30 THE THIRD POWER 



spend much time in congressional or legislative 

 halls. He is not consulted about tariffs or subsi- 

 dies. Statesmen are not wearied with his importu- 

 nities. No lobby fights his battles. He is practically 

 forgotten. Congress taxes him for the benefit of 

 the capitalists, and he does not complain — nay, he 

 seems to feel that he has no reason to complain. He 

 has his duty on wheat and a few other crops, to 

 be sure, which in no way affects its price, a duty 

 which is imposed simply for the purpose of making 

 the farmer believe that he is getting some return 

 for the taxes that he is forced to pay for the benefit 

 of other people, and which in effect works to the 

 benefit of the speculators and gamblers, by prevent- 

 ing a flow from outside countries when they want 

 to manipulate the market here. If a farmer goes to 

 Washington he feels so honored and flattered by 

 any little attentions his representative may show 

 him that he never thinks of suggesting that he needs 

 anything in the way of legislation. And when the 

 representative comes back to the district for re-elec- 

 tion he talks of the honest farmer and sturdy yeo- 

 man, and every one feels that the account is square. 

 There is no use in getting angry at this, for the 

 fault is wholly with the farmer. The politician 

 knows perfectly well that in dealing with the farmer 

 he is dealing with individuals, and with individuals 

 who are divided into many different classes — even 

 by their own societies, which number about 5,000 

 distinct organizations — by political and sectional 



