Mower County transcript., 1904-03-16
FARMER BEN'S COLUMN.

Bob Dunns slur on the old soldiers
which he made at the meetin' Of the
Union Veterans League in Minneapolis
the other night just makes me boil with
indignation and feelin' of outrage.
"Let the old soldier get drunk if he
wants to-. He has only a few years
more to live and might as well enjoy
himself in that way as any other while
he can" Amt that a fine sentiment
for a candydate for governor to make?
OF course, I know that some of the
little snots that never smelt powder
carry the idee that the old soldiers are
buns and toughs and whiskey guzZlers
but 1 can tell Bob Dunn and the whole
shootin' match that in decency, !
sobriety, clean language, temperance,
and straight character, the old veterans
will clean out any sized crowd of his
b'ackmailin', contemplate set that are
so little aypreciatin' of the splendid
service of the G. n. r. boys that they |
blackmail 'em like they was all set of !;
drllnkards and galoots. They've only
few years to liv any way, says Bob.
Then | spose some folks thinks the
world will be we'll rid Of 'em. I spurn
the lyin' insinuation that all the old
soldiers are good for now is to put !
away bad liquor.
@ @ @
by the way, Bob Dunn will hav some
scores of his own to settle before he
gets to be governor. He don't want to
get too gay at this stage of the game in
smirchin' the old soldiers. Stand up,
Bob, and be catechised. Us farmers
down this way are aginst the merger
and the pine land ring steals and the
whippin' out Of all competition in rail
roadin'. Tell us how it is that one of
the most prominent pine land men in
the state is Dunn's most enthusiastic
and active boomer for governor. How
does it come that the St. Paul Globe,
owned and controlled by Jim Hill the
bell wether of the merger iniquity, is
boomin' Dunn for all that's out? When
was lad my father alwus taught me
that boy was known by the company
he keeps L. calkerlate that a candy
date for governor must be judged by
the hackers behind him. If the big
pine land fellers and the merger
magnates are backin' up Dunn for
governor they can't be so awful des
perate in their feelin's aginst him. And
if they amt aginst him, it looks like
they didn't think he'd hurt 'em very
much. There's a nigger in the fence
when the fellers we are fightin' with
our mouths are tearin' their shirts in
our support.
; Speakin' of the old veterans, | see
that while the service pension act may
not pass this congress Oh account of
funds, provision is goin' to be made
that all the old boys past IS who are
wholly unable to earn support by
manual labor even if they can't show
up some pelticular disability from
disease or injury are to. be ruled in for
pensions under the act of 1890. This is
just what Farmer Ben has alwus con
tended for but with Bill Lochren and
such to interpret the law aginst the
veterans there wasn't much show OF
i gettin' fair show. All the vets ask is
that when they get too old to work anG
are needy they shan't be turned out tt
starve in their last days and freeze t(
: death in rags or 60 to the poor house
but they shall hav enough pension tt
: keep body and soul together. If any
body begrudges that to the sayiors O
: this country, they amt fit to throw
t swill to a hog. Old age and the in
firmities incident to it is fittin' reasol
for pensionin' without all the monke,
business of lookin' up evidence to Sc
J. if my lame back today didn't resul
J. from my fal}in' off the wheel mule il
Il our trip thro Georgia durin' the wa
v forty years ago.
- g @ @
" It's awfully nice for the farmers
l. get together and communicate to eac
a other their idees. I like this idee Q
t. institutin' and discussin' things tha
~ are goin' to profit the farm. Their
~ amt any business where theories coun
y for so little and actual experienc
counts for so much. l can read te
books on how to milk cow but tha
II don't show me how to get the milk pa
Il full. may theorize on raisin' shee
es and calves but I've got to learn by har
IN experience how to feed and doctor 'el
Ia right. l reckon that this idee of fa
~ mers organizin' is comm sure thing.
o never hav forgot the days of the o]
es grange when we used to get togetht
IN and act together. Those were the be:
So days ever see farmin' and the happies
\ Everybody else is organized Up to tn
H. last notch and us farmers just dri
p along. without any common unde
So standin' of our best interests. I bet
al i