The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-11-28
OUR LAWMAKERS.
"3ld Farmer" Gives Them the BENEFIT Of
His observations.
EpIroa HERALD:

EDITOR HERALD:
The election being over and the smoke
of battle having cleared away, I desire
through your paper to say few words 20
the men who have been elected to repre-
sent as both in Congress and in the Gen
eral Assembly of our State. Our Con-
gressional district il very largely farm
ing district, and one of the things that
interests us most is the passage OF the
bill known as the Anti option Bill. As
long as the prices of farm products are
controlled by men in Chicago and New
York, who place chem upon sale before
they are harvested, we need not expect
TO receive a fair remuneration for our
labor or a fair rate OF interest for the
money invested in our farms. SO we
trust that our Congressman viii do all in
his power to remedy this evil.
The silver question is another matter
chat interests Us deeply. We know that
the money lenders are all opposed 10
what they call ''chcap money" but we
beg our Congressman to remember that
If money i so dear that we can not get it
without increasing the mortgages on our
farms, there j. nothing left for us in The
future but to farm as tenants the lands
we love to call our own. Men may talk
as much as they please about the Ameri-
can being entitled 20 a dollar that is worth
a hundred cents, but the average farmer
has sense enough TO understand that sill
yer, like everything else, is worth much
or little, according to the demand created
for it by the uses to which it is applied.
While silver was used without Limitation
for making money no one ever heard of
the silver dollar being worth less than
dollar in gold, but by the act of 1873 the
principal use to which silver was applied
was destroyed and was only partially re-
stored by what was known rs the Sher-
man bill. which has since been repealed,
and il is no wonder that an ounce OF sill
yer is worth less now than It was before
1873. The value of anything can lee dc
stroyed in the same way. Prior 90 the
construction of what is known rs traction
and electric street railways in our cities
ore of the principal uses for which horses
were employed was to run the street cars,
hat since steam and electricity have been
employed for this purpose the valae of
horses, as every farmer knows 70 his sor-
row. has been greatly reduced. We hope
our Congressman may be able to see just
where our interests with regard to this
question lie.
We trust also that the men who have
received The evidence of our confidence
in the splendid majorities 10y which they
were elected Ia represent us in the Senate
and Houseo Of Representatives of the State
will also try Ia acquain: themselves with
our interests. Politicians viii be inter
ested in the passage OF apportionment
bills. and they will no doubt hear from
them in due time; but farmers, although
from habit not 50 ready II make known
their wants. have interests just as import
ant which need looking after just a.
mach.
Jgiging from the discussion had upon
the subject Al the meeting Of the State
Board Of Agriculture in Somerset inJune
last. an attempt viii be made to repeal
the oleomargaTine law. We say 10 our
representatives, take care of the brindlc
cow or You may come in contact with
he. business end before you are aware Of
what il coming.
was told that one Of onr representa-
tiyes, at meeting just before the election.
assured the people that he could not be
bought. IL seems rather unfortunate for
anyone TO make such q statement, when
no one Is accusing him of being for sale,
but we hope that if ne had any fear that
he might be bought, and made the state
ment IN order To keep up his courage. it
may prove 4 source of strength TO him
when the trying hour comes. The same
gentleman is reported as saying that
VIXEN he got 10 Harrisburg he would vote
zone way or The other on every bill.
Well. that might loo proper thing to do,
and yet, without having had any expert
ence, am afraid that if he undertakes
that he will find that his zeal will oNceed
| his knowledge. | remember once having
asked one of our most flithful rcpTeSen-
! tatives why il was that he did not always
| vote. rs had noticed I'm tho Record he
was sending me that he did no. do 50,
and he told me that it required the vote OF
! a majority OF all the members 20 pass any
bill, not simply a majority of those Vot-
: ing, and that if he did not vote for a bill
! his remaining silent when the roll was
called answered precisely the same pur-
pose that would be accomplished by vot-
ing no, which, if he should do, would
only call the attention OF the friends OF
the measure TO his opposition and cause
them TO oppose any bill that he might
want 20 have passed. II seems 70 me that
if a man desires 10 do any good a. leg
islator he should avoid inviting oppoSi-
ton to himself, as he certainly would do
If ne were TO vote nO on every bill in
which he was not sufficiently interested
to help secure its passage. ! hope that
the membcr-eleci referred to may think
well OF what he does before making up
his mind fully 10 pursue the course
which, if correctly reported, he seemed
50 ready TO lay down. There are times
when ''silence is golden and the man
who represents the people should know
when 10 be silent as well rs when To
speak.
As already stated, We hope that car rep
rcsentativcS, State and National. viii
study carefully oar interests, and when
they are in doubt concerning the proprie-
~ of any measure they are called to act
upon, that they will not hesitate to ask
Il. 4.