The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-01

Speech of Hon. Joseph Wheeler. of Ala
bama, III the House OF Representa-
tives. Thursday, January l.. 1898.
Mr.. Wheeler, Of Alabama. said:

1850 AAi -'tts' ''iAttlA Ip. ~
Mr.. Wheeler, Of Alabama. said:
MIR. Chairman: There was Il time when
the farmers of our land were accorded
consideration by the legislative power
of this government. Now all is chang
ed. and the very men who stand here
and seek to deprive the farmers of the
benefit Of this little appropriation are
the men who four years ago, by their
votes, fastened the gold standard upon
them ana reduced the price of their pro
ducts to one-half. C.App!auSe on the Dem
ocratic side.) They are the same mcn.
Mr.. Chairman, who only last summer.
10y their votes in this House. doubled the
tax upon many things which the farmer
has to buy. They ere the men. Mr..
Chairman. who seemed to have done ev-
erytllng III their power to degrade the
American farmer. And now they seek
to deprive the farmers Of a few seeds.
costing Il few farthings. which the gov
m for thirty years has given them
under a system which has lone more
good for the amount expended than any
other expenditure Of our government
a system which has been tested and APP
proved by every administration.
Yet these men, without at blush upon
their faces, stand here and speak and
vote in favor of depriying the farmer OF
this little benefit. Mr.. Chairman, when
we look back into the history of our
country sc find that the farmers are the
men to whom we owe everything of
which this country boasts, and they are
the men who by their labor have created
substantially all our stup-ndous wealth,
exceeding as it does that Of any other
nation on earth. The most distinguished
and greatest men Of whom American
boasts were farmers, or ut some period
Of their lives followed the vocation Of
farmers.
The Colonial Congress was, | think
composed entirely Of farmers. The CON
Stitutional convention which framed our
fundamental laws was almost entirely
composed Of farmers. The various con-
yentions Of the State which ratified that
instrument We're composed of farmers
also. Our early Congresses were com
posed Of farmers. Mr.. Chairman, it has
been the farmers vino, in time Of war.
have been called upon and who have
shouldered their mUskets and fought the
battles Of their country III every conflict
IN which the banner Of our country has
been called into strife. Why, in the
Revolution. the distinguished generals
fought for the liberties of the an
cestors Of the very men, who stand here
now trying to strike down the farmer.
were ldIIileFS. NdSIlnStOn WIS Il falul-
er. Anthony Wayne was a farmer. Stark
was ! farmer. Putnam WAS Il farmer.
SO also We're Marion, Greene, Lincoln,
Mercer and Sullivan.
Mr.. Clardy. And Jefferson.
Mr.. Wheeler. Of Alabama, Yes: and
when we come further down, Lincoln
and Grant We're raised upon farms. aud
so on the other side were Lee and stone
wall Jackson. Mr.. Chairman. the farm is
the nursery Of virtue. All our great
men OF letters, our eminent diyincf. our
Jurlsts. our great merchants, our iny"n-
tors, all the men who have made this
country great We're. with scarcely an
exception raised upon farms. Mr.. Chair
man, shall this nursery OF virtue and ~
great and good men be destroyed?
Destroy the farm home ard from what
source Will come those who are 10 pro-
tect and perpetuate this great Republic,
which owes its creation 10 farmer states
men: With the farm home destroyed,
whence will come generals 10 command
our armies and defend the honor ana
property Of our country, aud preserve
the liberties Of our people,