Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-09-05

tional Congress, and what Is the re-
suit? The result Is, that the farmer
has been neglected more than any
other man and his interest Disregard
ed more than the interest Of any
other class. and with this larger
training Of our farmer boys and iaIm-
er girls. | expect to see the farmer
associate himself more and gain a
larger representation in the making
OF our laws and the shaping OF the
nations policies.
The discrimination that has been
going on against the farmer has
TENDED to drive the people from the
farms to the town and l believe that
system is dangerous. am not 60
ing to dwell at length upon this DIS
Termination; am going to simply
point out two or three ways in which
| it manifests itself
! Constant Drain On Farms.
Our Federal taxation is almost
all collected through methods that
bear upon consumption and when we
tax consumption instead Of posses
sion, We make the poor man pay
more than his share and the rich
man less than his share, and there
has heretofore been a constant drain
OF the farms in the matter Of collect
ing the taxes, and when the taxes
are appropriated and expended the
money is nearly all spent in the CIT
les and very little Of 1t upon the
farms. The farmer. therefore, has
not only suffered in paying more than
his share to the tax collector, but
he has been the least benefited d.
rectly BY the expenditure money that
Is raised.
Take up Inc other large appropri
alton with the exception of pensions
I do not know of any large appropri-
alton in which the farmer has any
thing like his share In proportion TO
his number. These have been some
of the methods of discrimination. l
believe that with more farmers in
the councils Of the nation. that We
shall have a change and that that
change will help to retard. if not to
stop the tendency now from the farm
to the town. But what is the dan.
ger of the concentration Of our pop
ulation in the great cities. do not
mean to say that the causes that l
have given are the only ones that
have tended to build up the cities
Nearly everything has contributed.
but these influences have all when
you trace them back to the cause.
been operating and the fact that
farmers influence in Legislation has
not been what it ought to have been
| is one Of these influences.
No Voice In Legislation.
Take the rebates that have built
up great centers and destroyed the
small towns. Why have they been
given, Because the farmer has not
lhad a voice in the regulations Of the
railroads. believe the farm Is the
great training school and know
that the people from the farm have
strengthened every branch OF bust
ness. bst my friends. believe az
We get away from the country. as
We get farther from the soil. We are
less and less Impressed by those
great laws Of nature that ought to
have a controlling influence in our
lives.
Man, as he lives close to the soil
lives close to God. 1t is easy to
teach religion to one who sees the
miracles performed every day. II Is
easy to inspire regard for creator In
one who sees every day the handi-
work Of the Almighty and labors con
stantIy amid the mysteries Of natur-
al life. AID on these farms. We
have been rearing the men and WON
len whose Influences have heipei to
keep. this country great and to pro
mote the movements which have 20.
their objects the welfare Of the
world.
Divine Law Of Rewards.
But there Is another reason Why
I am anxious that the farmer shall
have . great influence. As I have
been studying the causes OF evil as
I have been studying the abuses that
iced 10 be remcdicd. have founn
ttha; the fundamental trouble is
mistaken understanding Of The law
lof rewards. The farmer. more than
anyone else. IL brought into close
touch with the divine Law Of re-
wards.
The farmer knows that God has
given him q fruitful earth. the show,
ers that are necessary AMI the
warth Of the sun and the farmcI
knows that II he Is 20 convert raw
material into wealth. II must bc by
diligence and wv inpilisrncc: and
the farmer Is impressed day by day.
ycar by year. with The i6ra that his
reward Is to be In proportion TO his
merit