Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-10-21

ratou 10 aH uOmeetsc ana fOf0gn marx, with
bcudiess mineral and manu- scuTing resources; and
with Institutions tht give freedom Of thought, Of
association and OF action TO all. and insure security
Of life, of liberty and Of prosperity, which encourage
the acquisition 1t real estate 10, fee, and which bold
out constant inducements for enterprise, emulation
and progress With all these, the farmers Of Amercs
| my triumphnntly claim advantages paramount T.
thse Of all other nations With all these surprising
privileges, might II not we'll be claimed that Bsnef
csnt Providence designed this a. the most favored
nation Of farmers; and that as Agriculture Il til,
predominant pursuit BY which ali Others must be eus
tanned, any legslation calculated to encourage AT
increase In the quantity, qaulity and value Of Aer
cultural productsns and to elevate and enlghten tb
farming population Is cminently calculated 70 issur
domestic tranquility, and to promote the general vel
fore,
No one denies the Constitutional right of Congress
to appropriate money, for the support Of moral ant
Pristions annually made to West Point are said b
be leRtp ate and necessary In order to prepare leader
and tsachers for tie army. But would II not b
equally constitutional, much moro beneficial, and
vastly more national, for Congress to make provision
BY which the alloontrolling and conquerng ranks Of
agriculture should b amply provided with efhcien
teachers and leaders. The more Intelligent cass Of
farmers have ever been forem,s in the defence Of
nationis dag and honor. In Revolutionary sIue
g, 10 the war Of 1919, and In tho war with Mexico
tbs cissa sodiers tho o6esr and men selected from
industrial pursutts generally proved Themselves tn
mest sea'cus, bold and successful. With them
"Every arm Was freedom 3 shield,
And every heart was freedom 3 altar"
And thus may i ever DO with the yeouanry Of on,
independeot rspublic. And thus will 1t ever be, II
our national government will only extend to rura
pursuits, that fostering and protection which il
x.aously manifested for other and minor pursuits
Why u it that much must be done for West Point!
IN institution that bsueh few, and which far
national honor and welfare concerned might safely
bs dispensed wth-or much more appropriately con-
verted into National State School of Agriculture.
Why u Il that % much money mast be annually ap.
propriAted ts benefit limited portions Of ths Atlantic
Coast, to objects Of local limited and doubtful utility
Why mutt specuatng steamboat Mail Contractors ke
permitted to draw millions from the public treasury
When We zee all this, have we not reason 10 feel
priced Nay, disgustsi that those very C,nsresmen.
who vote for those questionable appropriations should
object to national department or bureau University
OF Agriculture on constitutional grounds. Is il no.
strange that those SD ul tenaciouslv support
the education Of cadets in the Army and Navy. ami
still refuse to do anything for the establishment of
like Institutions. to prepare to take the lead in
our national ranks Of Agriculture.
But, few words more about this Nationa
University, which think will soon be demand
ed of Congress by the popular will. Experi-
mental farms should be connected with it, aud
also with the branch Universities, on which
the suggestions of SCIENCE could be carefully
tested and approved. before recommending them
to the public They should have extensive
laboratories and collections, and every availa.
bic means to develop What is but imperfectly
known, and 10 discover The many treasures IF
knowledge and science that are yet hidden
They should thoroughly and practically edu-
cate their students in the various physical scien-
ces, and in all departments of knowledge rela-
ting to the art OF agriculture. The students
for the National University could be selected
from the several States, in proportion 10 popu-
latior, and after pursuing complete theoreti-
cal and practical course Of stady they would
be prepared 10 take charge of III. branch Uni
ve-sities and other agricultural schools, that
| should be established in each State. And thus,
instead Of initiating men with pride Of militia
~ renown and glory--instead Of preparing
them for war and destruction, and carnage, our
government will be instrumental in ednca-
ting men TO create and not TO destroy, to the
more noble pursuit of rural knowledge and
productivrness, would teach the people to re-
joice only in that heaven appointed glory of
peace at home, harmony abroad, and universal
alteration Of "the Power that hath made and
preserved us nation" Insead Of teaching the
leaders how 10 impoverlsh and destroy our re-
public the people will he taught how best TO Gre
ate and sustain. Instead of teaching them 10
be victorious in ths spread OF desclalion, want
and anguish, they will be taught how to convert
from the barren waste fruitful harv-st-how
to make happy, adorn and elevate the inmates
Of rural homes.
u But, as before intimated, this great work
should not be limited to national legislation
Less commanding and general, bu, 1907 less i'm
portant 10 the farmer, is the duty deyo wing up
ION State Legislatures. With them The objec-
tion of constitutional restraint cannot e inter-
posed. Their powers are more general and
discretionary. Education, in all lis branches,
should come under their general direction and
support. II should be their especial pride, as
it is their duty, TO foster and endow all institu-
ions calculated 10 improve the intellectual,
! moral, social and industrial condition of the
people. Were such institutions more generally
established and better provided--were their
portals more freely opened, and their benefits
more generally disseminated. legislation and
taxation would seldom BE- required TO regulate
and sustain poor-houses. lails and penitentiaries
As there would be much less crime and injus-
tice, the expense Of administering the police Of
cities and counties, and the laws Of States
would be greatly diminished. As wisdom
would prevail over the evil impulses Of ,gno-
rance, thrift, prosperity and happiness would
abound. We generally find among those whose
minds and hearts have been properly educated,
an abiding aversion to do wrong-a prevailing
desire to do righi--a love of friendly inter-
course, social harmony and good will. That
these influences generally prevail over the judi
ciously educated, cannot be controyerted. A
worldwide experience confirms the fact. Let
those, then, who are SO violent in their wrath
osee WC puUitC uedsufJ-icb tue AotOCdtcS OF
low taxes, of fewer officers and of less legisla-
ton, take more enlarged and liberal views in
support of . more general and free system of
education. Let every farmer and public bene-
factor remember that every dime jndicionsly
contributed to this object, will yield more than
eagles to them, to their posterity, and to the
public veal.
Muni6cent a. are the provisions in Iowa for
this object, the great work is still in embryo.-i
Although much has been accomplished by be-
nevolent individual enterprise in particular To-
cations, still, in general, but little has been
done. "A mor4 generous ard elevated spirit Of
legislation is required. a State University and
Normal schools are yet to be established and
sustained. The establishment Of common
schools should be more imperative, and the 81 s.
tenn more remunerative and free. In the spec
dy accomplishment of these results, farmers
are vastly more interested than all other class
a., and with them in particular is an improve.
ment OF sentiment-an increase If interest
necessary, before a generally successful system
OF education can be adopted. !
A State system of education is 80 intimately
connected with, and SO essential to the cause
OF agricultural progress, that II might well be-
come the exclusive subject Of discourse, upon
an occasion like the present. II is the great
foandahon-the chief corner stone Of agricui-
tural improvement, and still how much II has
been ovetlooked--how grossly neglected by the
great mass Of farmers. To this very neglect
may be attributed the tardy progress Of rural
science. To what cause may this neglect be at
tribated? How to remove the most serious OBJ
stacles to agricultural improvement, demands
serious consideration, ard should be leading
object with all friends OF rural progress. So
universally henevolent ia O,,r mOfher earth