The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-26
CAJOLING THE FARMER VOTE

WuiCHSOeNeI way lue ldIueE IuTllS Ilc ILLUS the politicians bouncing on him for affec- tionate flub-dub. The performance is all ways in his interest, of course. It has been that way from the time statesmen kissed the farmers babies and danced with the farmers wife. It is love for the "dear farmer" that caused the annual gift of gar den seed, although it was seldom the kind suited to the farmers habitat or of suffi- cient quantity for a crop; but it served to remind the farmer that the statesman at Washington was bearing him in mind. Likewise doth the festive congressman send his speeches to the farmer. The farmer is complimented at receiving this token of consideration. He is somebody; name on the statesman's mailing list and it costs no more to send speech to him than to ones grandmother, nothing in either case.
 The farmer is to be bounced on in the coming campaign. His benefactor, the Re- publican party, is going to present a stirring and soufiling movie in which the farmer is to behold how the said Republican party lifted him out of the slough of despond and caused his financial comeback. The far mer is not to be told that he had nothing u uO WiIu OWH IcCOFSly, tulOuSH pIdC- tice of better business in the making and marketing of his farm yields. That would be rough stuff. But he is to be cajoed into the idea that the Republican party did it and did it out of pure love for the farmer. The farmer is to be filled to his gullible capacity with the soft soap of self-pity, and encour- aged to regard the Republican party as the altruistic and good angel that caused these prosperous times to come to him.
 The Republican party has already an- nounced its slogan "We gave you good times; re-elect us" will be emblazoned on the Republican party banner and will be the theme of Republican spellbinders. Bus mess men will be appealed to and the sol dier be harangued, but the farmer is the one to be bounced on. The soldier and the bus mess man will be approached in less openly affectionate manner. It is the farmer who will be deluged with consideration and soul full reminders of the love which the Republi- can party bears for him, always did bear for him, and always will bear for him.
 How certain Democrats will bounce on him has not developed. Some will probably arise to demonstrate that but for Republi-
 
 to forty cents and that the farmers were barely saved from demolition by the war on the harsh measures of the federal reserve board. Certain it is that the farmer will be attacked fore and aft by the political ora tors and both will gorge him with love and affection and fairly pull him apart in their anxiety to prove that his salvation rests on his choice of political leadership. The far mer of today will enjoy this play. He is already smiling in his sleeve over some of the antics of the farm bloc and the oceans of sympathy deluging him long after he has passed the need of sympathy. He will attend the movies and have really good time in the make-believe antics of the politicians. And he will go on his way perfecting the methods that enabled him to rise above the stage where this sort of stuff is taken seriously. He will enjoy the syllabub, but he will know it for what it is