1882.] FARM LIFE. 297 



every fiber of their existence, it is their meat and drink, they roll 

 it as a sweet morsel under their tongue, they take an agricultural 

 paper, as every farmer should, they read and inwardly digest.- 

 But some farmers are offended if asked to take an agricultural 

 paper, they want no book farming, with their cattle running in the 

 highway all winter, giving to the* public the best of fertilizers, 

 while their farms are running down, down ten per cent, a year, 

 still they want no book farming. " Ephraim is joined to his idols, 

 let him alone." 



There is one thing appears very strange, and that is, builders, 

 manfacturers, professions, stock-jobbers, and all but farmers, have 

 a ring, or trades-union, they club together and run up prices to 

 suit themselves, and all are governed by them, but the farmer, the 

 most independent man on earth, takes products to market, and 

 takes just what the merchant sees fit to give him; not a word to 

 say about it, and then he takes back from the merchant the things 

 he needs at home, at the merchant's own price; no voice in it. 

 Now if farmers would combine, as all others do, they can starve 

 the world. > All other powers in the land cannot make these toiling 

 farmers budge one inch, if they say the word. The kings and 

 queens, and the lazy ones of earth must be fed, and the farmers 

 may say (as Pierpont has it), "hold thy tongue, for thou art iveak 

 and I am strong y But how is this combination to be brought 

 about? Not by a few grangers that promise much and accom- 

 plish little; not by State conventions, or large bodies at first, 

 but let it begin in neighborhoods, in farmers' clubs, or granges, 

 let it be agitated there first, then by larger bodies, until the whole 

 country is in motion; we must have enthusiasm, for great designs 

 are not accomplished without it, it is the inspiration of everything 

 great; without it, no man is to be feared, and with it, none are 

 despised. These great trunk lines of railroads are a monopoly, 

 they hold a tremendous power all along their lines, from the At- 

 lantic to the Pacific. If they want a law to their liking, they can 

 give all our legislatures a free pass over their roads, and they can 

 get the law. But farmers are too honest for all such things, and 

 to their praise be it spoken. 



Physicians cannot conscientiously pray to have the people sick, 

 but they can pray for their daily bread, and so can the farmer, 

 but they must add work to their faith if they don't want to sub- 

 mit to the bulls and bears, and Chicago corners. For we can hold 

 the fort in spite of them if we will, and the time is coming when 



