The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-23
Help for the Farmer.

The master of the Virginia state
grange, Alex. Wedderburn. is also a
master of irony. as one of his "open
letters" will show. a Washington pa
per in an editorial comment on the de-
cline in farm values recently conclud-
ed with the remark: The farmers
friend should plunge into the breach.
Where is he?" This gave Mr.. Wedder
burn his text and he replies as follows:
This seems a strange question to be
asked, when scarce sixty days ago at
every cross roads and on every stump in
the rural districts from Maine to CALI
fornia. was heard the voice of the farm
Ur'S friend" proclaiming aloud his de-
votion and love for the farmer. Surely
the cyclone that swept the county On
Nov. 3 did not destroy all of the farm
er's friends-Certain!y some are left who
will proclaim themselves friends of the
farmers. If they are not, what has be-
come of them? Are these friends sim
ply like the lOcustg. that appear at stated
periods and then harry themselves? DO
the friends of the farmer gerIninate and
fruCtify just prior TO our annual elections.
and with the counting of the ballots so
into the chrysalis state to again bloom
forth just in time to catch votes? The
fact that a great paper should have
TO ask. "Where is he?" seems to indicate
that even here. at the national capital.
during the session of congress, when the
great men of the nation are gathered to
make laws for the people (Which means
all the peOpe-evcn the farmer, | should
suppose) in congress assembled, that he
the pre-eminently conspicuous, only few
short weeks ago. so conspicuous as TO
provoke merriment and cartoons of the
metrOSOlitan press all over the land has
entirely disappeared-blasted by the win
ter frost. This, however. has been a
mild winter. So mild, indeed. that now
In the white house grounds the dandelion
Is In full bloom, encircling the mansion
with its golden tints. as though rejecting
the sentiments Of its occupant. Surely
a few of 'him' might yet be found TO
raise voice for the. farmer. And yet.
like yourself. ! am compelled to ask,
"Where is hep
1t is probable that Mr.. Wedderhurn.
like many another farmer is inclined
to overemphasize the importance of
having a protecting special friend at
cort. Nobody disputes his statement
that "our farmers purchase the greater
proportion of our nations wealth. They
feed, they clothe. and partially house
the entire country. Their prosperity
means work and prosperity for all 9TH
er people. When they produce crops
which cost more than they sell for.
then they cannot use the transnorta-
ton companies for travel and ship
ment; they cannot visit our cities for
pleasure or business: they cannot buy
material for building and improve
ments: they cannot buy machinery for
their farms. Worse STILL when they
continue to lose each year Cas the sta
tistics of the agricultural department
unquestionably show) they must dis
pense with labor on their farms. and
every dollar thus curtailed is dollar
that fails to circulate-first with the
country merchant. next with the job
her, then the wholesaler and then with
the manufacturer. until lastly it fails
to reach the wage-workers in our fac