Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-24
OUR Duty AS AesICUtGURrsrs

OUR DUTY AS AGRICULEURESTs
To the Editor of the Union and American:
Agriculture is emphatically and confess
eddy the interest paramount of this whole
continent. Earth-the great Thesaurium
Of Nature, whence are derived all the
sources of our wealth, as well as all the
supplies for our wants, is becoming itself
exhausted by reason Of excessive depletion.
This great "fscal agent" of humanity under
the protrscted pressure of continued run
upon her resources is beginning to protest
the drafts of agriculture, and is curtailing
her discounts of the offerings of husbandry,
not because they arethemselves insolvent,
but because their account Of deposits is al
ready enormously overdrswn, and the foot
ing 9th balance sheet is fearfully in favor
of the "Parent Institution"
The necessity for the thorough education
ofour farmers is obvious, Wien we consid-
or that to them arr committed the care
and co1tro! in great measure of our sys-
tenn of public schools. The stigma of pop
ulsr ignorance for long time has been at
tached TO the name Of Tennessee. The
glory other past history, the integrity and
honor of her people, the fame of many of
her public servants, the brilliant catalogue
of names, all over the limited States-Which
shed lustre upon her university-cannot
shield us from this mortifying Ieproach
To remedy this public evil should become
the anxious soiciIude of every patriot.
l myself believe that new era of improve
ments has dawned upon us, and If we
would hasten the silent revolution now 60
ing On In our State, destined, hope, to ele-
vate her to position among the first of her
sister States, if we would hasten the moral,
social and physical advancement Of the
State, let us promote the education of the
masses, and prepare the State intellectually
for this new era.
1t is time to impress upon our farmers
that by thoroughly educating their sons
whom they may intend to till the soil, while
they will be none the less qualified for az
ricultursl labor, they may become infuen-
tial legislators, dignified and intelligent mag
istrstes, useful directors of the system OF
public education, aud blessings and orna-
ments 10 their country. Here, too, is no
humble path for the ambitious young man
If it is not thronged by the crowds who
rush to the professions, mos often TO meet
disappointment, its ascent is more easy and
sure, and its burdens are graced by dignity
and content. Our literary institutions have
a direct interest in this matter, and our
farmers who have for long time re-
manned silent, are feeling the in
1uence Of this age of progress. There
is general awakening all over the
State. The products of agriculture are
multiplying four-fold. New avenues OF
trade and commerce are being opened, and
the general wealth is rapidly increasing
Our literary institutions should watch the
moving of the waters. What signifies the
clearing and enriching of land, the blocking
and damming of rivers, the cutting down
hills and filling I'D valleys, and laying the
path for the tread of the iron horse? What
signifies the heaping up of gold and silver,
if we still remain poor in intellectual treas.
ures? Let the arts keep pace with wealth,
and Minerva share the sceptre with Ceres
Educate the farmers as a class and lead
their sons by the path of early mental dis.
cipline to the rich fields of knowledge
They will return from college to their NOR
al homes with minds disciplined by study
and expanded by education. The beauti-
full sVocation of the farmer teaches US the
wisest lessons. To till the soil was the frs
labor assigned to man by his Great or. "Ir
the sweat of thy face shalt thou at bread.
Labor is the great lesson taught US.
In all the depsItn ents of life, diligence,
toll and patience IRE the conditions of sue
cess.
The laos of no State give more ample
protection to person and property than
thoes of Tennessee. None which impose
burdens of taxation more Justly, and under
whose laws, not only the proud acres o
the wealthy are protected, but be who
owns a cottage and the soil on which il
stands, may feel an indisputable right tt
what he claims, which no power, wealth OF
combination, can wrest from him. There
is no State under whose laws the wealthy
or the stricken child of poverty shall share
greater or more equal advantages for edu
cation. Can we do better then than K
stand by this noble State? Should we no
put forth new efforts to beautify and re
build it? We call our State rugged anC
broken-while others call it mountainou
and beautiful. We leave it for the cite
and seaside for our pleasure, while thost
from distant States come hither to Ou
mountains and remain the entire summer
and only leave us TO return with spring
birds. That we have sterile lands in Ten
nessee it is useless to deny, but they car
be left for grazing and the growth of fuel
and timber. But there is good land enough
in our State to easily support twice its pres
ent population. Ten acres make largt
farm in England-but our farmers want Il
count their acres by the hundreds, and the
consequence is that they are poorly cult
waited, or scarcely cultivated at all. LIE
these good lands be divided and sub-divid
ed, and let new and cheaper homes arist
all around us.
In the changed condition in which on
people find themselves since the war, there
is absolute need for change of system il
almost all the affairs of life. In particular
is there need of many changes in the sys
TEN OF farming as now practised. a very
large proportion of our cultivated lands
hav-, by unwise tillage, become SO impover
ished that few laborers are adequately re
warded for their toll. As a consequences
many land owners, not regarding agri
culture as remuneratiYe as other
cslllngs, are disposed 10 turn
their attention to traffic anC
professions offering better rewards. 1t
can scarcely be doubted that since the COM
mencement Of our recent war, the very best
lands of our State have continued to depre-
ciate in value, and without a change for
the better, it would seem that there is little
better hope for improvement. The causes
are obvious. Our national legislation ha!
absorbed most of the capital in the pur.
chase of bonds that are not taxed, while the
land owners of the country are compelled
to dig from the soil gold to pay the inter
est. The consequence is that most men
who can raise few hundred dollars, will
buy a bond rather than purchase land and
work it to pay the taxes on other mem
bonds. The remedy for this natiOna
unrightousness wise statesmen Should
speedily supply. GLAUCUs.
TULLAHoMA, TENN, Oct. 10. 1872.
-Fashinnahla society is beginning Z