State Convention—The Farmer in Politics. 175 
thus trained to the study of close logical thought, there can be but 
little doubt of the perpetuation of our political institutions in all 
their original purity and simplicity. 
In speaking to you, as I am now, I cannot avoid, if I would, bring¬ 
ing the question of party politics before you; in short, it is through 
the lessons taught by our mistakes, that we must come to the 
knowledge we need so much; but, in speaking of party politics, I 
do not intend to speak as a partisan, and therefore I shall speak in 
general terms, and not stop to particularize. The last two j^ears of 
Wisconsin politics are full of instruction to you, if you will but 
turn your thoughts back for awhile to examine their peculiarities. 
As I look back, I can see but little difference between parties, so 
far as subserviency to the purposes of capital and a disregard of the 
interests of the producing classes are concerned. The leaders of 
both parties are generally parasites, or men who are not producers, 
and their prejudices and sympathies are with the corporations and 
the usurers. When the republican party is in power, the demo¬ 
cratic leaders tell their followers that the acts sought for the bene¬ 
fit of capital are all wrong, but let the republicans pass them, and 
the people become awakened to what the republicans are doing, 
and drive them out of power; the democrats will take their places 
—a change is made, but only in party names—the democrats are 
now the subservient tools of capital, and the republicans play their 
game back again, and thus the people are ever cheated, and mo¬ 
nopolies get all the protection and favoritism they desire. 
And party fealty is so strong that partizanship overcomes your 
better judgment, and so party is ruling the country, and we are 
being dragged down to ruin through party. Villainy and fraud 
are winked at for the sake of party, and the honor of the country 
is sunk, and the stability of the government is threatened, that 
party maf be sustained. Aye, party has been held above justice, 
above country, above honor, more sacred than the constitution, and 
above law; dearer than progress, dearer than right, dearer than 
self-interest, dearer than patriotism, and above duty. Party has 
held the farmers of this country as -tightly and rigidly to its be¬ 
hests as blind religious bigotry holds the zealous recluse to his 
church. 
The isolated life we have led has had much to do with this, and 
the grange and the farmers 1 club have not had time to eradicate the 
