The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-07-19
Thinking.

Thinking.
To think IS the greatest need of the
times.
Thinking will put more money i'll the
pocket of the laborer than labor with all
its marvellous results ever did. The think
ers have al the wealth. Labor has next
to none of it.
To think successfully ali must be at it
and always at it.
No class of toilers could reap more
profit from thinking than farmers. Con-
ditions that injure one farmer injure every
farmer in greater OF less degree.
In the last ten years economic lines
have been broadening aud are growing
more distinct between the classes. Farm
ers are all on one side of that broad line
They cannot get over to the other side as
farmers, though they try ever SO hard.
They do divide their votes, many of them
passing their votes over 10 the side to
which they do not belong and caunot
enter into fellowship with.
Thinking then is what farmers most
need, and steady, hard thinking. They
should inquire of themselves why they
cast their votes for this or that party. In
order TO find the answer TO that question,
they must think along the economic lines
which lead up TO the sourceaof the ques-
ton, policy OF principle as it may be
termed.
Is it good for the farmer that capital
combines into trusts or monopolies that
have power 10 charge him what price
they please for what he has 10 buy, aud
fix the price OF everything he has to sell !?
If such system is not good for one farm
er it is bad for all farmers.
All those combines are creations of law.
They could not exist without the sanction
of law. BY persistent thought and in
quiry every farmer would be led to under
stand the philosophy OF all the new eco
nomic questions which the people are
face to face with, and which they must
answer lest the sphynx destroy them.
Farmers interest and welfare are all on
one side of these questions, and if they
ever come 10 understand them they will
all vote together, because they will vote
OH one side of we'll defined principle
and never give the party promoting or
opposing it their support. That principle
or those principles will be considered as
part of their business and personal well
fare, and no man will vote against these
if he knows it.
AS matters how are in confusion farm
ers are voting against each other. Some
necessarily must vote against their OWL
interest and the interest OF all of their
class. Observe other classes. The great
corporations all cling together and work
for any political party that will sustain
them in the halls of Congress, and for a
president OF any party that will aid them
to secure special grants, or franchises
from government.
See how the bankers all hang together.
They don't care a rush for party name.
They are always found standing solidly
together in one party aud contributing
literally TO any party, regardless Of its
name, which gives them assurance of IFS
help. They 20 mau stood up for Cleve-
land, and just as soiidly for Mckinley
because both were Jealous friends of Wall
street and all that plutocracy and
moneyed oligsrchy implies
DO farmers ever take such solid stand
for the principles which make toward the
promotion OF their interest? Never. Half
of them are found at every election yot
ing for the bank paper trust, the manu-
featuring trusts, the transportation trusts
the grain and food trusts, every one OF
which has received a license by law to
fleece and exploit the farmers.
This all results FROM the matter of fact
way i'll which these combinations think
and from the lack OF thinking on the
farmers' part. There are harder times
ahead for farmers than they have vet
experienced The pinch may not come
so sudden aud sharp on then as a few
years back when wheat was fitv cents a
bushel and farmers fed the grain 10 Their
hogs and cattle. but the pressure will be
more gradual; raising the price for what
they buy and lowering il on what they
have 20 sell, crowding more tax onto
them to bnl.d navies, support standing
armies, subsidize ships, etc
Our plutocTdcy have studied the meth
DDS III vogue in the old European couu-
tries, aud particularly in Great Britain.
and are applying them as rapidly as they
possibly can II he United States
1t is time farmers commenced the study
of those new economic conditions which
are closing round them. They cannot 90
on as they have been doing without vot
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