34 THE THIRD POWER 



must do so by his own act. And it is better so. A 

 prosperity won by one's own effort is better and 

 more securely based than that created and guaran- 

 teed by government. The solution of the problem 

 is not to be found in Washington, but on the farm. 

 There is no need to ask for favors. The politicians 

 can not greatly help, and we don't propose to call 

 on them. The farmers organized, and pricing their 

 own products, will be so strong in the control of the 

 food and clothing of the world, which the other peo- 

 ple must have, that they can put any price on them 

 that they want to. Thus they can meet prices, ex- 

 penses, and taxes, imposed by others. The farmers 

 organized, don't need to care whether there is poli- 

 tics or not, nor how much they are taxed only in 

 so far as they may be interested in another class — 

 the consumers. Nothing should be asked of the 

 politician except treatment that will make it possible 

 to deal equitably with others. It is clear that the 

 farmers need not look to lawmakers, Divine Provi- 

 dence or anywhere but themselves. 



It has been said of the Irish people that they have 

 fought successfully in all battles except their own. 

 This is largely true of the farmers. They have la- 

 bored and struggled and paid taxes for others, and 

 upon their intelligence, industry, and thrift, to-day 

 depend the welfare and prosperity of the nation. 

 The farmers in the United States have been the sol- 

 diers of civilization. They have reduced a wilder- 

 ness to subjection, and have made it a fruitful 



