Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-04-08
SPEAKS OUT IN
GOOD STRONG WAY
FOR COUNTRY MAN
Continued from page ~

During the agitation for Canadian
reciprocity that was carried on dur
ing the previous administration the
farmers believed such law would be
grossly unjust and opposed 1t to the
extent OF their ability even sending "a
delegation, composed of the Master of
the State Grange, the President of the
State Association of Farmers Clubs
and President of the M. A. c. and
representative farmers from various
parts of the state, TO present their
views to the Senate committees having
the mater in charge.
A few days later the city of Detroit,
sent delegation whose spokesman
cautioned the Senatorial committee
about placing any reliance on what the
farmers had said as they were mot
qualified to express an intelligent OPP
inion."
Again a certain city delegate APP
peared before the tax conference last
winter with the proposition that the
system of taxation be changed from
its present form to a flat rate of 2 per
cent on real estate, which would
mean all farms, Y per cent on all
would include all livestock, tools and
machinery used in working the farms
and Y per cent on all intangible per-
sonal property which would comprise
all stocks, bonds, mortgages etc,
which comprise the wealth Of the cap
italist and is held exclusively in the
city.
Surely the mental process OF the
city man is at least an interesting
study. Recently the country has been
enjoying the spectacle of bankers.
railroad men, capitalists etc, racing
over the country in their automobiles
teaching the farmers how to farm.
Another CoXey's army preceding
the doctrine of crop Initiation Instead
of currency initiation"
But the particular grievance of the
city man in the article under discus
sion, is the action taken by the far
mers organizations in matters that
especially concern city government
notably the vice and liquor problems.
Perhaps the city man does know
how far he may safely go in dealing
with these peculiar city institutions.
But the country man believes he may
safely go to the bottom of the matter,
and keep fighting among till the last
root OF the evil shall disappear, And
so long as % per cent of the crime of
the land is the result of liquor and so
long as % per cent of the criminals
are products of the cities. And so
long as the greater part of the eX-
pense OF caring for the criminals falls
upon the farmers, so long Will the
citizen have hard work TO convince the
farmer that it is his duty TO stand
back and let him play the game fast
or loose according to- his own financial
needs. as he has done in the past.
The farmer,is the hope Of the land,
not only because he tills the soil and
produces the food, but because he re-
presents. that rapidly diminishing i'm
dependent middle class on whose
shoulders has always rested the bur
den Of instituting and carrying for
ward all reform measure looking to
the betterment and uplifting Of man
kind Thence the opposition OF the
and reaction element Of
society whose home is in the city.
Perhaps the country man is some
times a little bilious. Anyway he has
a feeling akin TO nausea when he sees
one wrapped in his robes OF self right
eousness and standing on the street
corner TO recount his good deeds and
many virtues and TO thank God he is
not like that occidental pariah, the
To see ourselves
~. .ytft srfa
To see ourselves as ithers see us,
1t wad frae many a blunder free us
and foolish notion. ''-Countryman.