The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-06-13
Final Report of Committee on Legislation.

"Gen. Geo. II. Stuart from the Com
mittee on Legislation, reported, that one or
more of its members were in daily after
ance upon the Legislature, unremi' ,;ngIv
pressing the bills under their .naree. but
that every bill, save one. which thew pro-
posed, met with on ,,osition, which was
unreasonable an" unjust. And they say
.ne evns enee's of ignorance, prejudice and
tne SOILS mess of politicians must be over
COM before any solid results can be OBJ
lained, it being evident that to the average
legislator, agriculture and all its incidents,
was a matter of little interest.
"The bill relating to County Roads was
the only one passed in the shape proposed
by the committee. Bills relating to Va
grant Stock and Taxation of Dogs, in lieu
of those prepared by the committee and
which failed on account of the hostile
action of the House Committee on Agricul-
ture, were reported in the Senate and
became laws. The Vagrant Stock bill is
merely decaratory of pre- existing law, and
changes the mode of procedure as to
estrays, the enforcement of the law being
left to private citizens instead Of being
required of public officers as the commit
tee contended should be the case.
"The committee opposed, as directed by
the Society, the Dog Law as passed by the
House, before the Senate Committee on
Agriculture and succeeded in preventing
the passage of the obnoxious measures, but
not the adoption of it's own bill, or any
other which could be heartily approved
the bill which was passed having its es-
sential and important features impaired, if
not rendered totally Inefficient by the pro
vision exempting from tax one dog for each
household.
"The committees bill to repeal the
article of the code, depriving sheep owners
of the right of action for sheep injured by
dogs, was passed by the Senate, but being
referred in the House to the Committee on
Agriculture, it was reported upon adversely
and was lost. The immigration bill failed
from want of fair examination of its pro-
visions, and lack of interest, although the
passage of the bill was sought without any
appropriation from the State.
sin speaking of the lack of apprecia-
ton by the Legislature of the interests to
be protected, the evils to be remedied or
the measures proposed, the committee say:
Farmers themselves are largely responsible
for the failure to secure proper legislation,
as many of them are utterly blind, not only
to their own true interests, but to the plain
rights of others, and as long as the con-
stituent is wrong in theory and practice, it
is idle to expect the representative to
advocate proper measures.
The above is but brief extract of the
able and spirited report of the committee
appointed by the Agricultural Society of
Maryland; and is full of food for thought for
our farmers. One of their greatest needs is
a practical political education. Not the
education which simply makes effice-hun-
tiers, who in our modern parlance are called
politicians, but that better education which
will fit the young farmer to take his place
in deliberative body, which will bring
him up to the full measure of a man in the
legislative council, equip him with the
ready power of debate, and ability to think
methodically on every subject which COM
mands his attention, both in public and
private life. Before company of such
members the professional politician, who
has nothing at stake, and works only for
the price he expects to receive from his
employer, for the successful management
of the bills he may have under his care,
would be shorn of the dangerous power he
is at present able to WELD through the
weakness and ignorance of country men,
bers of every legislative body in the land.
This state of affairs should not be. The
farmers should be ashamed of their lack of
ability to rise in the legislature and discuss
any bill that has the least bearing upon
their business or proposition to lay taxes or
expend the public money. The farmers
having the election of three-fourths of the
members of every legislature in the coun-
try, should have the controlling influence
in those bodies, and would, had they the
requisite knowledge and ability in legisia-
tive matters; and that they have not is to
their lasting shame and dishonor These
they will never possess or acquire till they
make common cause. insulation has
been the bane of the agricultural class, and
of agricultural interests. Each farmer,
lord of his own domain, holds aloof from
his fellows, and maintains proud reserve
and semi-seclusion, approaching none of
his fellows and approached by none except
in most formal and unbusiness manner.
No exchange of thought on public ques-
tons ever takes place between members of
the agricultural class. John Smith and
his father belongs and belonged to the
"Democrat Jackson party. John Jopes
and his father belonged to the Wing party,
the Republican party or some other party.
What political principles underlie these
parties, Or what there is in common or at
variance between them, scarcely man of
this vast multitude can tell, or has ever
paused to consider.
Is it matter of surprise that shrewd
men who have no honest business they call
their own, should take advantage of this
state of affairs and impose upon the labor
ing multitude, the shadow for the sub
stance, and under the jugglery of party
professions, succeed in controlling all politi-
cal affairs, and appropriating large per
cent of the taxes, directly and indirectly to
their own use? There was scarcely
measure brought before our Legislature
last Winter, that could be called a party
measure, in its true sense, and yet the COM
mittee which attended there in the inter-
est of the farmer, could not obtain hear
ing. Although there to represent three
fourths of the constituency of the body,
they were ignored disregarded, and the
ring politicians dictated the business and
shaped legislation to suit their interests,
without the slightest regard, or even a
casual notice of the great agricultural
interest of the State. And this state of
affairs is found to exist everywhere in State
and national legislatures. And the reason
is very plain. The farmers as class are
ignorant, utterly ignorant of public bust
ness and the legislation which their inter-
est and that of the State demands, and are
powerless to help themselves.
The cure for these public ills and many
others of social and economical nature is
association. They must meet together and
pursue systematic course of study and
investigation into their private and public
interests. By this course of training the
young men will acquire the skill necessary