The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-04-29
VI FrqT the n. Y, Country Genllemsn.
IMPROVEMENT OF TIE PRO

IMPROVEMENT OF THE PRO
FESSlON OF AGRICUL1 URE.
MR. TUcKER:AI believe, my dear slt
you are old ehough,o look back thiri!
gears, If not | beg yon @ill exc 3se m!
ovef-eslimate Of your expbripnee'n hi
manmaffairs. lIfiI''hm tight, be agodt
enough. to look at the conditionofal thc
working classes atlhap time, thirty year
ago Them YOU will remember, there
were mo mechanichsi assocanonsg 'nt
rad6's Unions, no concert Of lactiondf
any ofihe various branches Of human in
dastry. Can you not recall tIie condition
Of some foreman prin,et at that tine,9 d
that Of Some preSsman, or that pf the
craft GENERALLY? Well, you win ,heh re.
collectahat they, and all olhernecImnic,
'fgol along as we'll as they could ;nlhey
lived Gpao, and too 0Ilena litle beyond
their means; they we're "no,hing bu
common mechanics" they aspired TO M
other grade, and OF course they altaihsd
1o'no other Their dwellings were small
'enemenis poorly furnished, oihoir ward
robe was certainly nothing extra, iheil
standing in society was what il migbl
have been expected to be- Shortly alter
this time, Thirty years ago, ou RENE mber,
The membeis Of tlils brotherhood of work
ingmen began to rake up; they began
TO torn aasociations, and to consult 10.
gethdrh upon their own Interests; for
strange as i2may appear TO farmers, they
began To think they had interests and na>
rnral rights, which, if they themselves
did no, look afur, cultivate and protect,
nobody else would. Well, but Ineed
not further trace the bistsry Of this re~
form, all that is required, or can be ne
cessary; is TO point 10 where they are
now--to ask your readers TO "look here
upon this picture, and on this" Wen,
sir, this spirit Of reform, Or rather Of i'm
provemtnt, not confined to tue printers,
II was taken up by all llie mechanics OF
the country, unlll "lrades unions" were
life in ,he land, aud every working man
in the land had his society, with the
weekly or monthly meetings, for lhc dis
cussion of their Interests. IAah H',J.@ 4.
Now, during the Whole Of this thirty
years of progress in the mechanical
world, tho farmers and gardeners lave
remained almost Inaclive, so far as the
advancement in their social condition WIS
Concerned. II is true, some few sociel
ties, farmer'se clubs. &C., have been
'ormed; and /. is true, also, tia, great
Stare Agricultural Societies have been
formed, and some now exist; but there
has never been one, among all the farm.
ers and gardeners ia all the states, os-
iabllshed upon the proper basis, with tie
proper, objects 7 in view 1.-THE printers
formed associations for thc protection and
advancement of their nalura! rights aud
The larIners have fofmdd as,
sociaIi0ns "fnr The encouragement of
ngriculWre,"',i is true. but bow aud BIZ
What, means. Suppose the principal
means used by the printers association.
for the advancement OF ihcir in,etests,
had been a premium Of $500 fol the
best type setting mot less than one octa
vo pIge; $500 for the cleanesl form of
proof sheet; S.. 100 Tor The best token Of
press work, and $40. for the best
finished book Of press work. Suppose, |
tsk, ,ihis had been their plan of opera
lions, would the present advanced condi-
lion of the printers over thai Of thirty
years ago, have existed? I beg you 10
bear ia mind, .ha, the improvemca, is
net confined to pr;nters. All the me-
chanics and ariislns of every description
have improved their condition in the same
way and TO the same extent. There is
bnl one branch o(ihuman society that re-
mains comparatively as it was, thirty
years ago, aud that is The agricultural aud
OF them, and. in reference
10 them, allow me to ASK, where aretheir
associations for mental Improvement?
where those [or the assertion and main
Iainance Of their rights and interes,s?-
Where do we hear of any effort on their
part forthe accomplishment Of such do
signs, except in an occasional resolution
in some prize, con,eslug society, fir pc
lit'oning congress 10 establish Bureau
'f' Agriculture, or some,hing OF this sort!
rhey are continually standing by lie
amnng an oceanA Of Canada
hisllcs, crying out 10 the passing traveller
{. get Congress TO do something Tor the
interests, and this is abou,
he Amount Of the eff3tts pa, forlh,, d. ,.... a
Some one has said thai nothing, more
,an, be added ii 1wia, las alre ady been
vItteh onthe advancement If lhe con
l,iien, mentally and5asucially, of The
agricultural interest. o, what a mistake!
Almos, nothing has ye, been written on |
his subject. Look a: what has been,
md what has to be done. Look a t the
ddeithe farmers1now occupy, (as Icon
end by Their own cboce,) aud that to
which they are eniilled.8 How many vo
umes Of your, Country aGent.g do you
hink, Mr. Editor, will itreq dre, To- bring
hem to a proper sense, and to awaken
hem 10 the assertion and enjoyment of
heir, rigbtsg to Al all events, . | Tor one
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