Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-11-14
PRESIDENTS ANNUAL ADDRESS,
congress Must Recognize ASricuI-
turnl Interests.

After expressing the satisfaction it gave
him to preside over the deliberations OF
the representatives of the greatest aggre-
cation Of wealth and intelligence known
TO history" President Clayton went on
to say:
Our meeting follows in quick success
sion determined and closely contested
national political campaign. In this cam
paign the interest Of every farmer and
producer has been involved The two
great political parties, one of which has
dictated the policy of the government
Tor nearly 100 years, met in annual con-
vention and submitted to the American
voter a line Of policy for the control Of
our republic for the remainder of the
nineteenth century.
Laying aside the bitter personal at
tacks that usually characterize national
politics, having as leaders men of the
highest personal integrity and character,
a campaign Of education was inaugurated
nd seventy millions Of American people
in the sacred right couched in the silent
ballot rendered their verdict on Novem-
Der 8, and, as a result of that campaign
no nation 50 well understands the fnan-
cial system of their government as DO
the American people.
Producers of Wealth.
The speaker went on to lay stress upon
the fact that the natural product of the
sci aided by the intelligent and Well-li-
rected labor was the great creative force
and the only source from which wealth
could be obtained to meet all obligations
Every nickle and dollar transferred from
hand to hand came from the revenues cf
the soil; for the product of the gold and
silver mines was valuable only because
Of the commerce and wealth created from
the farms. One year of total failure Of
the product Of the earth would mean inc
vitable wreck and ruin starvation ana
death to the world. The vast army Of
mechanics, the arts. the sciences, the
trades, the professions. all had contribute
ed to higher perfection of our productive
Industries, but they We're not producers
OF wealth, but consumers. Agriculture
was the true source Of wealth, and the
sole foundation upon which rests the sue
cess of the nation and the world Con-
sequently she should press her claims
with even greater force under the new
condition of things. The president went
on to insist that the congress should
now vigorously reassert the posti III
taken at the meeting in Parkersburg, W.
Va, in 1894. to the effect that to what
ever the degree either great political par
ty should adopt the policy of protection
the representatives Of the farming inter
eStS demand that equal protection be
given to farm products. The speaker con-
tinued
There is scarcely a question that may
be raised in this body, affecting our agri-
cultural interests, but that will have a
political side to it, but let US discuss those
questions without reference to it's intiu-
ence upon any political party. Let Us take
each other by the nand and make one
common cause for our great interest
Il do not mean by this that the farmer
and agriculturist should take no part m
politics. We should not for d moment lay
aside or forget our duty to society and
the government. At the risk of being
called a politician, it is our duty to see to
it that the political atmosphere is kept
pure, and that the vicious classes are held
in check. The good citizen will not re-
main behind the counter, in the field and
in the shop and permit the political trick
ster and common loafer to control the
caucus and the convention Of the party
to which he belongs. Under our flag and
under our constitution every citizen may
exercise the right of suffrage, and he that
fails is equally guilty with the dishonest
politician AT the same time we should
be able to lay aside our political differ
ences and meet on a comon level.
Needed Legislation.
There is no interest SO sensitive to rad
ical change of government policy. or that
SO quickly feels the effect Of unfriendly
legislation as the American farm nor IS
there any interest but what can better
protect itself from corporate demands,
trusts and combinations The American
farmer is loyal to the American govern
ment and to her institutions He is ready
to defend the republic with his money or
with his life. Our government has no fear
Of revolution or anarchy among the great
agricultural classes. The farmer is ready
10 assist in the enforcement of the Mon
roe doctrine in Venezuela or elsewhere.
He is ready to say to the English govern
ment that you can not by force or by
intrigue have another foot Of soil on the
American continent north or south. and
if you want to test the matter with the
United States you had better see to il
that your Canadian possessions are we'll
guarded before you open the ball Our
democracy is sufficient for us to say to
the president of this country. that you are
right, that we are willing to grant al
necessary aid to repel royal encroach-
ments upon republican territory, but we
do not want the entire cost of a proper
investigation to come from the meager
department.
I'VE should demand that the agricut-
ural department be provided with ale-
quate means and be invested with power
to investigate the many evils, and TO rec
ommend and enforce remedies against all
unjust discrimination against the product
of the farm. 1t should be his duty to see
that reciprocal trade relations are es-