The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-11-20
A DREADFUL PICTURE.
THE DEGRADATION OF A
HEROIC RACE.
The Farmers of Pennsylvania on
the Auction Block.
is REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT
A FAILURE.
Twelve Thousand Dollars Spent to
Control Single Party Caucus.

Twelve Thousand Dollars Spent to
Control a Single Party Caucus.
tNew York Voice-The Prohibition Organ.
A tale of glory and tale of shame!
This is what comes to The Voice from
quiet observer in the land Of VIM.
Penn. The question is, Is the pic
ture drawn equally true for the farm
ing communities of other sections? II
1t is true, or becoming true, and Voice
results of their observations on this
point, then it is evident that there is
no time to lose If the reformer is to
save the land and vindicate the the
ory of popular government. Here is
the story that "FUius Ag,icolH" has to
tell of Blank county, its 'Ironsides
Regiment" and it's political deteriora-
tion in late years.
Editor of The Voice.-In 1776 we
were a nation of farmers. 1t was the
'embattled farmers" who. at Lexing-
ton fired the shot heard round the
world;" class peculiar to America; a
class which had never before been
known, the nearest approach to them
being the peasant proprietors of Eu-
rope; yet the peasant proprietors of
Europe had only part of the charac-
teriStics OF the American farmer. He
was the product of the new world. To
begin with, they were picked men,
Only those who possess energy of
character. independence Of spirit, a
large share of the religious faculty,
vigor, had the inclination and the
ability to tear themselves loose from
home and friends and the comforts of
SO front the dangers ana
bear the hardships Of long voyage
across the stormy Atlantic. and a set
tlement in the western wilds among
savage scenery, beasts. and men.
They brought with them the Scotch
courage which "feared not the face of
man." the English Pnritan's instinct
Of submission to law. which refused to
be released from persecution when
Charles the Second offered to release
them illegally, and they acquired the
spirit of independence of an inhabi-
tant of the wilderness.
We can understand why the British
regulars, trained in the wars of the
Great Frederick, fed painting, ex-
hausted, decimated. before the Sc
farmers at lexington! How better
troops than those who overthrow Ma
~ vi lnc c1nl L 81
to pieces against them at New Or
tanned government OF and for the
people. How they crushed the Great
Rebellion. How they made Repu blc
of one of the greatest nations on earth
In 1776 there was nothing on the con-
tinent which would now be called a
city. Down to the close of the Civil
War this country maintained its
farmer characteristics, three-fourths
being engaged in agriculture, and gov
ernment by the people was success
which challenged the admiration of
the world; but the war marked the
close Of an epoch, Since the war,
America is different country. There
Is a greater difference between the
United States then and the United
States now, than there was between
the England of Cromwell and the
England of Robert Wolpole.
AS an example of the decadence of
Dur farming population, l will de-
Icribe county In Western Pennsyl-
sania of which 1 have had an inti-
nate knowledge of over forty years
It was settled at the close of the last
lentury, almost exclusively by the
Scotch-Irish. No better class of Anglo
saxon immigrants ever came to our
shores than the ScOtch-1rish, and no
e!ass has had m ore to do with forming
md maintaining our institutions,
both before and after the Revolution.
When the war commenced in 1861,
had few citizens Of foreign birth, and
the largest town within its limits had
pnly 6V0 population. The high char
lcter and true American spirit of the
people are shown by the fact that it
furnished more soldiers to the Union
armies in proportion to it's popula tion
than any other county in the state.
1t furnished one regiment of infantry
which was known all through the war
rs the ''IrOnSides Regiment because
pf its resem blance in moral character
md fighting qualities to Cromwell's
famous troops. 1t furnished battery
pf ARTILLERY, recruited principally in
pne township, which occupied impor-
liant positions in every battle of the
Army of the Potomac, from Drains
Vile to the surrender at tAppomattox,
and lost more men in battle than any
pther battery in the service.
An idea OF the high character Of the
farmers who composed 1t may be gain
ed from the statement of their
brigade commander, that military dis
ripline scarcely existed in that bat
tery, it's government by officers who
we're chums and neighbors of privates
was fraternal, yet never were soldiers
more efficient in battle, or more order
" in camp. Numbers of its members
Have filled high positions in civil life
iince the war, including one member
Of Congress.
For several years after the war,
Blank county was noted for its lnde-
Dendent political spirit. A represen-
;atiye who truckled to the state bosses