Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-03-27

THE FARMERS In COUNCIL

'uIeT FOL Guo NdGloli"l OAoSh5o VI AooAoilo
Y n Husbandry, in the United States. Mr..
Thompson was introduced by MI G. W.
Coiner-the Deputy for this district in
neat speech, in which he said the lecturer
has been tiller Of the soil from his youth.
Mr.. Thompson said he came to speak to
farmers about the order of Patrons of
Husbandry, an order of recent origin,
which has extended with unparalleled IA
pidty, and which had accomplished more
goodfor the Agricultural class than any or
der ever established. He had been taught to
labor on farm, had been 80 years engaged
in farming on his own account, and had
probably labofed as many hours at it as
any gentleman present. He proposed to
present practically, AND without any ora
torical display of rounded periods the OBJ
jects and aims of the Patrons Of Husband
~. Go back and look at
AGRICULTURE THIRTY YEARS AGO.
It had no press-there were few agricul-
tural PROFESSIONALLY another besides the
Genessee N. Y. Farmer. Farming was
then looked upon as an inferior occupation,
and we were taught to look upon doctors,
LAWYERS and ministers in a different
light from farmers. But things are differ
ent now. The press pays more attention
to agriculture, and: besides agricultural
Journals, there is hardlya paper that hasn't
its agricultural column, filled with extracts
from the regular journals. This means
that agriculture stands in different light
from 80 years ago. Then the disposition
was to leave the farm, and seek commerce,
and the mechanic arts in the cities, but
now men ofsall professions look forward to
the time when they can take their families
and retire to farm. Thirteen years ago
this new feeling reached the National Con-
gress, and resulted in that body appropri-
ating public lands for the benefit of agri-
cultural colleges, and agricultural depart
ments in literary universities. While
this has been going on other influences have
been at work. Thirty years ago we had
NO NABoBs
so to speak, but to-day capital lays its iron
grasp on all the products of the country,
and Wall street fixes the price of all the
productions of the land. Capital seeks to
centralize and we have instances where
one man is worth 500, 100000. Now there
must be something wrong in country,
where the foundation is laid i'll toll and
poverty, when one man owns his hundred
millions and so many are poor. and the
wrong Of it is, that these millions are made
by sponging up theprofts which belong to
thefarmer. 1t comes from our being too In
different to our interests, and allowing
ourselves to be bound hand and foot, as
we have remained for years, until this Or
ganization has given us this first opening
for escape from bondage. This organiza-
tion has the invincible characteristic of
ASSOCIATION
which is the genius of this age Assocla-
ton has built railroads and telegraphs, de-
-ayeloped mines, extended mercantile fields,
promoted education, done everything to ad-
vantage, which man can do but slowly and
uncertainty alone. Doctors, dentists, ne
chanics, merchants, lawyers. engineers
all trades and professions have recognized
the power of association by thelr societies.
Two years ago So merchants in New York
combined and fixed the time upon which
they would sell Western and Southern
merchants their goods, and a year ago the
manufacturers of iron associated and ra Sed
the price 25 per cent, while, up to the Or
ganization of the Patrons OF Husbandry,
Agriculture was the only interest left un-
organized. All farmers need to place them
selves in position superior to the world
is ssociation-co-opera ion. Truly while
werepresent more wealth then all togeth
er, we are the slaves and servants OF ALL
The preacher prays for all, the lawyer
pleads for all and the docter prescribes for
all, and the farmer paysfor all. Loud ap-
plause.l We now, simply want our rights.
The opponents Of the organization III II
ginia have misrepresen6ed me by saying
that [ abuse the middle men," L abuse
no man. Our order makes no aggressive
warfare on any man, but we are simply
and quietly organizing for our own inter-
est and protection. just as reached Nor
folk the Landmark" referring to lily
visit. said ''We hope he will tell us what
Well, we mean to do nothing with the
middle men. AS will show further on in
my speech, we need them, and we hope they
will prosper. The editors Of the Lynch
burg papers reported me fairly and they
did not say that l attacked the middle
men. So far from rejoicing in their dosVn-
fall should bemoan any disaster to them.
There are 10000 tillers of the soil in this
country and 90, 900 persons following other
pursuits. Have these 10000 no rights
Shall they not associate together for pro-
lection ? From the log rolling and apple
pairing on thefarnl, to the confederation
of States, we see cooperation. Shall We
ignore it in the interest OF farmers | be-
live we should not and if did nos believe
there was benefit to my class in it, | should
not advocate it. I shall go back to my
farm after this tour, and there will ex-
perience its benefits.
HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION.
In 1866 President Johnson appointed a
commissioner to make 9 tour of the South
ern States, and he visited all the States east
of the Mississippi river. The idea then oc-
CURED to this commissioner-he was a
mason and was received with great kind
ness by his brethren at the South, that an
organized association of agricultural class
es would benefit the country, especially the
South. When he returned to Washington
he told VIM. Summers Of 1T. The matter
was agitated and the press all through the
country lent it's aid to it. The organiza-
ton could not now wear the laurels of VIC
tory but for the press. At the organiza-
ton of the Virginia State Grange, the press