The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-06-05
Farmers Union Bureau.

Ito the Officers and Members OF the Far,
mers' Union:.
The current presidential year will prob
ably see more g%littering promises peddled
to the farmers than upon similar occasions
in many decades. On both sides, and the
factions on both sides, the contest Is hot
and close. They are playing to every ele'
iment to boost their stock. And the far
liners vote will he coaxed and cajoled and
%lhypnOtised by every device known to an
lcient and modern politics.
I have made 1t no secret that l nave been
liable to DO Of service to the farmers OF this
country because l took the promises they
made at every hallulejah meeting to over
turn the universe with several grains OF
salt.
| II you want to get the most results out
Of the politicians who. will be appealing
for your votes from this time forward, l
recommend a similar course to you. There
lis, however, a difference between the poll
Itician glibly Offering all sorts OF promises
and the farmer voluntarily Offering to do
Ianything under high heaven to further
1.-THE common cause.
lNine-tenths Of the.promises the politicians
make with a smiling face are spoken sin
ply for the purpose Of catching votes.
There ia no desire or intention to redeem
them.
Work a farmer up to a b~oiler-burstlng
mitch OF enthusiasm at a local, or county,
or state convention, and he Is a prodlgal
with his .promises-but, at the time he
honestly believes he will keep them.
|. Later, when he reaches home and the
feeling" has died away, and he gets busy
patching the fences, or repairing! the roof
or keeping the grass out OF the cotton the
promise oozes out OF his mind like water
out ofs .leaky barrel. Sometimes too, ne
gsts,suspicious Of his oGteials. Jealous OF
other:members, dissatisfied because the
Union hasn't reformed the universe over
night, and considers himself absolved from
his pledge. 1t all amounts to the same
thing In the long run.
Because the two parties, with oil their
factions are on their toes, politically speak
ing, this year, fighting for life and public
favor, it is one Of the best opportunities
recently presented for the farmer to Sc
curefthose things, in a Legislative sense,
for which he has long been c~ontending.
When the situation c%rystalizes, later on,
may 'have Esomething to say touching
what the politicians offer the farmers, and
how;Imuch reliance can be placed upon
specific pledges.
tits as yettoo earlyto gauge the line
no, and it is the part Of wisdom to see
what congress is going to do before we
lump to conclusions, Or adopt hasty ac-
ton.
l do not look for the present session to
accomplish wonders in the way Of legisla-
ton. of any sort, since both parties in
house and senate are Juggling for advan-
tage,and have an eye more to catching
popular favor than to enacting measures
genuinely constructive.
But first, last and all the time, bear i'll
mind that when the temptation seizes you
to get over heated about some particular
political iavorite-keep your vest down
your head cool and treat the candidate
bidding for favor with just as much sus-
picion as you do the other fellow In a horse
trade.
Charles S. Barrett.
Spokane, Wash, May 18th, 1912.