Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-06-20
Morton and the Farmers.


The Secretary of Agriculture, the
Hon. j. Sterling Morton, is farmer,
a statesman, and scholar. No man is
better fitted than Mr.. Morton by eX-
perience, observation and we'll, digested
to speak for the farmer
He contributes to the Forum of June
an article of more than ordinary inter-
est with the alliterative title Farmers,
Fallacies and Burrows" The spirit OF
the article may be gathered from this
question:
eff all the American farmers had fol-
lowed their burrows as intently and
zealously as some of them have fol-
lowed the fallacies-econOmica and
political-which their sinister advisers
and self-selected instructors have in
culcated, there would be a great deal
more happiness and great deal fewer
mortgages on many OF the hoinesteads
throughout the country"
Mr. Morton, being farmer himself,
has right to speak plain truths in ad
dressing his brother farmers. He at
tributes the widespread discomfort
amongst agricultural classes to the ef-
forts of professional farmers, political
agitafors, who are seeking TO promote
their own selfish ends by posing as
the champions of the ill-used and down
,trodden farmers. They are simply
nets to catch votes. The
farmers are as class unsuspicious, and
they are too apt to accept these loud
mouthed demagOgues at their own
valuation, Mr.. Morton says:
1.-THE real. genuine farmer in the
Uunited States-the man who is at
home on his own land-is not constant
ly complaining of his lot in life. Cen
sus reports show that about 10 pei
cent. of all the farms in the United
States are unincumbered. What Other
calling, what other industry, what
other investments for making liveli
hood and for producing more capital
can make as good showing us the
farmer's?n
There is much food for thought in
the story which the writer tells for the
benefit of the farmers thus:
Mythology made Antaus the Son OF
the Earth. And the great strength Of
Antaus depended upon his constant
contact with the soil. The gods gave
him power to meet all enemies success
fully, and to struggle with all vicissi
tudes and difficulties VIGOROUSLY
prooided that he dzaCays kept IN contact
aOith the earth. Hercules, finding out
the secret of the strength of Anteus
who had thrown in wrestling matches
all the athletts of his day and genera
ton, cunningly approached, and by
some enchantment alluring Ant9us tc
leave the earth, bore him into the
clouds and there easily took his life.
The American farmer is Ant8us. Let
him keep forever in loving contact
with the soil, which, like mother
will care for him and his so long as he
is obedient to the laws of Nature anG
loyal to intelligent industry. The pre-
tended friend of the farmer who
lectures him upon the abjectness of his
political and social situation, whf
talks to him of impossible tinancia
theories, teaches him economic here
sizes, and fills him to overfiowing with
vagaries, is the modern Hercules; anC
all the farmers whom he has takeI
into the clouds and mysteries of his so
GEOLOGY and gregariousness, his money
falacies and his Mckinleyism, have
vigor and virility, virtue and vitality
I'LL. NACl tOi SOCO OfOi wv WYNN
ground to show the relative Importance
and independence of the agriculture
class, and their influence on the com
| munity at every stage OF our history
He describes in glowing language thu
independence, c0ntentmeHt, and man
| ly self reliance OF the farmers of th'
| past generation, and alludes to th'
| fact that eleven of our Presidents wert
called, like Cincinnatus of old, from
the farm to the chief executive office
1t cannot be denied the prices of farm
products are lower now than they Wer
generation ago. Mr.. Morton explain
how this has been brought about. II
shows that by the aid of improved ma
chinery the average product of tn
farm labOrer has been doubled. ant
under the operation of nr,' hon ast oe''
laws, the area under the pillow has beer
doubled since 1860. Again, he point
out that the farmers must sell thei
surplus abroad in competition with al
the world, while they are compelled b,
a protective tariff to purchase wha
| they need in the restricted HON,
market.
If all farmers in the land could reat
and ponder the wholesome truths Sc
forth III this article, they would be les
disposed to repine at their condition o.
be discontinued with their lot.-Ly1ach
burg AdOance.