Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-12-14


What miserable spectacle when the
children are all born SO rickety that
they havn't backbone to stand erect
before men and demand their rights.
1t certainly does seem hard that the
parent of all prosperity should be en-
tirelv ignored and turned out by his
children; but how much more pitiable
the case is when the parent himself be-
comes demented and no longer recognI
yes that he is poor and miserable and
blind and naked.
Talking with Capt. Greer short
time ago, he said: Yes, the farming
inter EST of the country does need some
attention, but the Republican party
will give it to them.'' Must the parent
then stand without and beg? 0 shame!
You, Peter, viewed the eclipse, l
think, through smoked glass; hence
It seemed to you like the bandana was
in eclipse. To mo the phenomena bears
the more serious aspect of eclipsed man
ly integrity and sound judgement.
have good chance here to see some of
the workings of our past legislation.
Here more than in Barber county the
land is owned by landlords and occu-
pied by tenants. Here the exiled from
the West are fiocking in, pushing each
other around-and over-bidding each
other for land to rent. We are only one
family among many others that are
here partially dependent on charity for
subsistence, and at the mercy of land
lords for terms of occupancy. Yet men
who own land say that farming does not
pay. Can you account for this, Peter?
Is it production or under-produc-
ton? Is 1t because of the last years
| of Democratic rule or is it because of
the previous 25 years of Republican
| rule? Is IL because the tariff has been
| too low? What is the matter. Corn 20
| cents bushel; corn starch 10 cents
pound; beef cattle one cent pound
beef l2i to Is cents; beef hides 2 to
cents pound; leather 40 cents; hogs,
SASS; breakfast bacon 12f 10 Is cents;
pig iron to cents pound; stoves $50;
| harvesters $500. Tax per cent to 6
| per cent on the valuation Of property.
Money, made by the government. at
.Rere nominal cost is "a per cent a year
| to the farmer, but to the banker it is
nix; and to the congressman it is nix
| and to the brokers on Wall street it is
snippety- snase and soft snap.
Seventy five bushels of corn will buy
| stirring pillow that costs less than SIS
to make it; 125 bushels will buy a corn
pillow that taxes the manufacturer less
than SO; 375 bushels will buy moving
machine that represents about $50; $50
bushels Will buy you cooking stove.
Fat COWS are being sold in Kansas City
for less than the freight charges and eX-
penses OF getting them there. Sheep
likewise. The board OF trade sets the
price on your produce! Bankers set the
price on the money we use; Armour
sets the price on meat; the milling COM
pany sets their price on fiour; Arbuckle
gives us coffee at his own rate. the SUI
gar trust refines our sugar at their own
sweet will. For leather, iron, cotton,
wool or other manufactured product.
we pay the price that is set for the
farmer and congress meekly sets
and looks on.
All other classes recognize the pru-
dence of cooperation and organization
for their mutual benefit; but the farm
ers are every man for himself and the
devil take the hindmost Out at the
knees, vet brawling tariff: barefooted,
yet lntensly anxious about protecting
the manufacturing interests of this
| country; off celebrating glorious re-
publican victory while the better half
sits at home patching the breeches and
| The larder Is without tea, flour or salt
yelling "hurrah for Harrisonr' while
the banker is laughing in his sleeve and
planning to foreclose the mortgage in
the most bland and gentlemanly man.
ner. Wearing Harrison badge with
all the ostentation of turkey gobb!er.
while the children are wearing patched
shirts made of discarded flour sacks
and stamped Roller Process
Now, is this sense? Is 1t prudence?
The Farmers Congress has just had
a meeting in Topeka and passed some
huge resolutions" How many of
them, before passing the resolutions,
had spent whole year on Harrison
and the republican party and thus
practically thrown away every bit of
available influence for good as far as
the amelioration of the farming interest
is concerned. The grange has given
another kick or two. They kick like
mule and then go and vote for the
party that illustrates every movement
they make. Penny wise and pound
foolish. Saving at the Spite and losing
at the bung-hole. Is this sense? No,
my brethren; "These things ought not
to be-" God has given you this govern
ment, so why tamper with it in this
senseless manner? Who has control in
this land? The majority. Who are
the majoritye The agricultural and
laboring classes-no, the agricultural
and laboriDg asses-long cared chaps
that raise the corn to feed the geese to
feather their nests and set on the
golden egg.
What have we gained by the election
of Harrisona Four years of delay;
four years more for the wealthy to pile
! up more wealth; four more years of
| oppression for the very ones that, most
of in this government, need protection.
Would it have been better if Streeter
had been elected? Yes, eminently. 1t
would have filed the whole house of
The great big agricultural fatherhood of
this land with music and rejoicing.
The plow would have sped blitbely
along the furrow. The steps of the
weary laborer would have once more
been sPringy and hopeful.
Peter, don't think we are defeated.