Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-02-08

There were about 49, 900 votes
cast for candidates for congress at the
last election, and as there are in the
United States more than 100000
farmers and 100000 agricultural la
borers, besides stock raisers and herd
ers, dairymen and market gardeners,
more than half Of the voters must have
been obtaining their living through ag-
riculture. Yet this important class Of
voters, upon whose efforts and prod
ucts the whole country depends, have
not a single Republican representative
publican members who may call them
selves farmers, but their votes show
they legislate to farm the farmers in
stead Of the soil.
The Republicans are Boosting Of the
large crops raised this year, impiously
Indicating they are backed by Provi-
dence in securing the bounties Of ma
ture. The worthy master Of the ma
tional grange, Aaron Jones Of Indiana,
in his annual report last year told the
members Of that organization that the
trusts and corporations plundered the
farmers of cver $7o0,O00,000 over and
above the rightful dues for profits and
transportation.
Has the grange or any other organ
ization Of farmers done anything to re-
| lieve their members from that enor-
nous drain on their resources? 1t
| would seem not. The trusts have null
| tiplied, and the railroads are extorting
| unreasonable rates, and the Republic
an representatives in congress have not
| passed a single law that has accom-
| plished any relief from the plundering
corporations.
The Democrats in congress introduce
! ed bills to control trusts and to revise
the tariff, which alone plumbers the
farmers Of a large proportion Of the
enormous sum that the master of the
grange stated, but the Republicans,
who controlled the last congress, re-
fused to ever consider the bills. Sim
liar bills have already been introduced
by Mr.. Williams, the Democratic lead
er in this congress, but they will not be
considered.
The Republican leaders have deter
mined to stand pat, and the balance OF
the Republican members, like a flock
Of sheep following the bellwether, vote
against remedial legislation.
49, - n So MT nrofoCfod nv
the tariff, except a few sugar and beet
growers and a very small number of
tobacco raisers in Connecticut who pro-
duce wrapper" tobacco. they are In
terested in reducing the protection the
tariff gives the trusts, so that what the
farmer buys will be reasonable in
pyice and the greater part of the above
mentioned 100000 900 saved to them.
Yet the farmers elect representatives,
term after term In some districts, who,
with railroad passes in their pockets
and trust Doodle behind them, misrep-
resent the great agricultural interests.
How can these Republican representa-
tives vote for remedial legislation
whom they rely on the corporations for
suCcor and in return are bound to do
the bidding Of the corporation lobbyist.
The Republican bosses smile and the
tr,.&ts md protected interests laugh
and grow fat at the way they fool the
Republican farmers. But the signs OF
the times point to an awakening, and
the late elections are an indication OF
what is 70 follow. Even the long sur
fcriny farmers are beginning to see
that good crops may not last forever
ana that il is time to provide for the
lean wears tM&t M" certain to come IL
HE ucai ruNl'c. aoi that S~'oo'ooo'o"
,hNt Ma@lrr .iour+ ~ nhout would ID
a nice i., 1 80 in pockets of tit
farmers iu.rlat q. h'.@s annually add
cd 10 INC n,Ili'@t i'm a. "nults OF In
f.. -rH ,gltHn'