The Princeton union., 1922-10-19
LINES THAT DO NOT EXIST.

Political campaigns are again get
ting in full swing and on all sides is
heard much discussion concerning the
conditions of the farmers and business
men and labor and capital. In all the
heated controversy of the next four
weeks will not some of us be attempt
ing to recognize classes that do not
exist and to draw lines that are not
to be found in our social and economic
systems? Are we not voluntarily
lending ourselves to the schemes of
the demagogues and the superficial
campaign orators?
Take the first set which in this To-
cality is so frequently placed in an
tithesis, the farmers and the business
men. How many of the successful
business and professional men in this
county are the sons of farmers? A
survey would unquestionably show
that a very high percentage of them
spent their boyhood days on some
farm. Because man takes up his
residence in a small settlement of
few hundred people, leaving his three
of four neighbors a few miles distant,
does the very soul of him change, and
if it does change does it grow black?
If so, we fear some of our most rabid
agitators who are fairly shouting
themselves hoarse, supposedly in the
interest of the farmers. should step
down from their soap boxes and for
a brief period of time engage in USE
full occupation.
Why say business men and farm
ers? Is not the farmer business
man? It requires plenty Of brains
and the best kind of judgment to op-
crate farm successfully.
Take the other pair that is 50 fre-
quently made the subject of discussion
at political gathering, labor and cap
ital. Here in our community so very
few of us, if any, have enough of this
worlds material goods to worry about
the definition Of the word "capital."
It is class in which we are not in
cluded and one with which we certain
ly are not in close contact Some of
the capitalists, moreover, like some of
the laborers are undoubtedly very
decent men. But stop for minute
to consider the laboring class, the
class that includes the farmer, banker,
merchant, teacher, preacher and al
most every adult, able-bodied, self
respecting individual in the communi-
ty. This loboring class is surely
entitled to consideration. But someone
will rise to state that by laborers is
meant those who work with their
hands. The class would then include
the mechanics, farmers, dentists, sur
geons, artists, stenographers and
those engaged in many hundreds of
occupations. Another man states that
by laborer is meant the man who
works by the sweat of his brow. Any
man or woman who works sufficiently
hard when the mercury is soaring
high enough will sweat, or to use the
expression which may be considered
little more elegant, will perspire.
When it is found so difficult to de-
fine class which is supposed to be
completely set off by itself by having
been so hopelessly wronged through
many decades, as some platform per-
formers would have us think the la
boring class has been, the honest
thinking man who looks facts in the
face will admit that such a class does
not exist.
1t is time the voters in this coun-
try ceased to listen to some of these
silly, superficial speakers who go
around the country chattering about
matters Of which they have no under
standing.