The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-03-08
Rights.

THERE appertalnS To man certain pre-
negatives, privileges and immInities as
high and as sacred as his very origin, ma
ture and constitution. They are the basis
of all just social compaets, called govern
ments. In all the doings and operations
of men they must he observed and re-
spected, otherwise trouble and wrong
surely come.
Animals are possessed of rights, which
spring from their relationship to man and
the earth at the beginning. The fact was
announced to man by the Creator himself,
at very early date in our recorded his
tory. The statutes Of all Nations recog-
nize these rights.
But it is not of the rights of man or of
those of the creatures which were given
him for his use that we want to speak-it
is of another class of rights entirely-the
rights of the soil. If it is news to some
that the soil has rights which men ought
to respect and must respect, we trust they
will believe and be saved from the evils
which follow disregard of these rights,
and the sad fate which fell upon the
famers of Judea and of the country be-
tween the Jordan and the sea. They
looked ia. Jerusalem too much, and loved
Jerusalem tso much, and forgot the rights
of the soil they drew their support from,
until now they have almost lost their
manhood and their responsibility as hu-
man beings.
The old Virginia tobacco growers for
got that the soil had rights which it we're
good for them to care for and cherish, and
the bottom fell out of their prosperity as
farmers.
We are wont to dilate with good deal
~~E
ness about the enormity OF disregarding
bad effects of disregarding them; but we
well-dOing of individuals but of nations
respect paid to the rights of the soil.
Should this Nation Of farmers neglect
this right for one hundred years we should
imbecile race here as are the Mexicans
and Haytiens. This is not flourish of
words, but truth; and we incidentally see
by this how important to National pros
perity and greatness is the prosperity of
the cultivators of the soil. Commerce
and the mercantile trade. the lumber
and building interests, education and
morals all depend for their growth and
rights of the soil. What are these rights
Heaven has formed the earth with GER
tain inalienable properties, attributes and
elements, among which are gravity, cohe-
sion, heat; potash, soda, lime, magnesia,
iron, silica, chlorine, the phosphates, car
han and certain acids; and has said unto
the earth, these are yours; the hand of
him, be he man, or angel, or God, which
deprives you of them, shall be paralyzed,
and will put the mark of poverty upon
him-he shall be tramp upon the
earth, and all shall know whereof he is
afflicted.
This eternal, Heaven proclaimed law
of right respecting the soil it behooves us
all then to obey. We all love wealth and
hate pOvertv-we all would like to be rich
we all dislike the idea of being or becom-
ing poor.
So man now, if he is really and truly
a man, loves knowledge and hates ignor-
ance. Well, what does he do? Does he
60 to school or college and come out and
say, II have now stored my mind full.
and, as knowledge is indestructible, / need
spend no more time in laying it by and
replcnishing my mind!'' Why no-he
knows that he must continually be adding,
adding to the old stock else he declines In
strength and power and usefulness. It'll
so with the soil. 1t is full naturally. God
has made it full, but if it is used there
must be added and added continually 70
its elements of those treasures which are
a. constantly being taken from it In the
different crops.
In these various ways and forms do we
try to illustrate the great truth that more
than the natural fertility of the soil must
be sustained in order to realize the highest
profit from farming relations. The rights
OF the soil in this respect must be contin.
ually observed and needed If we are ever r.
become Nation of rich agriculturists.-
Detroit Tribune.