The Springfield herald., 1912-03-01
FARMER COMING TO HIS OWN
President Barrett Writes Interesting
Letter on Conditions Concerning
~ Farmers' Union.
To omcers and Members of the Farm

To Omcers and Members of the Farm
ers Union: " ID
The farmers have Just laid on the
shelf the only senator from the south
who voted against the anti-gambling
bill. Backed by the cotton exchanges.
he left the biggest city in the south
with = big majority: but the boys In
tho country had been furnished his
record, and they did the rest. A few
fellows Excused" like this one was.
will do eur cause more good than any
thing else that can be done. 1t is evil
dence seen and felt that you are "on
the Job, The average politician re-
spects nothing but the power Of the
ballot. 1t is up to the farmer to ju-
diciously exercise that power.
The biggest joke of the age in the
mind of the average politician is the
American farmer. It is only when
thoroughly shaken up and aroused to
exercise his power that the politician
begins to believe that he is in dead
earnest. An illustration is the defeat
of the senior senator from the Peli-
can state. Even the most self conf
dent senator at the head of the most
important committee, secured by the
caste rule OF seniority. does not refuse
to listen to election returns. The eff
feet Of election returns are SO cleo
trical that one man actually said to
me with an anxious look: Are you
fellows cunning for us?"
Let the good work go on. You are
not seriously considered until you
knock the "stufing" out Of some
body. ttut-9 ~ 20
1t IS humiliating to come here and
see how little is thought OF the farm
er, and how he is talked about by
some of these wise guys. Let us
give you sample. A short while ago,
three congressman met in a room at
the capitol and began a discussion Of
the $75,00O,0O pension appropriation.
One remarked that he had cast his
vote according to the dictates of his
conscience" Another spoke up and
said: stop right nowhere is no
use of your lying to yourself about 1t.
voted for the appropriation to catch
the old soldier vote and SO did you.
have voted for every crowd that came
along that had any votes tied to 1t,
and SO did you: and will continue to
do SO and so will you; and there is no
use in lying to each other behind
closed doors about it." Another who
had dropped In, seemed curious to
know when the limit of this cohesive
political purchase of class support on
election day would be reached. The
answer was volunteered that 1t would
last until "Old RUDE at the plow." who
ia not getting much and paying the
tax bill, wakes up" All of which re.
minds me of conversation which I
hao In the city with a man of national
reputation, who was given to fiatter-
ing and cajolins, the people. arraying
class against class and arousing pre-
1udices. asked him why he fed such
rot" to the people as he did. He
replied: why. the damn fools like
It" q & 81 ~, - M
Economy IL the slogan of this con-
eress. In proof OF this. when we men
ton such measures you want. they po-
litely refer to that mo1lycoddle stunt
they cut of reducing the number OF
girl stenographers in order to econo-
mize but they do not mention the
proposed $75.000.0oo pension appro-
priation. Neither do they say any
thing about how they increased the
number of members Of an already un-
wieldy house. at an enormous add
tional expense.
Yes. 1t is great statesmanship. and
shows wonderful advances along eco
nomic lines to buy votes with mil
lions of dollars appropriations. But
when he wants the vote of you who
bear the burden Of taxation he gives
you q song and q dance about econ