The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-11-27
A Word to the Farmers.

UlOI0 Vi 81 Inquire Ill INC CdHu pdlSu
Just closed than is usually the case.
One side of the controversy just
temporarily settled-temporarily,
because no sane person imagines
that the financial question is settled
permanently-appealed to the
farmer for his votes on the ground
that the success of that side-the
free coinage Of silver side-would
increase the price of agricultural
products, and thereby be direct
benefit to him; while the other side,
instead of appealing to him at all,
used him principally as a feature
for caricature. He thus became a
conspicuous object and attracted
more attention than usual.
The question of how he voted has
been the subject of much discussion,
and is still somewhat of problem.
But, disregarding the question of
how he voted this time, it is clear
that he voted, as in the past, very
much mixed. His vote was any
thing but solid. Now, if, as class,
he expects to accomplish anything,
he has got to change his tactics.
1t is an almost, if not quite, un-
heard of thing that the farmer has
been able to discover just what he
wanted, or, if he did, how to go
about getting it. He is perfectly
well aware that he is burdened
with things he doesn't want-low
prices for his products, for instance.
He doubtless is aware of the fact
that he is short on legislation in
his interest, but he does not know,
or if he does, conceals it, how to
get anything done for him.
All the laboring classes, with
hardly an exception, have organiza-
tions. They have definite ideas as
to what they want. They may be
mistaken in their views as to what
they need, but they think they
know, and act pretty compactly in
trying to attain their ends. In this
last campaign they thought they
wanted to defeat Mr.. Bryan, and
they did it. There is no doubt as
to how the labor vote went. OF
course Mr.. Mckinley did not get
the vote of every working man, but
he got the great bulk of it. If any
labor organization entertains an
idea that it wants certain legisla-
ton, it goes right at getting it. 1t
gets up a committee to wait on a
candidate and ascertain what the
candidate will do or promise to do.
If the committee gets no satisfac
ton, why that candidate fails to get
the vote of the organization. If he
promises to act as the committee
wants, or something near it, he gets
the votes represented by the COM
mittee.
The farmer does not do business
that way. He complains about his
condition, which is far from good.
He thinks something ought to be
done, but he rarely sees what that
something is, or, il he does, he
does not go about getting it in a
business way. He did not know in
the last election whether he wanted
Bryan defeated or not, and his vote
can't be located, except in a few
instances. The farmer vote is a
large one, but, like an old fashioned
shot gun, it scatters. He wants to
90 further than that; he wants to
let candidates understand what
that purpose is, and that he wants
his help to accomplish it. He
should go still further, and say
plainly that he wants the candidate
to state distinctly what he is going
to do about it, and act accordingly.
If the farmer is dissatisfied let
him get himself together and de-
mand recognition. He must, as a
preliminary, get himself solid, then
decide on what he wants, and ask
for it; ask right out loud. In this
way he will obtain some recognition,
and there will be some talk about
the farmer interests, as there has
been and is about the labor in
terests. He will have shown that
hecannot besported with; that there
must be some consideration shown
him. Cartoons on rural subjects
will be rarer and his vote will be-
come an object of solicitude, Let
the farmer get on deck.-Washing
ton Post.
This is all very clever in the
Post to talk so kindly of the farmer
and say let him "get on deck"
There is nothing to prevent him
from getting on deck only that he
would rather stay down in the hole
of the vessel. The farmer has a
party. 1t is not one party for the
farmers, but every farmer has a
party. It's his party and he never
troubles his head what kind of a
party. whether good, bad or in
different. It's his party.1