Presidential politics from the Round Robin

I said I’d stay away from politics on this blog, but I’m going to make an exception for Grandpa Pete’s politics because I've been going through the round robin letters and I've found some good stuff.

For those who don't know, a round robin is a letter chain. The way it works is you have a list of names and addresses to receive a packet of letters. The first name on the list puts their letter in and sends it to the next name on the list and so on. Once it makes its way back around to the first person on the list, he removes his original letter and replaces it with a new one. Each person gets a new packet of letters every time.

Grandpa Pete and his siblings kept up the round robin for years (and I think there may still be a version of it making the rounds). Usually Grandpa Pete wrote the letter for his turn, but occasionally he would coax Grandma Mary into writing a few lines, and once in a while, he convinced her to write an entire letter. Grandma and Grandpa kept each letter they wrote. I have photo copies of most of them (at least I think it’s most of them) from 1976 until just after Grandpa’s death in 1987. I love seeing Grandma and Grandpa’s handwriting. Nearly all the letters are on Grandpa’s letterhead – in crisp san serif font across the top if says:

C.T. Hutchins
Farmer - Stockman
Scott City, Kansas

I know Grandpa had some strong opinions on politics so today I decided to go through and pick out some of his thoughts on Presidential elections.

From Nov 19, 1976:

The red red robin came bobbin along yesterday so I will try to send it south today.

We have survived another Presidential election and I am sure everyone is glad to have it behind us whether or not our man was elected or defeated. I did not care for either of them. Neither can possibly live up to over 10% of their promises so here we go on the same road we have been on for 40 years, more inflation, more power ot the all powerful unions, more sharing the wealth, which means taking from the ones who have and giving it to the have nots and more giving to those who do not choose to work.

From Oct 27, 1980

This letter came last Tuesday or Wednesday and have intended every day to send it on but can always put it off. It is not that that I am so busy but I am a good putter-offer.

With election one week off the only thing I can think of is a little squib in the “Barrons” a business weekly the other day. “It is not a question of voting this year for the lesser of two evils. Rather it is a question of voting for the evil of two lessors.”

If we ever had any two lessors running for the two main parties, I can not remember it in my own time.

From Dec 13, 1980

Our markets (grain, stocks, metals) are all having fits since election. I expect that after Reagan is in office they will settle down. Yesterday or rather Wed and Thurs this week grain was down 65 cents or so, then put some of it back on yesterday. Hope everyone has their wheat sold or contract on the higher market for January delivery but know it is impossible for all of us to sell on the high and buy on the low but it is fun to try. Hope springs eternal in the human breast. I have never been able to hit those highs very much, but if I can miss the lows I feel very good.

From Nov 22, 1984

I am surely glad the election is over. I was never so tired of being electioneered as I have been this fall. The truth was never in either of the candidates as far as I can tell. Both were going to balance the budget and any one with any sense knows it can never be done any way except by writing off the awful debt and starting over. Very soon we can not even pay interest on what we owe.

We who have run this country since the 1930’s have done an awful thing. When we found we could run those awful deficits each year and not have to pay, just let the next generation worry. I am afraid of pay day. Perhaps at my age I will dodge it, but how about our offspring? Someone will have to pay.

I did not think about preaching a sermon so will ring off. Personally I feel O.K. even if I don’t sound like it.

This next letter has political content even though it isn’t election specific. But what I like most about this letter is that it’s full of Grandpa’s opinions, wisdom and humor. It makes me miss him.

From June 27, 1981

Dear Family:

Weather here is very windy and hot, around 100 every day. Harvest is about over and was very poor for most of the county. Walter Jones who rents most of my land here, thought a week ago he might get 10 bushels average. He called last evening and was through. He cut about 6 bushels average on what he sowed, but did not cut all as quite a bit ran 4 or less.

Everyone knew it was poor but was hoping it would fool them and I would say it did.

I suspect many farmers will have trouble borrowing enough to get another crop planted as I know many are short on equity for security.

Some may have to forgo fishing and skiing trips, also if they have a new car and boat it might be well to hide it till the banker has given his O.K. to the new loan.

I am sure that good times as we call them (when money was easy to borrow) have hurt more people than so called hard times have.

I was in Dighton Wednesday, and saw 15 or more fields that had a couple of rounds cut on them and wheat was ripe, but no combine in sight.

Cattle (fats) are making some money the last two weeks which is a nice turnaround from spring when they were losing up to 100.00 per head. Easy come, easy go I guess.

Reagan is doing a very good job of whipping some of the big spenders so far. Hope his arm keeps in shape, for the only thing that will keep them in line is a fear of being defeated next election. I really get a kick out of the moaning and groaning of top spenders in the Demo party.

You would think that the way the U.S.A. has prospered was because of the Demo party, when I think it was been in spite of all they could do to stop it.

I read this over and if I wasn’t so lazy would tear this up and start over.

I really feel pretty good. The wheat did not disappoint me as I was sure it was no good, also the stock market is very good, also cattle market is O.K. After all I never expected a rose garden every day and this has been a very good year for us.

Love to all

Hopefully will see you less than two months.

C.T. and Mary H.