LACK OF REPRESENTATION. 41 6 



By reference to the table on page 73, it will be seen that 

 nearly one half of our people are agriculturists; and that there 

 were in 1870, 41,106 lawyers in the United States. It is not 

 extravagant to say that the latter have exerted more practical 

 influence in public affairs than the whole body of farmers. 



For instance, we have in Congress one hundred and ninety- 

 eight lawyers and thirteen farmers, or one lawyer to about 

 two hundred of that profession, and one farmer to about one 

 hundred and thirty thousand land-owners or independent agri 

 culturists. It is a fearful commentary upon the working of our 

 government, that the great producing arm of the country is so 

 feebly represented; but the fault and the remedy is entirely in 

 themselves. Prof. Perry says, &quot;there is no objection to raise 

 to lawyers; they are a useful class of men; but there is a de 

 cided objection to allowing a mere handful of them represent 

 ing another mere handful of powerful clients, to shape and 

 mold the policy of forty millions of people. That is only a re 

 publican form of government, in which they who are intrusted 

 with political franchises, exert an influence somewhat propor 

 tionate to their numbers.&quot; 



The producing classes will have little or no ability to turn 

 the current of legislation in their own favor while their repre 

 sentation is so small; and it is not arraying one class against 

 another, to say that this should be changed in order that jus 

 tice may be done. I believe that what is best for the laboring 

 men of this country, is the best for all classes, and best for the 

 local, state and national governments, as gatherers of taxes. 



Now, as the farmer needs to know what he wants, and how 

 to get it by a more adequate representation, so also he needs to 

 know something of the methods of business, in order that he 

 may not be at the mercy of others. 



One of the greatest wants of farmers in all portions of the 

 West, as well as the business men, is, more money at low rates 

 of interest. We have seen elsewhere that one of the questions 

 met by our State Grange was a remedy for the high rates on 

 this coast. The legislation of the country has been under the 

 control of the eastern capitalists who have got the lion s share 

 of the present bank circulation. The patriotism which sub 

 mitted to the payment of six per cent, interest, gold, upon 

 &quot;United States bonds, exempt from taxation, as a ivar measure, 



