Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-09-17
BN JOS. $. ALLEN.


Mr.. PRESIDENT, AND LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN: When | accepted the
kind invitation of your committee
to address you upon this occasion,
it was with some misgivings as to
the result. | naturally contrasted my
stock of agricultural knowledge with
that of those who would listen to me,
and l could gather but little inspir-
alton from that source, | confess.
Let me be frank Mt the outset, while
there is virtue in frankncss, and say,
that What | know about farming"
would hardly bc worth telling on
this occasion.
You do not want, however, Il treat
Use upon farming. You do not want
me to tell you, if l could, when you
should plow, SOW, reap, or gather
into barns; what land is best adapt
ell to particular grains, grasses or
oats; how wild land can best be
subdued or exhausted land renewed.
With all of these matters You have
to deal daily, and upon them any of
your number could well instruct me.
But there are things that may be
said upon occasions of this Kind,
that need not to come from the lips
OF farmers in order to have value.
There are larger views of farming,
than are apt to he inaulgel every
q V by those engaged III farm work .,
a., ,',r ,tl ~
law and public good which at times
everybody else seems better able to
;dopt than lawyers, politicians or
statesmen. 1t IL Cttcn true that the
nan who stan.is at Il distance and
SURVEYS the iclu, who sees alike the
methods used and the results at
tanned, is enabled to make suGgeS-
tions of value although Il colnrara-
tive stranger to the routine of the
work. My remarks, therefore, o.l
this occasion, must be o! more gen
eral character than if | were an ng-
riculturalist, in theory or practice,
They mu' consist nf observations |
have made unl my own reflections
thereon, and if they do no moro
than to cause discussion and vciirr-
ton, stimulating 10 any degree n
desire for better thugs, II resolution
to help to build the structure Of
Lewis coun;y's prosperity on true
and enduring foundations, they Will
have accomplished all that | dare TO
hope for them.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
/ congratulate the people Of LOWS
county that they have III their midst
an agricultural society. The pre-
sent exposition / believe is its third
annual one.
Nothing marks better the progress
of agriculture, the advance i'll NOR
ais and education as Wei rs in social
and political condition of the aGri-
cultural communities, than the IN
stitutun and active work of societies
of this kind and the generous sup
port they receive from tho people;
conversely, it is true that nothing
marks more surely the s;agnation OF
agricultural enterprise and decay of
agricultural prosperity than the neg
lect OF these institutions. The agri-
cultural Fairs of the middle western
States before the agricultural schools
were formed or agricultural news
papers were published, were most
important factors in the subsequent
prosperity Of those States.
The work of this society is one of
paramount Importance. If it does
nothing more than to bring together
so large number of the farmers of
the county and the farmers families
as we see here to-day it will have done
a great deal. Right here probably
is one of its greatest benefits. 1t is
great thing for the county where