Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-02-12
agricultural.
ADDRESS,
Delivered before Olney Grange, No Z,
by Hon, James Cheston.
Worthy Master and Fsllo,o Patrons /:


Worthy Master and Felloo Patrons
have the honor of addressing you
upon subject this evening which I feel
assured must be of interest to every
patron upon this floor--Thc American
Farmer--the position he occupies in his
couatry and his urgent need CT Just such
an organization as we have in the Grange.
! will not consume the time of this body
in discussing to which branch Of trade
our government is the most dependent
upon for its prosperity; quite sufficient is
it for us to know that she must mainly
look to the farmers produce to draw back
the gold, which is constantly flowing out
of the country through the other chan
nels of trade Ofthe vital Importance of
this retroactive feature | will not argue
before this intelligent audience; and yet,
! venture to say, that no trade or branch
Of industry receives so little help at the
hands of the government as that of -agri-
culture. | have no intention Of railing
against the government for the want of
its fostering care, for indeed. it seems to
me. that we have so many faults to cor
rect amongst ourselves, that it were far
better to begin at home, rather than COM
plain Of the government One thing is
very certain-wc may rail, fret, fume
and denounce, but until we aim at high
err manhood, our complaints will never
be heard or needed But, sir before
proceeding, I would ask, is it wise IN
the government, is it prudent in her leg
islators to build their calculations so en-
tirely upon our immense average? This,
sir, is the great reason why the covern-
ment has concerned herself so little about
the agricultural interests. It has not
been from ignorance of the vital impor-
lance of the products of the soil to her
growth and prosperity, but from the be-
lief that from the immense breadth of
land cultivated, large yield would be
annually reached. To countries where
agriculture has had but small space TO
play its part, and wise connsels prevail
ing. the political economists have ever
turned their attention towards agricul-
ture, seeing It of vital Importance to the
State, that each acre should Weld the
largest amount possible. Mills, in an
essay written in 1774, says, After the
long civil war between the unfortunate
Charles [. and bis parliancnt--E
being xhausted-strenuou endeavors
we're made to repair her losses by an ex-
tensivc commerce; and in order to es-
tablish that commerce. good agriculture
was made the basis. The learned rooted
IN old preiudices by Introducing better
methods, while the government made
regulations favorable to the farmers.
From that epoch NAV be dated the gran
dcur, the riches and the power Of Eng
land" 1T is known goes on the same
writer, f" that middlinc harvest in
England furnishes food for its numerous
inhabitants for three wears. and a good
one for five years. Now let us look
at the England of to-day: a full crop
will not feed her population for six
months. True England has an immense
population and small extent Of territory ;
true we. have n comparatively sparse
population and a large extent Of terri
tory. But sir the wise economist can
not rest in the present: the future is his
field of operation. as well as that of the
present. What will be the population
Of the United States in 1852 No man
can estimate the number of mouths to be
fed in this country ono hundred wears
hence for the ordinary methods Of cal
culatine the increase of population are
baffled bv the unprecedented influx Of
foreigners and | hazard the opinion.
that if a higher state Of agriculture is
not adonted in this country that orr FIR
nres Of exnortution viii show bnt little
increase ovcr those we nre.ent now
while the fionres If importation will orow
with our population. It. therefore. does
seem 70 me that this is 4 subject worthy
! If the nolitical economists attention /
refer to Il now merely 10 show farmers
That tbev hold no unimportant mart in
their conntry's welfare. But. sir. to re-
tura to nv subject. where do we stand to-
dav2
WORTHY Master letus be Of sincere let
ms sneak ono TO another with all bold :
nass let nc look the trnth STRAIGHT n
the eace 4 il tie only way Of getting
ont of the false path we are treading.
sneak bumblv Inf 7 sneak from, nv firm
conviction when 7 say tie American
farmer il not the equal in intellioence ar
education with his brother countrymeu