The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-07-05

FARMERS UNIoN.-The Farmers Union is des-
tined to do much good for the welfare OF agri-
culturiss in the county, if judciously conducted.
Something Of the sort has been sorely needed in
our midst for a considerable time. 1t has been
peculiarly so in our county. For years it has
been almost impossible to get the politician who
goes TO the legislatnre g lake any move or ad-
vocate ar .z4easure that looked to the protection
oftarmers' rights and the advancement OF agricn-
tural Interests. Sheep and dog laws, fence and
stock laws and every species of legislation that
looks to the prevention of impositions long tole-
rated because the people have felt powerless to
remedy them, has been treated with derisive in-
difference because the member who wished to be
returned or desired something better from the
people, has been too timid to risk his popularity
with few of the voters. When the farmers
would see the manner in which their rights were
treated in the balls of legislation they have felt
themselves utterly unable to do anything or even
make themselves heard. No one was authorized
to visit the State capital and speak for anybody
but himself. There was nc organization, no
combination, no concert of understanding and
no legitimate means by which their united voice
could be made to reach the ears Of their unfaith-
full servants. But now when they have Union
that represents the best farming interests of the
county and its membership composed OF the most
active, intelligent and influential persons in their
respective communities, those who are honored
with the power of making laws and who desire
to court future favors at the polls will be likely
to consider it most conducive TO their future am
billions to do whatever the interests and welfare
of the farmers may require.
And then we have always thought the Mary
land people were silly in sending the money
they paid for machinery out OF the State
This is detrimental to the welfare of our material
advancement The towns of the great North
and East are mainly built up of money that has
been extracted in this way from the agricultural
income of the South.
In the not distant future the Farmers Union
will be untrue to itself if it does not form joint
stock company for the purpose of manueactur-
ing its own implements. By doing this they
will obtain their machinery at much lower rates,
rates that Northern establishments can afford to
sell them for at home, without paying transpor-
tation, agents commissions and other incidental
expenses that frequently double the home price
of the machine. When this is done they have
the means of repairing at hand. They will not
be obliged to send to distant State to obtain
any portion of the machine that may happen to
be broken or lost.
Once establish mandatory and you bring
a new stock ofinhabitants. New buildings are
required. This gives employment to mechan-
les and creates demand for labor and building
material out of which farmers must derive ben
eft. And when the new inhabitants cluster
around the m ,uufactory there is constant mar
ket for whatever the farmer produces. The far
mers then have secured machinery at cheaper
rates and furnished a never failing market for
their produce where they can obtain better prices
than at distant markets.
We shall touch the subject again.