The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-07-05
SIGNS OF PROGRESSION-BEN
EFITS OF HARD TIMES.

SIGNS Of ThOONLoo1o1N-I
EFITS OF HARD TIMES.
Mr. NJ B. Bateham read a lengthy pa |
per on "Signs of Progression in Ohio Ag-
riculture, and the Benefits resulting from
Hard Tines" before the late Agricultural
Convention at Columbus. He compared
the situation now with that of thirty -four
wears ago, when he commenced the pub
LEGATION of the Ohio Cultivator, and few
months later, issued call for State con-
vention, the first of its kind, and out OF
which grew the organization of State
Board of Agriculture. Party strife waged
much more fercely then than now. All
public measures, then, were opposed or
supported from party standpoint. When
the State Board was first organized and
it was found that all the active members
were Wings, with Allen Trimble, an ex-
Wing Governor, for President, they were
told that it would be vain to ask for an
appropriation from the Democratic Legis
lature To the chief of the Democrats,
Sam Medary, was persuaded to be nom.
inal Secetary, while the speaker did all
the work This satisfied the timid ones,
and after the Board had worked year
without dollar of funds to pay expenses,
it secured an appropriation of $500, after
much lobbying. Twenty thousand dollars
were wasted, the same session, in party
wrangling and appointing U. S. Sena-
tor. The progress of the past thirtyfo
years was gratifying, but it was not as
great is it should or might have been, es-
pecially in the intellectual and social inn
provement of farmers, which is the first
and greatest consideration. The State
! Board had given its attention largely to
mere externals in agricultural improve
ment these were important, but not so
much so as the intellectual and social ele-
walton of the rural classes, 1t was to the
signs of progress in this direction he de-
sired to call attention.
First among the hopeful signs'was the
general waking up of the farmers and
friends of education throughout the State,
to the Importance of better system of
country schools, giving the sons and
daughter of farmers some of the advanta-
ges now enjoyed by the graded schools
of town and city. The "hard times" had
not been without good results, and in this
: direction were seen the most hopeful signs
of progress. The era of speculation and
, the fictitious prosperity it brought, devel-
oped popular sentiment that labor was
degrading, and farming, especially, was
too slow in results and TOO mental in its
nature The sons of farmers who had ed
: ucation and ambition enough to have
made progressive farmers, left their homes
t for the town or city, to join the great ar
my of business and travelling agents, while
y those who remained on the farm were dis
contented All this wrought unfavorable
results. But little effort was made to i'm
+: prove farule, unless with the view ofsell
: ing them at better PRICES, WHALE thousands
actually sold their lands and moved to
town. to please their wives and daughters
: and give the latter better advantages. By
s these influences the largest share of til.
r best youmg blood Of the farming population
e gUas dra7Vn array from the Protesslqn, anc
: there was little chance for any real i'm
d provement in agriculture.
: But the bubble finally burst, the whir
IS of machinery and the buzz of active trade
O ceased, throwing tens of thousands out o
e employment, and ushering in the 'haro
i times" bankrupting thousands and bring
:, ing other thousands to penury and want
d Now commenced a change in the popu
is lar sentiment; speculation had had its day
d demonstrating most emphatically tina
IS there could be no real and permanen
e prosperity save in labor and Legitimate
d business. This change IS working grea
is benefit to agriculture. While the thous
IS ands in business went down in the finan
J. cal storm, farmers stood firm on a solo
J. foundation, free from anxiety and worn
e some care. Men who forsook farm lif
st because it was too low for their ambition
is now schooled by adversely, gladly return
% ed to their fathers house apd to manly la
J. Dor on the farm, and older business mel
If with remnants of fortunes left, purchase,
l. farms and moved on to them, to spen,
r the rest of their days in the quiet of rura
d life. These are now jealous advocates O
improved farming and are convinced tina
IS farm life need not be mere drugery. The
s are reading, studying, observing and ex
n perimenting, and are trying to make tn
n business intellectual and scientific as wei
d as profitable, and this feeling is becomin,
e quite general in many neighborhoods
n All this is giving new life to agriculture
e and the effects will be seen in the near flu
;e ture, in greater progress than has yet beel
Ie witnessed.
W Another sign of progress, and one O
l. the most hopeful, was the organization O
y nearly one thousand Oranges, besides ma
E. ny farmers clubs, in the State We ma
IT, differ in opinion as to some features OF tn
it. Grange movement, but all will agree tina
Or its principles are just, and that the socis
:; and educational influences are destined t
L. accomplish much good for the farmin
t. community. The real influence of tn
in Grange was just beginning to be felt, a
es much time was lost in organizing and era
e, dicating erroneous notions With 90
ly members working harmoniously for tn
~ benefit of agriculture, the amount of goo
at that will result can only be estimated.
x Another sign of progress was the intro