Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1906-01-18

The great daily newspapers have not
been accustomed. as ii rule. to recognize
farmers organizations as worthy Of
much else than contempt, but we believe
there is n change coming 'o'er the
spirit of their Dreams. The farmer
has taken IA very large place in the pub
lie eye of late. even as late as Secre-
tary Wilson's announcement that the
total value of farm products for the
year amounts TO S6, 100000 and that
farms have increased in value during
the past five years something like So
1873 100000. An organization like the
Patrons of Husbandry, with well nigh
100000 members and the only farm
ers' order of great influence in the
country. has Il right to command the
attention of the public and the news
papers.
In an editorial article entitled "A
Voice From the Fields the Philadel-
pha North American has this to say:
The uniformed city man sometimes
inclines TO think rather lightly of the
agriculturist ais an intellectual and moral
force and perhaps to uuderrate his influ-
heard. The middlemen who distribute
products and the money men who finance
the operation have the advantage in
reaching the public ear and usually III the
division of profits but the man who
knows is fully aware that, as the indus
try of the farmers is the most important
so the mere number of them gives to
their opinions exceptional force. He also
is aware that for unalloyed patriotism,
solid worth and strong common sense the
Americans who TIL the earth are unsur-
passed by any other class of men in
the land. Truly the hope of this nation
lies with them. The cities are the centers
Of vicious living, vicious politics and
wicked fnancierinS 1t is to the man in
the fields we must chiefly look for main
tenance OF the high standards all along
the line of human endeavor.
Any one who has read with care the
daily reports of the proceedings of the
national grange must have been Impress
ed. first, by the clear sanity OF every
thing th'it was done and said and, sec
ond, by the unanirnlty of opinion respect
ing the important subjects which were
considered The discussions were sober,
wise and able. No extravaganza and no
foolishncss was apparent. Debate was
free and open, and it dealt directly and
judiciously with the matters in hand.
The farmers know exactly what they
want. and their wishes, formulated in the
local oranges and then Uttered into the
state oranges, found clear and unInistak-
able expression in the convention of the
national grange.
The mighty railroad interests which are
antagonizng the president In his demand
for reform Of railroad abuses may read
with dismay that all the farmers are with
the president. The railroads have almost
Unreasonable power. They are strong in
money. they exert great influence over
their wage earncrs and stockholders, they
are skilled IT corruption Of legislators,
they have their men IN swarms in con-
ercss, and they may. in measure. con-
troll the press. But here is a miGhtier
force, here is nearly half the voting
power of the nation, here is the largest
of all bodies oi shippers by railroad. and
here is an influence absolutely beyond the
reach of corruption ana, from the nature
of things, irresistibly impelled to express
devotion to the requirements of fair pla
The national grange has formally see
ondcd the presidents demand for "a
square deal for every man" on the part
of the railroads. and it has sent its mes
sage to the White House to make stronger
the resolution in the soul of the people $
great leader that this thing shall be in
deed brought to pass.