The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-10-01

BILE of educational Notwithstanding the facult
accommodating it healthy food for expar
sion and growth and at the same time supply
ing the power of a clear and fOrcible commun
cation Of thought.
We do not expect, nor do we desire to besto1
the fatal gift of that eIoquence which equal
subiugates the reason of its possessor, an
/ captivates but does not convince its hearer'
/ We do not desire to make men the abjeet slave
| of this power of facile and elegant expression
/ nor to add to the list of the demented by adm
in the subsection of the brain to the tongue
and of thought to speech. This disease IS no'
too common, and may be denominated glosss
mania-Iingual insanity word-madness.
INFLUENCE IN PUBLIC
This general education, added to the teehni
cal training, viii fit the farmer for instructiv
and pleasant social intercourse, and place hin
in that position where he can take useful par
in public affairs, and exercise inhuenc
/ beneficial TO the State.
! thing the influence of agriculturists lin
GLIDING in this term all who by mechanics, o
/ otherwise, contribute in any way to the devel
+ opment of the agricultural wealth of the State
/ ought to be increased in public affairs. thinl
/ there ought to be larger participation b.
J them in the discharge of duties which relat
/ to the due management of the affairs Of tn
/ State and the counties. / think that influence
would be good. That it should be good an'
+ good only, it must needs proceed from mel
I who have intelligent conception Of tn
public wants, and OF the means to provide fo
/ these wants. | have sympathy with thu
seuseless clamor sometimes heard which woulc
exclude from all participation in public Oth
ces, men however wei qual1hed, and however
patriotic merely because they are not cOnnec
ted directly with agriculture; and have a:
little for that equal folly which demands the
selection of an officer merely upon the grounc
that he is a farmer or mechanic, without ref
erence 10 his qualifications.
In a free goyernmeHt-the true emanatlon
Of the popular wiil-Ihe laws and politics
should be the result of the average interests
a. n.taF ,T-rft one
Of the people. Among the Anglo Saxon race
and their descendants, there seems TO be an
aptitude for free institutions; and this apti-
tude seems to consist, n a large degree, ia the
capacity to ascertain what this conn mon and
average opinion is, and then 10 give il effect.
This is what may be termed the common sense
of the community, and the goyernment-its
tendencies and policies can rarely be higher,
or nObler or wiser, than this common sense
demands. In the formation Of this average
and common OpiniOn--in giving IL voice and
force in he government, the a@riculturists of
the State. oustituting f0ur-tfths OF the people,
should exercise potential influence. They
are usually conservative. The methods by
which they acquire pecunlary independence
are prudence, patience, energy and economy
As a rule, they are opposed to w2stetul
and extrava giant observation-disclosures tax-pay-
ers, and not tax-receivers, their influence
would be. to cut down expenditures to the low
est possible limit consistent with administra-
tive efficiency. Unskilled in political and
y
jobs and rings-all bounties to tavorltes--alI
expenditures not for the public good.
| would not like to see Legislature com
posed exclusively of farmers and mechanics
nor would it be for the public good that there
should be no representative Of these interests
in that body. There should be in every Legis-
lature men skilled in the laws Of the State.
competent to put in appropriate language the
statutes which are to be enacted, and to de-
termine how far new statute will entrench
upon the provisions of existing laws. There
ought also to be there an influential body of
men connected with-the leading industries of
the State-familiar with the wants and wishes
of the great mass of the people-sharing equal
" with them the burdens and disasters and sue
cess of life. If they should draft laws If they
should inaugurate no new and untried poll
cies still there will be that in the very at
mosphere in which such BODY of men move
which will influence benehcially the action of
the Legislature.
There is no calling which men follow that
requires larger fund of information, a clear
er and better trained Judgment greater YER
salty in capacity. a larger abundance of men
tai resources, greater familiarity with the
operation of the laws of nature, than agricul-
ture.
All other callings nearly are capable of
sub-divisiOns-so that their followers may be-
come specialists in some parts or branches
| believe it requires the separate work of more
than half-doZen to manufacture pin.
In agriculture, as practiced in the United
States, there is but little room for such divis-
ion of labor and knowledge. On each farm
all the knowledge and the labor needed on all
farms, are required. The growing of hay,
the cereals, cotton, the various garden vege-
tables, and the fruits of the orchard and vine
yard the breeding and rearing of cattle,
horses, mules and sheep, and domestic fowls
the fattening of such as are desired for food;
provision against wind, rains and storms, and
irouth the proper preparation, seeding and
cultivation of the various kinds of soil the
of the crops against insects; the
making and application of manures; the
making of fences, and dwellings, and out
houses; the caring for and growth and pre-
servation of suitable kinds of timber; the
ventilation and distinction of all buildings
the care for the vigOr and health of all kinds
Of live stock, and the proper remedies for those
hat are diseased, and the preventing of the
spread of infection among them; the making
Of gates, bridges, roads, axe and hoe handles,
stocking of plows and harrows, draining and
landscape gardening all are the business of
the farmer and should be understood by him.
To do this work intelligently and well, in
wolves knowledge of chemistry, physics, me-
chanics, civil engin eering, zoology, entomology,
physiology, comparative anatomy, botany,
and geology. l do not mean that
the farmer should thoroughly understand all
that is embraced in these branches of human
knowledge; but | do mean to assert that a
knowledge of the general and elementary prin-
ciples of each, is If not essential at least highly
advantageous and that the continued study of
them, in connection with the practical opera
and useful field for high intellectual exercise
Energy, pluck, saving, though united with
ignorance, have won on rich and uneNhausted
lands 4 kind of pecunlary success; but it Is
temporary and costly: il impoverishes the soil,
wears out the land, and in the end, makes a
greater necessity for a more intelligent agricul-
ture.
No youth may avoid this College because it
will not teach enough.
DIGNITY OF LABOR.
oil r.
labor. Under the prevailing system,
the more a man has been educated, the more he
is indisposed to manual labor; brain work has
been regarded as unfit to be yOked with hand
labor. And the educated man who has failed
to gain his living without a resort to manual
labor, has been regarded Il failure in life.
Education has, thus far, untitled men for
manual labor. 1t has placed a mark of inferi-
ority on him, who has no other means of sub
sistence than his own labor. Certain it is that
a large majority of the inhabitants of the
world-a large majority of the people OF the
United States, and of this State, are now COM
PEELED and will for all time be compelled, to
gain their living by their daily labor.
/ have said that the capacity for the safe and
orderly working of free institutions, seemed to
De a race aptitude of the Anglo Saxons and
,ist largely in the capacity of that race,
10 understand and give effect to the common
and average opinion and aspirations of the peo-
Dle-that this wise governing by the common
sense of the community.
1t is the peculiar felicity of the Anglo Saxon
ace, that this average common sense, of the
people has favored equality in rights and |
among the people That it has been
iberty-loving and at the same time conserva-
i've and law-abiding.
1t has bowed the majesty of law and sought |
redress for wrongs by lawful means 1t has |
been progressive; but 1t has reached its aims by
sure and slow steps, tempering progress with !
change with leaven of the past. /
1t has fastened slowIy-with the patience of
insect toiIers of the sea, which consume ages in |
building the coral islands-it has spent a thous |
and years in developing the principles and per |
iecting the measures, upon which free govern |
ment rests. Its advance has been regular and
steady-sometime cautiously tentative, marked |
Dy retreats, by deliberate counter-marches. |
This average opinion, this common sense of !
the people of England is, largely the result of
the thought and feelings of the country people, !
the agriculturists and freeholders.
There is another reason of great moment, |
which demands larger infusion of agriculture
lists, in public affairs. A majority of the popu-