The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-06
PROF. BARRETT'S Letter.

The farmers have just laid on the
shelf the only Senate f rom the
South who voted against the anti
gambling bill. Backed by the cot
city in the South with D big ma
ority; but the boys in the country
had been furnished his record, and
they did the rest. A few fellows
Excused" like this one was, will do
our cause more good than anything
else hat can be lone. 1t is evidence
seen and felt that you are ION the
job." The average politician aspects
nothing but the power of the bal
lot. 1t is up to the farmer to jul
diciouSly exercise that power.
The biggest joke Of the age in the
mind Of the average politician is the
American armer 1t 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 Pelican
state. Even the most S~elf-cOnfidcnt
Senator at the head of the most i'm
Vortant committee, secured by the
caste rule of seniority. does not re-
fuse to listen to election eturns. The
effect Of election returns are SO cleo
trical that n man actually said to
me with an anxious look, Are you
fellows cunning for u.s."
Let the good work 20 on. You
are not seriously considered until YOU
knock the "stuffins" out Of some
body.
IL is humiliating 10 come here and
see how little is. thought of the
farmer and how he is talked about
by some of these wise guy Let mo
give You q sample. A short while
ago, three COngreSsmen met in q:
~, ~ fhn (toNifnl on1 l,- :,
discussion Of the $4,000, 900 pension
appropriation. one remarked that
he had east his Vote according to
the dictates Of his conscience" An
other spoke up and said, "Stop right
now-there is no use Of your lying to
yourself about II. ! 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 it, and
so did you: and l 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 purchasing OF class support
on election day would be reached.
The answer was volunteered that it
would last until "Old RUDE at the
rloW.' who is not getting much and
paying the tax bill, wakes up" All
of which reminds me Of a converse
'i"n which ] had II. this city with
Il man OF nationo' reputation. who
Was given to fiattering and "a joling
the people, %arrayine class against class
aud %arousing prejudices. / asked him
why he fed such rot to the people
IS he did. He replied. why. the
damn fools like It,"
Economy is the slogan of this Con
Srcss. In proof Of this, when we men
ZION some measures you want, they
politely refer to that mollycoddle
stunt they cut OF reducing the num-
Der Of girl StenOgrapherS in order
10 cconOmiZe, but they do not men
zion the proposed $4,000, 900 pension
appropriation. Neither do they say
anything about how they increased
the humble of members of an al
ready unwicldly House, at an cnor-
NOUS additional expense.
les. 1t is great craftsmanship, and
shows wonderful a0vancement along
economical lines to buy votes witt
millions OF dollars appropriations
but whcn he wants the vote Of YOU
who bear the burden Of taxation he
SlFeS You n song and q n ahOu
economy, and proceeds to fire a few
%irl clerks to show how it can be
done.
Amulet HNetnOO OF ruDDlnS yOul
lur the right way is TO bundle up G
jt OF garden seed and other free
Junk and send it to you This arnics
save Is on the way. You can be OF
me lookout for it. l have seen great
stacks of it tin the office building:
ready for shipment. 1t will be eX
pecicd to act as i narcotic on your
n~"Iltica! nerves and make you forge
hlS promise to get for you the legis
hn"n You need.
lhls Congress is, and has been
paying. politics. They do not wan
20 agree. ] do not believe the poiiti
tlahS would settle the tariff question
i TOY anything in the world, it is worth
so much just before election time
\ Whole lot OF them would not know
HoW 10 make a campaign if the.
could not raise Il row about the tariff
j am a little afraid q few OF our en-