The Semi-weekly leader., 1921-12-03
A DELIBERATE VIEW OF
THINGS AS THEY ARE
A Rehearsal of Conditions by a
Lincoln Man Without Pas
sion or Prejudice.

AS farmer sees himself he is to-
day in an economic sense, the sick
est of sick America. He has some
thing to sell-all that America eats
and much that it wears-and his
products have dropped into an abys-
NAL market. His purchasing power
has been cut more than half within
the last year and his needs like those
of other folks, have increased. Be-
cause of his numerous members and
troubles he regards his condition as
the basic ailment of American COM
merce and industry and by reducing
Government expenses he believes he
can be brought back to economic
health. of the meat packers and 9TH
er big corporations were farmers and
members of a farmers cooperative
society for marketing their produce
any federal judge could fine them
and send them to Jail for violating
the antitrust act,
Yet meat packers and other big
business can do that very thing with
out molestation.
But the farmer has not yet de-
SPARED. The world has been rocked
by mighty storm. The shores are
lined with the wreckage of the tenn
pest and the waves have not yet
cCme to rest. No man can with GER
tainty predict the future. This is
time for sober thinking rather than
time for the stirring up of passion.
There is no one believes in keeping
abreast with progress any more than
/; but let us first see if we are able.
Cuba was once prosperous country
until the tyrannical hand of Spain
bore down upon her so heavily in
the way of taxation until she rebelled
against her mother country and
fought in the face of great odds; and
no doubt, with but little hope of
victory, perhaps preferring to die on
the battle field than to be burdened
with an unbearable taxation.
1t is true little tax for one thing
and a little for another is not much
in itself; but when you add them to-
gether that makes it pretty hard for
the poor man to pay.
1t doesn't seem it should be such
a crime for our county to emulate
our national government, especially
when it comes to the economical side
of the question.
1t will be remembered that some
months ago one Mr.. Charles D. Dawes
was appointed by the National Gov
ernment as first budget director who
is charged with the responsibility of
reducing the operating expense of
the U. S. Government. He has al
ready informed the Senate that it
may rely upon saving of millions
of dollars in the cost of operation this
year. How did he do it? BY lopp-
ing off unnecessary jobs in part.
We read of rosy promises from
our nations lawmakers for the down
and out farmer and we might live to
see them realized if there wasn't too
many hobby horses, fed from the U.
S. Treasury.
If we could eliminate too much |
money from religion, graft from po-
litics, and white lightning from the
briar patches we would have a much
better country to live in. 1t isn't
what a man stands for as a candi-
date so much as what he falls for af-
ter he has been elected.
l noticed in last weeks Leader
what down east Yankee had to say
about the Southern farmer. He said |
in part as follows:- He buys his
clock in Connecticut; his suspenders
in Chicago; overalls in Detroit; his
blanket in New jersey" etc.
The Southern farmer, l am proud
to say has the proud consciousness
of knowing that when he commits
himself to the arms of Morpheus and
lies down to peaceful dreams he COW
ers with that New Jersey blanket
white and honest heart and with no
stain Of Ananias or social equality |
upon his brow.
Woodson E. East.