The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-06-04
THE MEANEST WAY THE
FARMER WAS EVER SKINNED

There is an old story, or saying
rather, that may have more truth
than fiction when the proper appli-
cation is applied. Having been
pretty careful observer of things
as they transpire and the means
instituted by the various auxiliar-
les than tend to make up the many
occupations of life, there is an APP
plication, we believe, of the above
remark that has a great deal OF
force in illustrating the saying. AS
a rule, every conceivable device of
advertising and introduction of the
many skinned games that come
along to catch the farmer are in
dulged in, and it is foregone con-
clusion that he must be caught.
But the wickedness and downright
dirtiest of all these schemes and
tricks resorted to has its culmina
ton in the one simple fact that of
securing the assistance by the VEN
dor of the time and talents of some
specific influential farmer in the
community or county to ride around
and have a good time introducing
the said gentleman and his bust
ness and talking to his neighbors
in the interest of the vendors spec
ial class of business, which is so
often the case.
This has been a practice in this
country ever since we were large
enough to observe and Mr.. Influen-
tial Farmer will hire himself out
for a pretence or, in other words,
he will for some pecuniary consid-
Grafton give his time and talent
and the reputation and prestige he
has in his community, to some
fellow who has a $50 buggy that
he must talk off on the farmer for
$I1o, and this Mr.. Influential
Farmer always can be used and is
used as proof test of the great
value of the article to be sold be-
cause he has bought one of them
for about SIS, conditioned upon
the fact that he will 60 and assist
in catching a few of his neighbors
at $11o each. And thus is repro
duced the moral of the above say
ing, catch farmer in order to catch
farmers, but in our opinion this
mess of skinning the farmer is the
lowest down, dirtiest, filthiest
method that has ever been adopted
by any vendor whose stock and
trade is to impoverish the laborer
by extortion and excess, and away
down deep in us we have an ever
lasting contempt for this "inhuen-
tial gentleman" who will thus aid
and abet in poking off on his fellow
farmers on long terms of credit,
buggies, wagons, and everything
else at about three times their
value. Yet it is often the case and
this old "geezer" after he has been
the instrument to seduce and con-
troll the sentiments OF his neigh
bors and influence them to buy
said article wherein he was a bene-
fciary to the extent of being called
the most influential farmer in his
community and because of the pen
itence he got as rake-off, he rams
his hands down in his jeans,
stands around on the street corner,
looks wise and otherwise, and IS
heard to repeat very, very frequent
" that the farmers won't stick.
Oh, Jerusalem Brethren, keep
your eye peeled for that fellow,
that Influential" fellow, for tell
you that his work is as dirty as
that of Judas Iscariot, and he has
done the South as much harm and
more than many of the avowed en-
emies we have. He that can read,
let him read he that can see, let
him see.
Arkansas Union Tribune.