The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-07-31
THE FARMER
AND MERCHANT
Some Things They Have Accom-
pIished in The Realm Of
Plain Politics.
Extracts from Hon. ]. A. SchmahI'S
Address DeIived at Mddi-
son Last Week.

Hon. Julius A. Schmahl, secretary
lof state Of Minnesota, was one of
the speakers at the meeting Of the
retail merchants and farmers of Lac
i ui Parle county at the Commercial
club in Madison on Friday afternoon
Of last week, his subject being "The
Farmer and the Merchant in Poll
tics. The speaker gave some new
Thoughts along those lines, and from
the Madison papers we are able to
give excerpts that will be of local
interest.
Mr.. Schmahl required to early
days when Redwood and Lac qui
Parle counties were one with Lin
coin, Yellow Medicine and Lyon, and
claimed this county as a part of his
home. He referred to the fact that
| in after years his father delivered
Schmahps Best" to the thirsty in
and around old Lac qui Parle, and
points further below, and that to-
day he personally was bringing to
our city another product that might
be labelled s'Schmahl's Best, the
human product.
He took up farm life and insisted
that to him nothing seemed sweeter,
better and more exhilirating than
when the individual left the shout
der jamming life Of the city and got
back to the farm where he could
commune with nature, where what
was produced was wealth, and where
the producer was the most independ-
ent person on earth. The proud
spirit could we'll be fostered in the
bosom of the farmer by the reading
Of history. Cincinnatus was taken
from his cabbage patch to rule the
Roman world. Washington was
called from his Virginia farm to
successfully command the revolu-
tionary army, Lincoln was taken
from the rail splitting field to lead
the mightiest struggle Of ancient
or modern times, and Roosevelt was
more at home on the ranch than in
the frivolitys and gayety of New
i York life.
i Mr., Schmahl pointedl to the fact
that there were 10000 farms in
operation in Minnesota in 1905,
1 valued at the time at $500, 900, 900,
and annually producing 5000, 900, 900,
with an average Of 169.acres to The
farm. Today the farmer farms
| with his head as we'll as his hands,
4 and the most successful farmer was
really the most successful business
man.
4 History confirmed the state
ment that the good business farmer
made a good political leader. and
particularly a good legislator,
continued the speaker. 1t was the
! old guard Of Minnesota farmers
that in 1898 organized the Mindesots
state agricultural society, an instl
tuition that stood out as the might
lest state or provincial institution Of
its kind on the globe. It was ths
| farmers that later organized the
dairymen's association, the butter
and cheese association. and were
directly responsible for Minnesota
, being regarded as the greatest but
ter state in the union, and equal tx
any on earth.
4 These were the direct results Of
!; | farmers organizing. In the more
desperate battle Of politics ! can SEE
I the farmers Of the 1891 session Of
] the legislature, led by the late Igna
thus Donnelly, carrying on the figh'
j for the binding twine plant at Still
. water. It was Ignatius Donnelly
charging up and down that senat'
! chamber, with almost foaming mouth
urging on the representatives of TIL
! tillers of the soil. and appealing t
the business and professional men