The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-02-23
lie is THERE TO STAY.
THE FARMER AS A FACTOR in
POLITICS,
Education and observation Are Teaching
the AxricaitArist that His Political ls.
terests Are IN the Main with the Great
Bcdy Of W orkingmen.
Thinks for Himself,

Thinks for Himself.
Until recently the farmer roul1 he
counted upon to be s.eadfast to his
party ticket as q matter of principle,
and. as general thing. to votc as his
Gather and grandfather before him had
voted, says writer in Field and
>>toc1",an. He had his political creed
revised from time to time hv his party
leaders, the correctness of which was
of far less interest to him than its tri-
umph at the polls. As consequence.
the efforts of Legislators were directed
more to Propitiating tho towEs and
cities, where the interests Of the COM
mnnity were superior to partisans.,ip.
But the farmer Is dragging himself
ont of the rut. An independent agri-
cultural press has done much to free
him frcm political servitu,le. Among
the societies. the Grange was the first
I" encourage that train of t,rnght that
Is leading to independent action
through the Farmers Alliance and
other organizations. In the late elcc-
tion the farmer showed his strength
and independence, and his ability. ii
sle continues h,s advance, to shape leg
islaslon to his just needs.
Education and observation are teach
ing Linn that his political interests are
In the D'ain with til. great body of
worktnSmen rather than with the CAP
ltat.sts; for it is AS worker far more
s;ian as a lanIholler that the average
farmer makes living. 1t is the ten
dency OF the times for industry to unite
% IN lis defense and against lis sroiiation,
1t was expected by many that when
She old parties should lie convinced of
ahe Importance of the farmer as factor
III politics his demands would be con-
ceded. But they overlooked OF under
estimated the ir:auence welded in these
parties Ivy the monopolistic and para
sitical interests. 1t muy he that in the
next presidential election there will be
but two great political parties the
Capitalistic and the Industrial. Then
it will be but question us to the eS-
cent of the f".Iers' and workingmen's
emancipation. The indications are ex-
cee,lingly hcpefa!.
Farmers l.ava been too long con
tented to he represented in the legisla
live bo'les by lawyers and other pro
fessianal men who have made theirown
political and financial advancement
their main object as Le:isla .ors. The,
have been too ccntcntcl and uncop.
planning while paying 15 rer cert. in
ferest on borrowed none: while the
Government cc,'l borrow at 3 pei
cent. They taVe s;ood silently b,
while the Government has hautlel mill
ions of the peoples money to the none,
sharks, to be loaned to them at exorbi
tant rates. They have stood tn. in
justice of railway extortion and dis
crimination, and have seen millions o.
acres of public land sguantlered upon
railway corr nrations. They have seen
the laws framed to suit ali other call
lngs but their own, and administered
to favor other callings and to thei1
prejudice. Eut they are growing tire,
of 1t and are throwing OF she shaekles
OF political servitude. And the politi
clans of the OLD parties are rubbing
their eyes and inu1iring, Where ar,
We at?'
The farrers have come to realiz,
that the ownership of their land is slip
ping from them, while Will: their in
d,strv and the natural and mechanical
advantages of the age they should b,
accumulating riches. They have see,
all other interests combining and al
vancinS their own par icnlar demands
often to tho disadvantage and impoy
erishment of the farmer and his family
And they are coming to understan,
that these things are more importan
than the mere qucs ion of Repnblica,
or Democratic accession to tie Presi
dcncv and control of public patronage
Since the farmer has developed int,
an important POLITICAL factor, the cen
trail and state governments have givcl
mnch more attention to agriculture
and restrictive railway legislation la
been enacted. And now the agitation
for relief from financial oppression: 70
postal savings and loan bill for Go,
ernment ownership of railways, tcle
graphs, etc: for a purely Governmen
issue of legal tender notes of reasona
ble volume: for the initiative and rel
erendum, and against Legislative rot
tenness generally, has reached prorol
tlons that indicate an ultimate an
speedy triumph for the causes lie ha
championed.