The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1907-12-24
The Farmer Waking Up.
n. O. States.

h taxed SO that only a small traction
al it is allowed 20 remain in his pockets.
Mr.. Wilson, the Secretary of Agricul-
lure, says that the products OF the
farmer last year amounted to seven
md a half billions of dollars, and the
spimals he raised were worth o
than one billion two hundred millions
OF dollars. SIT is the farmer" says
Mr.. Wilson, ''who has SEM credit to
A4patriated Americans; it is he who
has provided the immigrant with mil
Hons to send everywhere to the old
countries, and if there is still any
credit to dispose of, the farmer has
wovided tn American traveller in for
eign countries with pocket money"
Indeed it seems that our government
regards the farmer as a benevolent
end bewhiskered individual whose
uission in life is to provide other
poople with money and to c~heerfully
pay to the government all the taxes 1T
q doses to impose on him for the
heneft OF itself and its favored friends.
Il is freely, ven eloQuently admitted
BY political spielers that the farmer
& the bulwark of the country's pros
psrity, but they fail utterly to show
there he himself comes in. This in a
TACT that has prompted the Baltimore
Sun to remark that ''the lemon ought
nOt to be the only fruit" of the farm
G's industry which a grateful gov
Rnment hands him along with vol
aumes of stilted praise.
"For instance" says the Sun, ''he
- probably the greatest user of
aachinery in the land. Yet the
1Armer in Argentina or almost any
other far-away land al buy a self
binder, q mower, q pillow, harrow. or
even the humble hoe. or less than the
farmer in the State in which it is made
has to pay. But then the farmer is SO
rich he really should not mind being
faxed so that his poorer brother who
= q manufacturer may buy steam
yachts, automobiles, divorces, new
uives and expensive homes for them
n foreign lands, is well as other trifes
oecessary to his happiness. The
Armer, being rich, could get all of
these things, but he doesn't want
Shem. He leads the simple life, gets
~ ct 4 In the moring, cleans out his
stable. feeds and curries down his
horses, milks the COWS and cleans their
Sails, feeds the hogs and then washes
Up at the pump and is ready for break
fAst and his days work. The old
horse that has done his work for
pears on the farm is all the auto
0obile he needs when he wants to
lAle the road; the traction engine at
0hreshing time is Is near Is he gets to
aepam yachts. and the wife he mar
rid In his youth, who has grown old
Nth him, born his children, shared
his toll and his troubles, whose hands
0e hard and whose face is furrowed
Nth age and care, is al the ''~aflnity''1
- needs"
The farmer, it is we'll to say, is q
0pntle soulof modest tastes who has
harmed the lesson OF self-dependence.
Uor many, very many years be has
aoked for no favors and wanted none,
nj he is beginning to realize that he
has burdens on his shoulders that
hsve been improperly placed there,
md whom he demands that they be re-
showed thsre viii be great commotion
a he house Of his alleged friends.
he actually has the temerity even now
% declare that he 10 tired Of carrying
~ load that the tariff law has
Ghouldered toto him, and he has let It
- known that he wants his rural mail
gsrrisr 70 have the privilege Of carry
nng small articles for delivery whesh-
- or not the express companies favor
idea. He has demanded that
gambling In the things produced BY
1testou end sweat shall be stopped.
Gndsed, To yet,ant farmer promises
u thag psar 3ktnse to make himself
quite fFonblesone to those who are so
usll cpntentsd Nth he existing order
oAat tAey Canrs mo fesson for change.
- + Il too much to expect that such
Republicans as Secretary Wilson can
understand OF have any sympathy for
- desires Of the farmer whom they
Qoeard q one who should be content
veer out his life WORKING for the
Wrichnent and happiness Of others,
Ailo he government confines its fos-
wanfcaro TO the tari6ablessed monop-
- Mo prey upon him.
Tie Cane Crop.
1n1o1nns Planter.
p~lautsrs are again complain
boa weather, sud Win reason.
&JkA~ff hAw&wN 49, 49,