The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1864-02-06
Aaritultmal Column.
AGRICULTURE,

Though agriculture rewards indiffer-
ent culture and rude husbandry to
certain extent, it does not follow that
ignorance is essential to its success.
Quite too long have the best intellects
been culled out for other pursuits, and
the residue turned over to cultivate the
soil. Are sciences, arts, mechanics,
manufactures, trade, commerce or the
professions, one or all, equal to agricul-
ture! Not at all. They are right and
indispensable in themselves, but only
necessary appendages to agriculture.
Go to history, ask in what has de-
pended the strength, resources, power,
permanence and durability Of nations,
and she will tell you agriculture Why
did Rome blot out Carthage? Not be-
cause she had better soldiers or more
able generals these she never had
but because she lacked her agriculture.
Why has Spain, once so high in power,
resources and prestige, fallen into such
decay as hardly to be reckoned among
the nations Of the earth :? Because she
chose to despise her agriculture. What
has raised Russia from few semi-bar-
barous clans to one of the most power
full nations Of the earth :? Agriculture.
What stops the tick Of the great COM
mercial clock Of Europe Because she
is denied a single article Of American
agriculture. Why are the United States
to-day weltering in fratricidal blood?
Because one part of her population has
despised labor and degraded her agri-
cultural laborers to brutes. Would you
make nation strong, happy and irwin
chile !? Educate her people to morality,
intelligence and agriculture. Would
you have trade, commerce, manufac-
lures, science and the fine arts I? Re-
spect and develop agriculture and these
follow inevitably. Would you raise ag-
riculture up to the position it merits ?
Let the very idea be invested with mag
nitude and Importance. Let education
be deep, thorough, and that which shall
have reference to the mysterious and in
tricate problems which agriculture is
constantly bringing up for solution.
We hail the auspices of agricultural col
leges. Let them have aid and all the
aid they need to make them the first
colleges of the land, and then not limit
a course to two or three years.
But to the agricultural press we must
look for our most efficient means Of sue
cess. 1t has already accomplished won
ders-all praise to the noble and irwin
chile band Of agricultural editors and
publishers. To you mainly, gentlemen,
are farmers indebted for being consider
ed almost respectable enough for the
society Of gentlemen, and to take seats
in Congress.
One great error in the past, and to a
great extent in the present, is to look
down upon and degrade labor and ignore
industry. When it shall become as
honorable to choose the plow-handles as
it is profession, and when it shall be
no more disgrace to wash dishes and
cook dinners than to play the piano, we
shall have gained great point and
saved many from prison and disgrace.
If fathers want to curse their sons. and
mothers their daughters, let them bring
them up in idleness and not teach them
how to work. Another grave error has
been committed in surrendering our leg
islative interest to the management of
politicians and demagogues. When the
honest yeomanry shall cease their vigils
over our liberties, then will they disap-
pear forever.
Since, then, agriculture is the only
basis upon which to build the structure
Of society, let each one labor to secure
for it its just and merited position and
reward.-Cak. Farmer.