State Convention—Better Education, Etc. 157 
a little more than two-thirds of the wealth of the nation. These 
propositions will probably hold good to-day. 
Now, let us turn for a moment in another direction. We have 
lately seen the organization of a new house of Congress. How 
many farmers have we in it? I have bfien unable to obtain the ex¬ 
act statistics, but I can assure you that the number is very small. 
How about the organization of committees? How many chair¬ 
manships are given to the interest that represents more than half 
the population of the nation, and more than two-thirds of its 
wealth? Not one. How about the Senate? I believe that not a 
single farmer occupies a seat in that chamber. Suppose we come 
nearer home. How many professional farmers have we ever sent 
to Congress from this State? I am not positive, but I think nolle. 
How many to the United States Senate? Not one. Now, gentle¬ 
men, I ask in sober earnestness, how long is this condition of af¬ 
fairs to continue? Is this a fair and just representation? Nay, 
more, is it justice to yourselves? I say it is neither fair nor 
right. It is justice neither to ourselves nor to those who are to 
come after us. Will any one tell me that we have no men in our 
profession in this State who are capable of filling the seats in our 
halls of national legislation honorably and well? Surely not. 
You will probably agree with me that such men in our profession 
are not as plenty as we wish they were. Then let us study, that 
we may the better perform these duties. Let us prepare ourselves 
by having a better organization and being better acquainted with 
one another. Let us know our rights and know how to obtain 
them. I would counsel no shadow of wrong to those engaged in 
any other profession in our country, but I would have them under¬ 
stand that we as farmers can find men in our own ranks who can 
represent us honorably and well in any and every branch of public 
life to which we choose to call them. Let us seek out such men as 
will represent us intelligently, as well as honestly, and bid chronic 
office-seekers and office-holders, as well as noisy demagogues a final 
farewell. 
But, gentlemen, let us now turn for a brief space of time to the 
necessity of a better education upon the farm; for great and im¬ 
portant as I deem the necessity of a better political education, the 
necessity of a better one upon the farm is if possible still more im¬ 
portant. A wise man once said: “A nation’s prosperity may be 
