State Convention—Better Education, Etc. 165 
Mr. Carpenter: One word in reference to the election of class 
representatives occurred to me when I heard the paper read, and 1 
think the gentleman stated the facts very correctly, but the remedy 
has been slightly touched up by my friend Field, and I think it is, 
in fact, the only remedy out of the trouble. A large portion of 
the voters on both sides believe, for instance, in railroad restriction. 
One of those candidates, as is well known, will not vote for rail¬ 
road restriction if he is elected. The other one, it is well known, 
will. The question is, how will those voters go? The fact is, the 
straight-jacket of party is put on, party-lines are drawn taut, and 
they are corralled as wild buffaloes oil the plains, up to the scratch 
of party. You must go to the party hit or miss. You occasion¬ 
ally see some of your own class there. I want it understood I do 
not believe in class legislation, or class representation. I do not 
believe a man should be sent to Congress because he is a farmer, or 
because he is a lawyer, or of any other class, but because he is hon¬ 
est and just in his aims and purposes, and is willing to carry out 
the aims, purposes, and desires of his constituents. 
It seems to me that is the criterion we should go by. It is not 
always among the farmers who are delving in the dirt, and paying 
attention to their business, and racking their brains to make both 
ends meet, and keep the wolf from the door, that they can educate 
a man to take a seat in the United States Senate. But party- 
springs are drawn. It won’t do to violate party-creed. They must 
train with their partjq and run with the party-machine. If they 
would pull that straight-jacket of party off, they would get better 
men to represent them in Congress. When they get so they will 
not vote for a man who will directly or indirectly engage in any of 
these great steals, like voting away territory enough to make half 
a dozen States like Wisconsin, to soulless corporations, or like vot¬ 
ing in effect $200,000,000, to build a railroad and give it away. 
When the people—the farmers—will come to the conclusion that 
they will put their foot down, and will not vote for that class of 
men, will not vote for any but those they can trust, then there may 
be hope. I am talking to both parties; to all classes and shades of 
party. If these farmers will go to work and educate through the 
press, they will do more than they will establishing stores here and 
there to buy without these intermediate profits. You should put 
your little pennies into a general fund, and establish and maintain 
