Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-02-03
Westminster Farmers Club.
MIR. cLARK's LECTURE.

JAN 1uc OeSiStaiy VI tHp SiuU
has furnished an abstract Of the lecture
of Henry Clark, who began as follows
As come to your town for the first
time | recall to mind in your history
the Bradley's, the Richards and their de-
scendants. | also call to mind the
scenes of the prefacing of our revolu-
tionary struggle. appear by the invi-
tation of your Farmers Club" / have
{ known of your discussions; 4 have read
them with interest. l know what you
are doing. = ] am
not practical farmer, but l have done
what / could to advance the agricultu-
raj interest of the state. l am in SYM
pathy with the farmer.
| shall call your attention to why Yer
mont farmers should devote themselves
in an agricultural point of view. True
in politics Vermont has been called rad
ical, yet she will vie with other states in
her Republican form of Government
True she is small in area, but in mineral,
physical and intellectual strength, she
ranks well, though we believe much is
not developed; her strength is not yet
brought out. The latent forces will
awake forth in proportion to the time
left inactive, will be reasserted. Those
elements requisite will be brought out,
the possible become the positive. The
undeveloped strength of the state intel
lectual and physical will come forth.
= y 1t is not too much to say
that her future will far more than equal
her present. Regard must be
had to the soil, and each locality to itself
One people may be thrown into the
shape of an other. = YER
mont need not shrink from any other
state in New England, though she may
not stand beside Massachusetts in the
efficiency of her colleges yet we believe
her intellectual force and susceptibilities
may not be unequal, even to any other
people. True, her elements of strength
are slow in development, and a more
sudden growth might have proved an
artificial one. Far better to develop
slowly, otherwise our strength might be
premature. We are in normal condi-
ton there are forces and essences vet
uncovered, which ere long will be made
visible in an intellectual, physical. and
agricultural point of view. All that is
wanted is that they may be subjected to
such processes as are necessary for their
development May we
not then TO expect our destiny be like
the rising dawn moving to more perfect
fullness of day. = The
spirit and conduct of our legislative
bodies have not been in sympathy with
these organizations for their promotion.
The state has not made chem the object
of their patronage. Not much can be
expected judging from previous efforts.
The only aid the interest of agriculture
has received, was an appropriation by
Congress of $4,000, and not student
has she had in that college.
A new interest is beginning to rise in
reference to Industrial pursuits; new
hope appears our masters in theory are
no more proficient than are the people
practically in the final result of product.
1t is not that we should be made obedi.
ert to the genius of state to educate us,
to ensure sure system. We must I'M
derstand our own soil. The education
of any people in any pursuit, must be
made to understand all its peculiarities
and adaptations, in order to ensure sue
cess. The farming that would be suita.
BILE in England, might not be in Ireland.
80 with us. We must
have more than force; must have agri-
cultural education peculiar to our own
locality. Z Must not have
ihohoIohJ VI cuOItS, Dub variety, no
unity of fashion to set up as the type Of
American Agriculture; even New Eng.
land must now be content to give up the
style of farming pursued ten years ago.
= In such circumstances the
true method is not what other parts of
the country practice as system, but
system peculiar to its. own known soil.
own efforts to bring out its own best
national life in agriculture; each force
fully developed to bring out complete
result. Not follow no one state, but
take her own stand.
The time may seem difficult or has
when it seemed difficult to make the ef
fort unreserved of others, but that time
has gone by, let the State rely upon her.
self, in this way she will gil the mission
belonging to her political, moral, reli-
gious history. Now l have thrown out
these views, l hope not altogether inap-
propriate. : Dignity of
Labor-Our fathers who planted the
School house by the side of the Church.
taught more than we are teacbino W.