and free
men. They need not huddle like cattle
or follow some old political bell-wether
like flock Of sheep. Ii their interests
are threatened by men who are run
ming for Office, they are in the majority
in this country, they can walk up and
vote them into private life, and do it
in the light Of day, without the assis-
lance of any secret meeting held be-
forehand to give them the requisite |
amount of nerve and instruction to
enable them to cast their ballots.
1t is an encouraging sign to see the
Farmers Alliance determine to expur-
gate political discussions from all meet |
iugs OF the order. In them hereafter |
they will talk about the best breed of |
hogs, cattle and sheep; whether it is
most profitable to raise wheat, barley, |
rye. corn or cotton or all five of them;
the most economical kind of fencing: |
the highest markets TO sell in and the |
cheapest TO buy in, and the most prac-
teal plan for keeping the 'smokehouse
full and mother and the children well |
clad and contented.
If the Farmers Alliance in Texas
confines itself to this class OF subjects |
its membership will increase, its power
will be for good and its influence will
spread and strengthen as the days go
oy, ennobling agriculture and making
is votaries prosperous, independent
and enlightened.
The Weakly . tiE Isl tho best adyer-