The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-02-25
Agriculture is King.

II Agriculture is King.
Il In reviewing the history of anclcn
nations, 1t is:.evident, their most pros
porous periods were when 'Agricultur
was carried to it's highest pitch of i'm
provement. We wonder ut the vast
ness Of area Enclosed within the walls o
Ninevah and Babylon but II should b
understood, the ground not coupled b.
buildinRy was titled, whereby the annu
al produce could sustain its inhabitant
when besiegcd by ali outward cit
rulers being well aware that strength
Of rnmparts and walls were useless
the means OF sustenance could not b'
obtained. The fruitful valley Of tht
Nile was the greatness and wealth OF
Egypt, nor is 1t strange that this poo
ple, with no Divine revelation, should
regard this river the chief among their
divinitics.
During the long civil wars Of Rome
agriculture was neglected. For a time
the victories Of the armies of the Re-
public brought the fruit Of their con-
quests into ITALY; which for time pre-
venteti the evils Of neglected husband
~ being felt. But when Augustus was
peaceabiy settled on the imperial
throne, aud Virgil was known ut court,
the poet was requested by Macenas to
write work upon agriculture. that Ills
n,elodious numbers might rouse the spir
II and snkindlc taste for rural occupa-
ton. The result was the production
ofthe Georgias, in four books, entitled
1.-THE Cultivation of Lands, Raising
Vines. and Trees, Rearing Cattle and
the Management Of Trees" 1t is said
that soon after the publication Of this
work, the improvement of lands in TIA
~ was such rs to fully repay the labors
Of the poet, and met the expectation of
the government.
Again when God promised a country
to the defendants Of Abraham, it was
not to be land Of ships, commerce,
merchandise aud metals, but land
flowing with milk and honey, and the
happiness Of the people is portrayed by
the phrase, EVERY man uuder his vine
and under his fig tree"
The panic sometimes felt in European
States plainly shows what branch of
industry sits as king. Let but battle
be lost, city consumed by fire, pcsti-
lence desolate a section of the country,
the money market becomes stringent
These are but short evils in comparison
with tho failure of harvest; for the
common, but the good adage will ever
hold true: "Stop the plow and you
starvs the world
The stability and security of govern.
meats often depends more upon the
yield of the soil than upon all the laws
and edicts Of rulers. The bloody acts
Of tho Frss,ch Revolution were hasten
ed by the dearness and scarcity of
bread. France had at that period her
shops and her commerce, aud her man-
hfactures, then as nor, were ulIrivaled;
but Nil failed to arrest the storm of
crime and murder, rs long as the agri-
cultural products fell short ola sufficient
supply.
We used to hear great deal said
about the corn laws Of England, the Oh
ject Of which was to give the farmer a
remunerating price for the crops he rails
ed; and although the policy might be |
mistaken one, II arose from a conviction
that if the farmer could not live, no 9TH /
Or branch of industry could prosper;
thus awarding to agriculture the legal
appellation of king. not rs name OF
empty pagantry, but one by Divine
right.