The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-01-13
AN ABLE SPEECH
Delivered Before the Suite Farmers
Alliance, by Hon. M. ]. ACOstello,
At Its Annual Convention. on Jan. s, 1891, in
the Hail Of the House Of Representatives,


dressing this historic body I grateful
~ express my acknowledgements to our
brave and steadfast friend, Mr.. Don
nelly. Out of the amplitude OF his
good nature he has sought, believe,
to do me a kindness. Yet when
learned OF his wish. confess to hav-
ing had lurking suspicion that he
contemplated getting off one OF his
inexhaustible supply of jokes, either
on you or me. I could not help won
dering whether he had learned of the
great amusement which / have furn-
ished to the members of my own
household, from time to time ly of my
| avowed determination to turn farmer
some day, and whether he did not ,ex-
pect that l might, perhaps, treat you
gentlemen.as l have often treated my
| incredulOus friends, to certain pro-
found opinions which 1 entertain on
the delights and advantages of a
farmers life. I shall disappoint Mr..
| Donnelly, 1 hope pleasantly. II /
should talk Of farming l fear would
| find myself in the position OF the New
York milk-dealer whom / saw pic
tured once in. a cartoon. He went on
a little vacation in the country with
his beloved wife. Leaving his wife he
went out to explore his new surround
ingS. After some time his better half
beheld him running toward the house
in wild alright. When he recovered
his breath he explained that he had
encountered wild animal and had
been pursued. "There it is. Mary!
There it is, coming up the road,''
cried the terrified milkman.
What! That! Why you blamed
fooP' cried his thoughtful wife.
Don't you know that's a cow"
1t has often been said by the SUI
perior class which has of late assured
the exclusive management of our
economic and financial affairs, in the
present great crisis in the country's
history, that agriculture lies at the
basis of the nations prosperity. His
suggestion makes me wonder what on
earth has become of agriculture. II
you gentlemen were not here tonight,
it might we'll appear to the city bred
| man that there is no such thing as
agriculture. There certainty is no
such thing as prosperity. Agricul-
ture seems to me to play as little part
in the prosperity OF the country at
this time as the COW did in the
business arrangements Of that New
| VI ullk Mdu Anu agriculture anu
| prosperity seem to know about as
much of each other as did the milk
man and the cow. They may be very
needful TO each others existence; but
if they are it is only a few philos-
ophers, like the wife of that milkman,
who seem to unders tand it. The agri-
culturist is ambling along like the
playful cowin the cartoon, while the
wise men, who are running our tinan-
cial affairs through an advance agent.
are fleeing before him, wondering in
their miserable diluted souls how
they can get away from him, and what
desperate damage he will do next.
1t.seems little less than foolish to
treat lightly the tragic situation to
which the people Of this country have
been brought. The masses have
| reached the point where the common
| american man. can only exist by the
Grace of God and of the board of di-
rectors Of some corporation or other.
The pictures drawn by 1gnatius Don
nelly, representing American society
as divided into two classes, million
aires and pauperS. seem destined to
assume the proportions Of a prophecy
even during this generation. l con-
TESS that, in common with most ordin-
airy minds, used 30 regard such pic
lures as grossly overdrawn. l do so
no longer; and if you and I should
live to see them realized it is the pau
per and not the millionaire that you
and will have to blame.
In every rank and grade of society,
during the lifetime OF the present
generation, the greedy, sordid and
jealous purs nit OF money, and still more
money, has furnished the highest, if
not the only Inspiration of mems
lives. The biggest sc0undrel with the
longest purse we have tonight each
other to regard as the leading citizen
in each community. And free and
enlightened daily press has been the
teacher from which we haye had the
doctrine. He is the bright particular
star in the armament of life, whose
| light we are to follow if we are ever to
hear the messge of our own saliva
ton. -,.,.+5-
Why should we not be a nation of
millionaires and paupers? We cannot
all be millionaires. We are not all en-
We cannot all be pauperS. Nature is
too bountiful on this glorious contin-
ent: while the wild beast instinct
which is so assiduously cultivated
among us, under the guise of business
sagacity, will ever lead the stronger
among US to devour the weaker, rath-
er than want for aught. This is the
life we are leading, which we have
led with increasing intensity,-at
least in the cities, since my earliest
participa patton in the struggle of life
on this continent.
Wealth, even when distilled from
the blood and sweat of strong men,
or from the tears of widows and Or
phans, has become glorious thing.
It means show 1t means that our
women shall have brighter feathers
and richer furs; that their bodies
shall blaze with bigger diamonds and
that they shah drive in more highly
vanished carriages and behind
horses whose tails are still more close
! " locked: that we shall have bigger
houses and uglier ones, and that each
| OF us may in our courts of justice.aft-
er we are dead, offer his own startling
| illustration of hUw effectHally can be
stified by this accused pursuit all the
heller emotions of filial love, all the
sentiments OF reverence and affection
with which we should regard the
memory Of those of our kin who Ina We
passed to their last silent abiding
! place.
It is this thirst after wealth which
| has made us the by-word OF the ma
tions; which has polluted our courts
| Of justice and debauched our LegiSia-
| ture. It has unfrocked Gods chosen
minister's and IT. has deSpcPafed the