The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-04
The Agricultural Report.

simple suggestion to the Legislature to ex-
anime the subject. If upon examination, it
was found that this would result in injury to
value of the work it would not be done.
Here the matter would bave been dropped.
But Secretary Boardman and half dozen
gentlemen who assume to champion the
farmers of Maine conceived that the sugges-
ton was battle cry and forthwith set them
selves at work to create widespread hostil-
ity to Gov. Dingley. To do this, it was nee
essary to misrepresent. This was first done
at the agricultural meetings held the slme
week in which the communication was sent
to the Legislature. These assaults were fol-
lowed bya printed remonstrance circulated for
signatures in which the suggestion was styled
"a recommendation for the practical discon.
tinuance of the annual state agricultural re-
ports-so valuable and useful to the farmers
of Maine." Next, and after he has bad
a week to think it over, Mr.. Boardman pro-
nounces the suggestion of the Governor re-
specting the agricultural reports as an insult
to the farmers and San attempt to crush out
intelligent farming in Maine" This declar-
alton was to be expected in the philippe of
the intriguing Mr.. Wasson, but we had con-
ceived better opinion of Mr.. BOardman. 1t
seems, however, that these gentlemen have de.
liberatey undertaken to bring Gov. Dingley
into disrepute by placing him in false posi-
ton before the people. Indeed, all the indica-
tions go to show that this was the purpose.
If this were not the case, why have they as
sumed that he recommended the practical
discontinuance of the publication of the re-
ports? If he had made such recommen-
Jation, why not give his wocJs? If il were
not their intention to falsify his position,
why has Mr. Boardman, even at the sugges-
ton of the Board of Agriculture, sent peti
tions all over the state and made the Maine
Farmer with its wide circulation the medium
Of conveying such Misrepresentation.
The assumption that Gov. Dingley pur-
poses to ignore the agricultural interests Of
the state, and, to use the Wassonian rhet,
oric, that he would have the farmers return
to the pod auger days when a year old steer
would bring So finds refutation in the fact
that the paper which he edited before he was
elected Governor has been one more largely
devoted to the dissemination of prac ctical and
useful information on this subject than any
other in Maine, the Farmer alone excepted
The point, then, that he did not devote Z
paragraph in bis address to the cheap glori
-, ,nf tnt-
Undoubtedly he left this demagogism to
Messrs. Boardman and Wasson whose claim
as agriculturists is principally based upor
this sort of labor.
turned cold shoulder to the Agricultural
College. We confess that we do not agree
with Gov. Dingey in respect to the aid asked
for this institution. We wish that its
needs were less-that its rich friends would
become generous patrons. We are, however,
inclined to believe that several of these
friends are waiting to see if our legislators
appreciate the institution with view
to contributing to its endO wment.
Certainly they would be unwise to give
tens of thousands to school which the rep
resentatives of the people did not care to en-
courage. But how stand the Farmer ant
Mr. Boardman on this subject. How many
years will Mr.. Boardman be obliged to lool
back over his files to find himself not only
turning a cold shoulder to the Institution bu
denouncing its management and its manager:
for ignoring the farmers to wit: Messrs
Boardman and WassOn. Now that these
hard-handed ones have been recognized, they
have suddenly become champions of the in
sttution, though Gov. Coburn and his asso
ciates continue the same prudent policy
which they began while the Farmer was luke
warm and periodically hostile.
Now what is the object of this unfair as
sault upon the Governor? Certainly it i;
not personal for there can be no possible pre-
text for such motive. We imagine it is tC
further the personal ends of the few men
who achieved no little notoriety at Winthrop
in 1878 in Geposing Mr.. Goodale from the
Secretaryship of the Board. By that course
they captured the organization and disgusted
several of the leading farmers of the state.
They desire to hold all the advantage they
have gained. To do this, they desire to MAKE
the fifty thousand farmers believe that they
are wholly devoted to their interests. This i:
one cause of the assault. Another motiy;
may be found in the fact, that the Governo
and Council have had their attention called t,
the rather remarkable character of the bill:
presented. Though properly vouched, The
average executive councillor might not be abl
to see the necessity of paying the expenses o
the Secretary while attending poultry exhibi
tions and county fairs. Possibly it Nigh
come to pass that the same official might oh
iect to paying $50 for hunting up material:
for an essay, so long as a secretary is pait
$1,000 year for that business. Possibly
some other little perqusltes might be cut off
Indeed, the council might object to maxim:
the state pay for the agricultu raj reporting O
the Maine Farmer. In view of these posi-
| bilites, Mr.. Boardman jumped at the oppor
| tuEity of dscrediting the Governor with tn
farmers by misreprescnting his suggestion OF
the report He and his next friend, Mr.
| Wasson, who also manages to do his farmin:
| all the year about, in some agricultural office
arranged the little Indignation meeting at the
| State House and followed this up with tn
same grouudless assumptions in the Fdrme
| editorial.
1t may b, safely predicted, however, tina
the farmers of Maine who most grevousl
| feel the burden of taxation will almos
unanimously applaud Gov. Dingley for hi
efforts to curtail public expenditure. Th
Waterville Nail hits the nail on the hea
when it says that these gentlemen are al
tempting to use the farmers as catspaws t
draw their chestnuts from the Goals. Tha
we are confident will be the conclusion of e,
cry candid man who compares the charge
with the facts in the case.
RUSSIA is distinguishing itself by putin
into operation great system of internal i'll
provments in its provinces in Central Asia
l. al nfn