The representative., 1900-03-22

q. Do they now hold any office; or
have they the promise of one?
FARMERS ARE NOT SOCIALISTS.
To begin with. it is we'll to find out VIII,
are the American farmers Not all who. t,
the census taker, declare themselves farm
ers are really SUCH The man who lives i,
town and leases or hires worked one a
more farms, is a capitalist not farmer
The man who holds mortgages on the farm
crop or tools OF another is a banker not s
farmer A farmer is one who may either
own outright clear of debt, a farm, grea
or small; pay rent for a farm; work
farm on shares; have a deed to a farm ant
pays interest on a mortgage, or in any wa,
till land by his own labor and the labor O.
his immediate family, assisted more or les:
by hired labor. There are millions of these
farmers here in America. Without these
millions socialism cannot become fact
Without socialism these millions must sinh
to the level of Mexican farmers; int
stiming, damning peonage, where love o1
liberty, independence, manhood, even hope
itself is smothered, and dies in voiceless
apathy.
One would expect to find free and happy
farmers where land is cheap and fertile the
crops by reason of food or drought or tor
nado. Such an ideal location is found in
Calusa county, California Here, lying along
the Sacramento river for hundred miles
Is stretch of country fertile and pro-
ductive beyond descriptions; soil rich and
deep as In the Nile delta; climate all that
Is to be desired for health and comfort. Nc
cylone or drought or hailstorm devastates
this land. Every acre may be irrigated
thus insuring against any failure of crop.
There is seemingly no limit to the posi-
bilities for him that would cultivate these
fertile acres.
Some facts observed there in the summer
1896 will show whether or not the American
farmer had need of socialism to protect him
and his children from wreck on the shores
of the Dead Sea of peonage.
1t is harvest time farmer comes to a
blacksmith shop with steam thrasher for
repairs. The blacksmith looks it over and
tells the farmer that it will cost 500 to re-
pair it. adding, Il can't fix it for you,"
with an emphasis on the pronoun. The
farmer winches under the emphasis and
replies that it must be fixed; that the crop is
ready and there must be no delay. He Is
told that his crop, his machinery, his stock
and his land are mortgaged and that the
only way by which the machine can be re-
paired, Is to get an order from the bank
officials. He demurs, stammering out that
the bank has already advanced him so much
money that he dares not-hark the words,
for they are an exact quotation-he dares
not ask for more. The blacksmith finally
goes to the bank officials, lays the case be-
fore them and they become responsible for
the bill. The farmer goes home quite happy,
feeling grateful to the generous bankers
who have thus fastened another rivet in his
shackles.
His crop is duly harvested, but he dares
not move a stack of grain from the fields.
n nNt will ~ ow1v1
1t is sold at the then ruling price. The
mortgage on the crop, the interest on the
machinery and land mortgages are salts
fed; the store bills and farm hands are
paid off, and the farmer is indeed fortunate
If he is not compelled to increase the mort
gage on his land to clean up the years
transaction. He must at once begin to beg
and barter for means to start the next crop.
He thinks he owns the land he tills. He
speaks Of my ranch with as much assur-
ance as he would had he never heard of
and interest. He thinks those mis-
cradle tramps whom he cursed and thumped
through the season were really working for
him. He thinks that could he but hire them
a little cheaper, or get little longer days
work out of them, he would come out all
right next year. He thinks the system is
all right, only there is some one standing
In his way. The only change he desires or
deems necessary is seesaw change in po-
UOSScS-d SOIC Ol POLITICAL rotation
corresponding to some vague theory of
rotation of crops he dimly remembers some
one to have once spoken to him about.
Here comes another farmer, with his
blankets on his back and desperate look
on his face. He walks into the bank and
delivers himself something like this Gen
tlemen, over there by the foot hills is nv
ranch of 800 acres. / went there Is years
ago with my blankets on my back Today I
have left 1t in the same manner. I have
worked hard all those Is years; have had no
Dad seasons, no bad management, and have
had nothing for myself. Now, this present
crop Is harvested and ready for the market.
The tools and stock and land and crops are
all mortgaged to you. I have discovered
hat none of them are mine. nor are they
likely to be. There they are, 60 over and
AXE them, and let some other fool work Is
'ears for you
Here is another farmer. He comes in and
ellis the banker that his wife is tired of the
way things are going. You see. he is diplo- |
natic, or cowardly, or something, for he
lses his wife as shield while making his !
'lea. They have worked six years on 800 !
lcres OF land, during which time they have
lctually never handled one dollar of money! |
even the purchase Of and payment for his |
obacco and his wife's stockings had been
arranged for by the bank. 1t had secured |
lis store bills and other expenses, marketed !
lis crops, and each year the debt has in |
reased.
His tale Of woe is listened to with due |
onsideration and some yawns. He is taken !
ut to cheap restaurant and given a two |
1T dinner with a bottle Of Dago wine; a SO |
uit of clothes Is given him; a new dress |
osting 1925 Is done up for his wife, who is |
tired Of the way things are going" SO in |
money is placed In his hands and he is |
Promised that each month he may come and |
raw from the bank SO in cash, credit and |
onf1dence hitherto unheard of!-but the |
tore bill must be run on his own account |
hereafter-as II he could run store bill |
Without the guarantee of the bank-and the |
arlner goes home happy, to begin another |
ears labor. wondering all the way how
'od could put such kindness into the hearts |
4 his fellowmen.
Thus does the American farmer stand ON
he very edge Of the precipice, below which
les the loss of all that makes life desirable.
ghting on those who would aid him to be
rec. He sees only the laborers or the agent |
I the bank or railroad, firmly believing
hem to stand between him and his everlast-
ng great good fortune. A nickel held close
0 the eye will eclipse $50 gold piece held
t an arms length. So does the farmer
llow his deliverance through socialism to
9 hidden by these mosquitoes that are bred
y and trouble him only because OF his
con0mic environment. Not only has he
% faintest fnklfng of what would be his
tatus under socialism, he absolutely strur-
les against being lifted out of his stunted
verworked and beastly dependent condi-
lon. Like Mrs. Stetson's conservative.
Q doesn't want to be a butterfly, he would
h0 a I