The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-10-28
CONDUCTED BY hilbert CHAPMAN.
Agricultural Politics.


Though quite number of farmers
are found in our state legislatures, and
very few in congress, yet virtually
our law making assemblies. The far
mers who are there seem to forget their
farms, as fit were disgrace to think
OF the soil in these august gatherings.
Nearly all the legislation is in the in.
terests of trade. manufactures. and COM
merce and such legislation must al
ways affect agrlculMre-the foundation
of them and their feeder. Yet the lat
ter Is scarcely ever considered In the
deliberations OF these wise assemblies.
"In tho present congress OF the United
States agriculture has no representa-.
ton and no standing" southern edi.
tor recently wrote, aRd with exact
uuthfulness.
Agriculture, tho very essence of the
nations life, the followers of which
make up half the entire population, the
feeder aud foundation of most of the
Other industries, is forgotten and re-
garded as nauGht in the consideration
OF those which but deal with its pro
ducts. Occasionally, as in the Nation.
al college act, for the higher education
OF tho industrial classes, in which II
was impossible TO overlook agriculture,
not 80 much because of itself, but
but because 1t was indisput-
ably an Industrial pursuit; or in
connection with some transportation
scheme, or through the representations
of sportsmen, or prevention of cruelty
societies Is greatly benefit
ted by legislation, but rarely for itself,
or through the effort OF Its representa-
tives. ~
Thesexisting laws directly affecting
agriculture were most of them made at
a time in the early history of the re-
spective states, when necessarily, the
larger portion " tho people lived upon
and by the soil. This was before the
country was sufficiently developed to
furnish material for manufacturers and
She cities trade, and beiere these off
spring had forgotten, or learned to
Laugh at their common ancestor.
France offers, yearly, large sums of
money for Investigations in the natur-
al sciences, so far especially In connec-
ton with her grape and beet.sugar
production and each year establishes
new schools and colleges Of agriculture,
nad experiment stations. Great Brit
ain places agricultural ~ the most I'M
pOrtant of all her peoples occupations,
and legislation Is constantly directed to
improve it. The lawmakers are the
soil owners, and of course consider 1t.
But the tenant farmers, too, have their
special representatives, as in the case
OF Mr.. c. 8. Read. who is. supported
with a hearty goodwill, and works
Loyalty in their behalf. Germany's
frat interest-aftsr the military-is her
agriculture, and her agricultural
schools and experiment stations are
numbered by the hundred. Australia
has recently created the office OF veter-
mary inspector general, with rank
equal to that OF minister OF state. China
and Japan as nations and governments
place agriculture on so high footing
as TO have sacred opservances in rela-
ton to 1t, in which the heads of the
governments take prominent part.
And ID is q hopeful sign for the latter
country, that in her newly begun pro-
gressivs march the tradition of the past
have been respected by erecting an ag-
ricultural college as monument of
progress by the way.
We take the above from an exchange,
whore we found il without signature
or credit. We think it was not an edi.
torial. Here in Vermont, our legisla-
ture gave the benefit of our land fund
to a college that in consideration CON-
scented to add Agricultural" to its title.
and thep spent .ll the uo1sy derived
from the fund IN s,apsralnIg yaung men
for Others ailSA iiia sss-sa.-s1 industrial
pursuits
From VIVA, We hear lately. shs may
claim that she Is 40 lowering the stand
ard Of classical education, that it will
soon be in bad repute, and thus there
will be reaction towards agricultural
education.