Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1874 — How Reform is to Come. [ARTICLE]

How Reform is to Come.

The result of the Republican btate Convention in New Hampshire illustrates the wisdom of the farmers in pursuing the course so often urged by the Inter-Ocean. The farmers of New Hampshire, as indeed the farmers of almost every State in the Union, are largely Republican in principle. They love the record, venerate the history, and believe in the fundamental doctrines of the Republican party. They desire to reform abuses, but to reform them inside the organization to which they are attached, and to this end have come forward, taken a prominent part in the primary meetings of the party, and finally, with the assistance of those who sympathize with them, have carried the State Convention and nominated their own candidate for Governor. We do not know whether the selection of Mr. McCutchins is a wise one or not; but we have confidence to believe that the man nominated as the choice of the farmers of the Granite State is one eminently fit to be chosen, and who deserves the warm support of every Republican. And this leads us to say a few words regarding the selection of candidates in general. The agriculturists, as a class, are more numerous in the United States than any other body of men. Of the 12,000,000 of persons •ver ten years of age engaged in the various occupations, agriculture claims nearly 6,000,000. While this is true, it is also a fact that a smaller per cent, of farmers is represented in the public offices, especially the legislative offices, than almost any other of the prominent classes of society. In looking over the Congressional Directory, it is only at rare intervals that a farmer-is found, while the professions abound in great profusion- This is not strange, considering the fact that heretofore, at least—and we do not say that the rule should be entirely abandoned—men have been chosen to Congress because of their, exhibition of some predominant trait or acquirement that, from the nature of their education and advantages, professional men were more likely to possess than those whose time had been occupied in other directions. It is not singular, for instance, that a lawyer who has devoted years to study, whose life has been spent among books, whose daily experience gives to him fluency of speech, should, under ordinary circumstances, be chosen to represent the people in a position which his experience qualifies him to fill, and where it is known he will meet shrewd men of his own ilk who will take occasion to measure swords with him. For the same reason we are not surprised to see our Legislatures plentifully sprinkled with editors who, from the nature of their occupation, must necessarily have an intimate knowledge of legislation and the political history of the country. As judicial offices must be filled by men versed in the law, so, in a lesser degree, has it been thought advisable to fill offices where more or less discussion must arise with those familiar with current topics, and consequently better able to stand their own ground against attempts on the part or those of a given section, or those having a joint interest in some given legislation, to overcome men whose lives had not been devoted to study. ■ These men have been elected, not because they were deemed better qualified naturally to attend to such matters, but because they had made such subjects their business, and the old rule of “every man to his trade” was deemed a good one. Other things being equal, it cannot be doubted that the man whohas spent his life in the study of any particular subject is better qualified to consider and legislate upon that subject than he who has given it but superficial attention. But just now a new era has dawned, and questions have arisen which, perhaps, the farmer is better qualified to consider than any one else. And we do not mean by this theoretical farmers, but those actually engaged in the work of agricultureOf late years, too, the agricultural classes have taken immense strides forward in education and general-intelli-gence. The, farm-house, once comparatively barren of libraries, now compares favorably in the matter of books with more pretentions homes. The newspaper —that great edneator—is found in every house; and, it is safe to say, is more carefully read and considered in the country than in the town. Upon every prominent question the-farmer of to day has decided opinions; and opinions which are intelligently expressed. And Us views are not the result of theoretical reasoning alone, so apt to be at fault, but have been gained , by hard experience, that most efficient of teachers. Under these circumstances it is not st all singular that the farmers of the nation are coming to the front and de-

Imanding to be heard in the legislation of the country. Neither is it strange that they should choose the Republican party, in which they are in such vast majority, as the medium through which to speak and act. Having its firmest hold and its greatest strength in the agricultural homes of the country, the Republican parly can look with complacency on the elevation of represent stives of those homes to power. We therefore welcome the result in New Hampshire, and commend the example there as ope eminently fit to be followed in other Stales. Not that all pub'ic offices should be filled with farmers. They are not the men to ask a monopoly of the governing business more than of any other; but that they should freely ask and freely receive a fair distribution of the offices, to ihe end that they may share in the responsibilities and the benefiis which arise under our system of government.— Chicago Inter Ocean. .%>