New-York tribune., 1874-11-17
GOOD UoRDS TO SOUTHERN FARMERS.


Bayard of Delaware mentioned as farmer
but he recently made an address at Middle
town before the Agricultural Society OF the
State he represents with so much distinction
in the Senate, and put so much sense and OBJ
servation into it, that it is to be feared the
farmers who listened to him will rashy con-
clude that the study OF the law is the royal
road to agriculture. Mr. Bayard began by re-
ferrng to the general ignorance of farming
which prevails among farmers, and said that
off we except the task OF Legislation, no other
" occupation in our country is so frequently
entered upon by persons deficient in the
necessary information as Agriculture"
The Senator from Delaware long since
proved his competence to undertake the
business of legislation by an efficiency
which we are glad to see has been so appre-
ciated by his State as to insure his continu
ancc in that occupation; and this address
shows that he is, in theory at least, as good
farmer as he is legislator There is hardly
waste word in his speech. His references to
the depOrable exodus of farmer-bOys from
the country to the feversh life of great cities
the rich resources Of the soil Of the Peninsula,
and its adaptation to the serious work of
cultivation; the necessity and advantage of
breeding good cattle and horses the true
meaning and significance of the idea of chiv-
airy the way to treat horses-advising rigid
economy in the purchase of whips; and his
suggestions of. possible improvements in farm
houses, show q mind at once thoughtful, prac-
teal, and emrnently flexible.
But the most admirable sentiment in the
speech is the one with which it closes. On
the eve of an important election upon which
his own continuance in public life depended,
Senator Bayard, instead of saying a dextrous
thing in favor of his own party, or trying to
rouse the sectional feeling upon which his
party has relied too long, spoke simply and
boldly against that excess of party spirit to
which most politicians are too ready to appeal
when their own interests are at stake.
He hoped that the Association might
be kept forever free from any iniu-
ence of partisan dssensions, and added
81 am an earnest believer in the duty Of
" every American citizen to take an interest
" in the political affairs of his country, and
" yet can well see the need of -watchful-
" ness lest party feelings destroy our sympa-
" thies with worthy men whose conscience leads
" them into paths of opinion widely different
" from our own. Therefore, if this Association
" shall bring the hands of party opponents to
" meet even for single day in friendly clasp,
a." shall cause exchanges of kindly greeting,
" and a cessation of the bitter feelings engen-
" dered by political opposition, that alone will
" make it well worthy of your support"
There is no lesson more urgently needed
than this throughout the country. federation
and not indifference is the spirit required to
Men who care nothing about politics are sure,
sooner or later, to fall into the hands Of
knavsh demagogues; and those who are SO
furiously welded to their own organizations
that they would rather vote for rogue of
their own party than for an honest man of
any other, are already sold and delivered.
Especially in the Southern States is there
pressing need of this discriminating interest
in political affairs. The wise words of Senator
Bayard to bis fellow-citizens of Delaware
apply with still greater force to those whose
lot is cast in the States further South, which
have been racked and tortured for years by the
contending factions of knaves who have
worked them for their own benefit. If the
Southern people at large, of both parties and
all colors could be only made to take the
lesson to heart which we have been preaching
to them ever since the war ended, it would be
the only thing necessary to begin the healing
of their wounds. Let them take as much in
terest in politics as ever-more, in some eases.
But let their chief care be that no man shall
be nominated OrvOted for unless he is known
to be honest, and if mans own party does
not give him the chance to vote for the right
sort of man, vote for the other side with
out flinching There is no other remedy for
bad government in democracy.