Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-06-19
PORT ACCO:
Thursday Morning. June. .......""19. 1873.
Farmers organizations and Agricul-


turaI Interests
The Secretary Of the National Agricul-
tural Congress, in his annual report to
that body in May last, says:
1T is quite safe to estimate that there are
now in existence but few if any less than
10000 societies under the different names. OIL
these, fully two-thirds have been organized
during the past six months. Estimating an
average membership of forty, and we have
four hundred thousand farmers enlisted for
self-protection and the promotion of the great
interests of agriculture. Although the season
for teamwork is at hand, when societies are
comparatively inactive, there appears to be no
dlmlnution of interest and the meetings are
held with commendable regularity. New
societies are being formed and reported weekly,
and In few months, probably by the beginning
OF the winter, the organizations by counties
and States will be well in progress, in from
one-third to one-half the States of the Union
Though the local societies are organized under
different names of oranges, clubs, unions, etc.
1t IS gratifying to notice the harmony which
marks their action in all matters of general
interest
This we may safely regard as authentic
and as clearly manifesting the active in
terest and determination displayed by the
farmers of the land in their demands for
just recognition of their rights The
final resolution, embodied in a report, sub
mitted by a committee of the same Nation
al Agricultural Congress, is in these
words:
Resotued, That we commend the thorough
organization of the farmers of the country in
local, county and State organizations for the
purpose of reforming the great abuses and
dealing out equal and exact justice to all men.
This, too, is reliable as expressing in
plain terms the fair and equitable spirit
which animates- the farmers in defining
their relations with other pursuits and
-employments of life. They ask for them
selves no invidious discrimination and
would appropriate no superior advantage
Equal and exact justice to all men," is
the proud emblazonry of their escutch-
con and applies with impartial force to
all the departments of business life, with
which the farmer is brought in contact
Political economy in matters of legislation
and proper regulations for the government
of commercial intercourse are Re involv-
ed. There is no reason why 6srmers
should not assert themselve IAatters
appertaining to their rig] the pa
triotic cause of good government. The
vast agricultural communities South and
West are, to-day, the controlling elements
In this country, and it is but natural, as
well as right, that they should unite, in
firm resistance, against the outrages they
have SO patiently borne. The high pro-
tective tar fs1Esmllich have built up the pom
producing North, and brought prosperity
to the manufacturing interests of that Sec
tion, is but legalized robbery of the ag.
check, if not visit with actual destruction,
the producing capabilities of the South.
and West. Railroads and other incorpor-
ated monopolies have so long dominated
through the servile and mercenary politi-
clans that they scarcely seem to appreciate
the significance of the farmers move, and
mentary ebullition, or else, as nothing
more than an impetent efrontery. Feel
ing secure in the fidelity of their plant
tools, whom the too confding farmer helps
to lift to places of trust and honor, these
monopolies fatten and grow rich on the
fmpositions they practice, and seem def
amt in this great struggle of the farmers for
reform. In our opinion the question rests
entirely with the farmer If the farmers,
from sense ofjustice, as well as from their
identity ofinterest, persevere in the combi
nations they have inaugurated, coalescing
with the operatives of the manufacturing
North, and sympathizing with legitimate
efforts for just understanding between
employer and laborer, success is sure to
reward their energies. We believe they
should begin by opposing the elevation to
political positions of every aspirant who
is suspected of being, in any manner, hos
tile to their interests, or who, indeed, from
a selfish longing after personal popularity,
HsASne UC DIT oil ul"1llluS W lSSISldtC dIlO
act for "equal and exact justice to all men.
If the farmers could have the control of
governmental affairs, national as we'll as
State, we believe there would be far less
corruption, and, consequently much more
honesty in its administration than it has
been our privilege of late years to discov-
er. To falter in their efforts now would
be to fail, and failure would only aggra-
vate the wrongs they now endure, and be
a most inglorious surrender to the heart
less exactions of oppressive monopolies,
and to the unprineipled Vaccinations of
political demagogues. Every State, every
county and every election district through |
out the United States should have its farm
ers' organization, its cooperative union,
devoted, not to war of aggression upon
the actual and natural rights of others, but
warmly enlisted in the service of "equal
and exact justice to all men," The uncom
planning manner in which the farmer has
so long tolerated the abuse of his conf
dence on the part of those not identified
with his interest has come to be regarded
as an absolute concession of the rights of
the treacherous politician to represent or
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