The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-12

/ NUAL FAIR, HELD IN THE CITY OF
NORFOLK, OCTOBER 2I-24, 1872.
Gentlemen of The Virginia and Nor1
Carolina Society:
The agricultural interests of the country
are too much neglected by the governme nj
state and federaD. The farmers through.
out the land are in great straights, and you
| do right to combine in your state and
| border societies, for concert and co-opera-
. ton /; for without combination, concert and
| cooperation, amelioratiOn in the condition
| of your industry must continue to be q
| dream.
Do you know what is the estimated
| money value of
| AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OF THE
COUNTRY?
| It is so 500 ,OOO, 900 annually. Do YOU
know the ascertained value of the exports
and imports by sea in merican bottoms
The bureau Of statistics sets it down in
round numbers at $344, 900 900. For the
protection, benefit and encouragement OF
this you have special legislation, fleets and
squadrons maintained abroad, armed YES
sells kept cruising in every sea, and the
coast surveyed and lighted all requiring
the expenditure of many millions annually.
This money is drawn chiefly from you.
But for SO much Of the 81, 500, 900 900
worth of your produce that annually finds
its way to home markets by rail, what
does Congress do for it either in the way of
protection or encouragement Instead of
doing its duty and regulating commerce"
by rail, among the states, as the constitu-
ton gives it the power to do, it leaves you
to the tender mercies of the most powerful
corporations and gigantic monopolies that
the world ever saw.
You all know how injurious Is the
DISCRIMINATION MADE BY RAILWAYS
against way treights, and that nearly all
agricultural produce finds its way to mar
ket in the first instance, and often in the
second, as way freight.
Are you not as much entitled to call
upon the general government for protec-
ton of your commerce by rail between
the several states Of the Union, as the
merchants are for theirs between the diff
ferent nations of the earth? The total
value Of the foreign commerce by sea in
American vessels is not enough by nearly
one-third to pay for the tolls exacted by
the railroads. The aggregate receipts by
the railroads of the country amounted
according to Poor's Railroad Manual for
lS7l-to $455, 000, 900, and the total value
Of all articles, exports and imports, under
the American flag for the same year was,
according to the statistical bureau of the
government, 1914, 100000.
Now, here is matter that concerns the
agricultural interest-not of Virginia and
North Carolina alone, butsof every state
and territory in the land.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET REDRESS I?
Surely not by standing still or acting-the
societies OF each state-independently and
alone, but rather by combining and meet
ing in the grand National Agricultural Con-
gress which is to assemble in Indianapolis
next May. 1t is to meet as the organ of
the agricultural interest Of the whole
country, aud especially for the purpose of
considering questions of such general bear
ing as this. BY such means alone, and
through such instrumentality can you hope
to make the agricultural voice of the country
heard in Washington.
The subject of transportation has already,
on motion Of ex-Gov. Patton of Alabama,
been referred to that congress by special
committee. We want this society there, in
the persons of its best men. to assist in the
discussion.
There are other matters of worldwide
concern and of great Importance to all
who till the soil or breathe the air likewise
to come up there for discussion, and we
want to invest that congress with all the
dignity that the virtue and intelligence of
American farmers can give it, SO that its
influence for good may be potential.
Why is it that of all sellers the farmers
are the only class who as rule have to 60
to the buyer to
FIX THE PRICE UPON THEIR WARES
What would any one Of you say to your
son, who, having horse to sell, should
hrrty off to the livery stable in town and
ask the keeper to fix the price and pay the
money? And yet this is precisely what
all of you do with your cotton and your
corn, wheat and tobacco. AS soon as any
one of your chief staples is in merchanta-
BILE condition, you hurry of to the nearest
market place, ask the buyer to set his
price, pay the money, and take your crop.
Now is there no remedy for this? l
think So. The price Of your staples is not
regulated by the yield in your state alone,
but by the yield In all parts of the world
that compete with you in the markets.
The price Of corn here or Of cotton yonder,
is regulated by the price of those articles
in England. Go to New England dairy
man and he will sell you cheese accord,
ing to the market in Liverpool; so thai
even the price Of cheese in this country is
regulated by the price abroad. The prices
of all such articles are set by the buyers
and not by the sellers; for these know
nothing about the yield except in their owl
neghborhood.
Now suppose you, the producers, were al
WELL POSTED AS THE MERCHANT
ARE,
with regard to the yield OF cotton, for in
stance, in all cotton-growing countries, anc
of grain in all grain-growing countries tina
send produce to compete with yours in tn
markets of the world would not you b
as well qualified as the buyer to FIX prices
| am just from the great agriculture
fair at st. Louis, where l went to sti
the farmers up with regard to these sub
l0cts, and / can tell you they receive
my suggestions with a favor and entbu
slasm that would have done your hear