Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-02-11
jeff. Go. Industrial Society.

JEFF. Go. Industrial Society.
The Industrial Society met pursuant to adj
journment in Lee Hall Friday evening at n
o'clock, P. NJ. After the reading of the
minutes and the usual prelimiuaries the ques-
ton ''Should not the people of this county
encourage the immigration Of farmers of small
means. with a view to dividing our lands into
small farms and increasing the amount of our
agricultural products" was discussed by
Messrs. N. S. White and James West in the
affirmative, and T. g. Green in the negative
Mr.. White said That the subject was one
of great importance. Our farms were de-
creasing in productions and value every day,
and something must be done, or what was
once the most fertile region will become un>
productive barrens. This was not impossible.
Our country, though Young. furnished exem-
pl fca.ions of it. The land between the Pa
mu"ky and the James was once as rich as
garden, now it is covered with pine forests-
What was the cause? He supposed the farms
heing too large had good deal to do with it
| Forty years ago when boy he used tn ride
frequently through region of country in
Maryland not forty miles from here, that was
given up to broom sedee. 1t was the poorest
|
badly treated by men owning too much land
| But, look at it now. Small farmers had taken
hold of it and it blossomed like the rose.-
Where brnom sedge once reigned in wild
luxurances the land groans under the weight
Of it's golden cereals.
| Mr.. Green said That as the champion of
his side he would do his best, though it
would doubtless appear before he finished that
he was badly prepared. He questioned very
much the exnediency of having our land sub.
divided There seemed to be a great outcrv
for it now, because the farmers of this county
were not prosperous, and here was offered an
apparent remedy for the evil. Tie unprof,>
ab'eness of farming not peculiar to our
county or section. A cry for relief was heard
from the farmers everywhere In the north
west where rhe farms we're small. there was as
much "rumblins as here. The cause was not
| in the size Of our farms. hut in the taxing OF
the whole country tn feed bonded ari>tncracv
Resides he did NOT admit that mere increase
ct population was Of itself desirable If that
were so, China must be our ideal The set
| Element around Pekin was in the amount of
its agricultural products far ahead of the
broom sedge settlement Mr. White alluded to-
The whoe race, however, was not willing to
he day lahorers. The difficulty of obtaining
exclusive white population than here. Ger
tain kinds of labor were not as refining az
| others. though all we're honorable He argued
| that we wanted immigrants to m,nnfacture
and not to shovel and hoe. We had the negro
| here and could not get ria of him STATISTICS
proved this. Wemust either employ HIM or
| support him in idleneSs. Shall " have him
ms pauper or as a laborer The neyr,
was incannble of rising sh"ve the lowest labor
ing level, but was useful member of society
in that position.
Mr., West said : He assumed he had a right
to address the meeting upon this question, not
that he intended to address the ladies' -
Travelling on this assnmmatinn he proposed
to go to the bottom of the question of the adj
vantages of agriculture. Mr.. White was
gentleman OF profession, Mr. Green was ditto
lie had been member IF Lvcnnm for three
| years, but never before had addressed the In
duStrial Society. He had been told of China
aud Japan hut what had that to do with small
farming. He started ont with the self belief
Of all fools, and openly and above board, de-
nnnnced himself an ignnramus He was
| sorry to hear the negro held m rs cnral to
| the white man. From ages hence down to
| this time the African had eaten mn every mis-
| s'onary that had venturel TO 90 to him. and he
never would believe that Sncl a cannibal conli
ever become equal to Il thoroughbred centIc>
man. Our forefa' hers Adam and Eve. had
been alluded to, but proceeding ages would
v'nd'cnte the assertion, that the negro was the
dumbest of all the Caucasian race
The following question was selected for dis.
cnss'on at the next regular meeting, Friday,
February II, at o'clock p. NJ:
'Shonld our county take stock in an ex-
tension of the Washington 4 Ohio Railroad
from Hamilton, Loudoun county. via Charles
| town"
D'sp"'nn's-D. b. Lucas, y. II. Cockrill
and David Howell. in the affirmative and
VIM. I'll. 1ravers Andrew Hunter and II D.
Middtekanf, in the negative
On motion of DR. Simmons the chair added
| alr Green tn the committee on establishing
County Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
On motion of Mr. Trarnell committee of
i've consisting of Joseph TrapnelI, DIR. VIM
| +. LIpptt. Il. G. Green. Juseph Abel and
David Howell was appointed to solicit sub.
| scriptIons to the amount OF 81 80 or whatever
Is necessary to pay the expenses of a COM
mt'ee of two to go east for the purpose of
obtaining information to the cost of estab>
fishing a car factory here
On morton w. y Mcdonald was ar noin ted
I" act as c"mmmIttee ct one. to help the for
nation OF clubs among our citizens to bring
| white laborers here from New York
| In tins connection. it was stated, that. the
| Commissioner of Emigration at Castle Garden
| New "rk. has offered to furnish any amount
| OF hired laborers, single or with families to
! our farmers, upon moderate terms.
on motion the Society adjourned.
BRAINARDs' MUSICAL WORLD for Feb
ruary is on our table with C, mmendable
promrtness, and is an unusually spicy aud
attractive number. The music in this mum.