The daily gazette., 1878-10-01
From the Philadelphia Times
The Farmer I'm Politics.

If comparatively small audience wa.
ipresent at Pimlico, on Thursday, to lister
to Mr.. Bayard's address,, it is quite Ger
tain that there will be a very wide circl,
pleased tp read that he encourages the far
mer to q BE hand in public affairs. Thi.
has been growing disposition, and the
Senator alluded to IL as such. IL goes
hand in hand with the feeling that law.
yers have been too numerous and too po-
Iential in our Legislatures-an opinion
which Mr.. Bayard referred to, and appa.
rently to some extent shared, though the
lproprieties of his situation as a member
OF the legal profession forbade his giving
II an explicit Endorsement. His owi
Stae may be mentioned as very re.
markable example of the activity of the
agriculturists In affairs and the cores
ponding retirement of lawyers. In the
Delaware Legislature it Is not common
to find any Lawyer at all, in either Sen.
ate or House, and there has very seldom
been more than one at any session. But
this is, OF course, an exceptional case;
the opposite is the rule.
Passing from this branch of the subject,
and having joined his voice to the general
suggestion that farmers should come to
the front, he Sena'o or considered for a
moment the characteristics of country and
city life in heir influence upon the lecls-
lators mind. The country encourages
breadth and depth of thought. The city
compels sharpness and brilliancy. 1t is a
natural consequence in each case. The
shepherd watching his flocks, the plow-
man slowly turning his furrow, tie woods
man swinging his axe in the forest, has
abundant leisure for thought, and in the
silence OF nature may gather her subtlest
and most suggestive expression. From
such surrounding opinions come broad
out crude. The thinker with the axe has
no opportunity to measure his thought
with another who has had the same sub
iect in mind; the plowman, ,fatigued with
the days toll, goes home to rest, and not
10 an exchange of wits or comparison
| or opinions. His conclusions are ab-
strac ly reasoned out, and it may be that
some material fact had been unknown to
nm before he entered on his train of rea-
sonlng. But his great advantage is in
having time to reflect at all. The rush
OF city life gives man little time for alb
stract logic. The current flows too swift-
| iy Tor him to indulge in calm meditation.
AS MIR. Bayard remarks, his facul les are
shai pened and FURNISHED by the contact
with the crowds around him, "as iron
saarpeneth iron," but he cannot find leis-
ure for the elaborate study of any question
nor the calm processes of observation
from which a sound judgment is to pro-
ceed. pa
| Not intending to relegate the legal gen
tieineh 10 entire obscurIty; preferring GER
talnly the service of Mr.. Bayard, LAWYER
| thousll he is, to that of the cattle specu-
laling Governor of Indiana, though he is
farmer, we shall all be glad TO see the
tlliers OF the soil give their close attention
TO public affairs. Let them approach
their political duties as the Senator sug-
gests-by enlarged culture and acauire-
lnents, by mastering the principals of free
government and studying the lessons that
are pointed out in the past experience of
nations. To do this is''within the opnor-
tunltles OF thousands. Ii does not imply
a neglect OF the labors, severe and exact
ing, by which the American farmer gains
ms livelihood. Time for reading he will
ma II he tries, and even time for study.
the time for reflection, as we have already
sad, his occupation amply gives. The
growth OF country libraries should 90 hand
IN hahd with the schools. 1t is not need
tul that the collection of books should he
large and It will not consequently, be ex-
pensive. There is much Abook- making.
as we all know so we'll, that contributes
hotnlng 10 the valuable knowledge ofthe
world and swells not to the extent of a
feathers weight the sum of human bet-
terment. hundred books in village
and presently five hundred, will Law a
good foundation for solid and real culture
IL they are only chosen from the right
shelves, and libraries, insignificant as t6ev
might seem, would be valuable means
OF educating for his work the farmer who
comes forward in public affairs. For il
must be said that it is not the legislation
or the administration of any one class q,
any enc pursuit that is called for: il is the
service of all honest, intelligent and
thoughtful citizens, farmers as well ne
lawyers, mechanics as well as merchants
FROM each class and each ayocation mus,
come Its share of good service in the com.
mon oehalf, while none, certainly, should
nc more valuable than that rendered nv
The .true-hearted and soundly-cultured
agrieulturists of the Republic.
Inc following timely suggestion from
the Philadelphia Ledger has a very gen.
erai Application Every woman in these
days can make herself an honorary mem,
Der OF the board of health, and there can.
not be too many. When the fallino
leaves, If nothing else, clog up the gut
ters and lnlets of sewers, and when The
nelghborhoods of the market give on,
most suspicious odors of decaying fruit
ana vegetables, there are some people
VINO VIII write to the board of bealtl
about every neglected corner, and there
ere others who will get out their brooms
ana take The matter in hand Themselves
One or two wide-awake women can revo.
lutlonlze a neig hborhood, setting the
example of burning up the kitchen oar.
page, whether the carts come round or
and sultry, and flooding the allevwavs
ana choked up. courts from their own
hydrant and buckets, without waiting
Ior the 'equinoctuaf to come and do