Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-16
PARTNERS STATE CONVENTION.

To day the farmers of Tennesses assemble
in State Convention in this city under the
most favorable auspices. They have the
example of their brother farmers in other
States to encourage them in forming them
selves into compact, homogeneous body,
that shall soon include the intelligence, en-
terprise, industry and no inconsiderable
shsre of the capital of great agricultural
State. The industrial mind of America
sees and feels the necessity of the perfect Or
ganization of all the producing classes. H.
dividually, they are powerless to resist the
encroachments of gigantic corporations that
to a large extent control legislation, and
make laws which confer exclusive rights,
and pecuDiary advantages on railway, ma
nufacturiDg and banking monopolies, to the
serious injury of the producing and COM
mercial interests of the country. These in
ferests must be heard and more respect d.
The mere trantp ortation of agricultural
products and other property, including per
sons, amoun>s to the large SUN of one
Thousand million dollars in twelve
months. This is equal to one-third of the
cost of all the railways in ths Union, and
opsns up wide field for innumerable
abuses. Cheap transportation to the sea
places a. the service Of Tennessee agricul-
ture some five hundred million consumers
of our staples. The average value of land
in Europe to raise grain, meat and other
provisions to feed this large population is
not far from two hundred dollars an acre.
In the State OF New York land pays good
interest on one hundred an acre to pro-
duce cheese, butter and blooded stock
for consumption in England. The high
prices paid for tee best GARY and beef cat
tie in New York, for the cheese
and butter made in their
best fac cries; for the hundreds of thous.
ands of barrels of spples yearly exported,
aud for hay shipped sometimes to Liver
pool, ard always to the Southerl States, ARE
so many fruits of wise agricultural org2ni-
cation, which Tennessee lacks, and TenIes-
see farmers should remedy. For years
much of the farming land in this State has
deprecated in value, simply because the
owners fail to recognize their duty to their
families and their country. American agri-
culture has its duties not less than its rights.
This convention should fully appreciate
both. With Southern agriculture, it is re-
form or ruin. 1t must go up or go down; and
':is for the farmers to say which it shall be.
In an age of wonderful activity, ambition
and progress, they can not hold their farms
long, and neglect the great duties that
Providence assigns TO the land holders of
republican nation. If they virtually abdi-
cate. that sovereignty through the balIot-box,
which majority of voters gives them, their
fall cannot stop short Of poverty and serf.
dom. God in his wisdom, Furnishes the
neglect Of any duty. In the last Twelve
years our punishment has been severe, but
no more than we deserved. Let US profit
by the chastisemont aud do cur whole du-
ty il the future. Let this farmers conVen-
ton confer lasting honor on its members
by inaugurating radical change
Of policy that will bring
agricultural honesty, industry and pros
p7rity from the rear TO the front in the bat |
tie Of civilized life. 1t is indispensable that |
farmers do their own thinking, and carefully |
study all the Industrial, political and social |
problems TOW before them for solution by |
the will of an overruling providence. II is
intellectual work that is overlooked, or
badly executed. As society and the nation
advance, new questions arise for considera-
ton and decision. Many such are now BE-
fore The American people.