The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-08-28
Agricultural Politics.

1hOugn quite NUMBER OF IaTm-
ers are found in our State legisla-
lures, and very few in Congress,
yet virtually agriculture has no rep
resentation in our law-making as
semblies. The farmers who are
there seem to forget their farms, as
it were disgrace to think of the
soil in these august gatherings.
Nearly all the legislation is in the
interest of trade, manufactures and
commerce; and such legislation
must always affect agriculture-the
foundation of them and their feeder.
Yet the latter is scarcely ever con-
sidered in the deliberations of these
wise assemblies. ain the present
Congress of the United States agri-
culture has no representation and
no standing" a Southern editor re-
Gently wrote, and with exact truth
fitness. Agriculture, the very es-
sence of the Nations life, the fol-
lowers of which make up half the
entire population, the feeder and
foundation of most of the other in
dustries, is forgotten and regarded
as naught in the consideration oe
those who but deal with its pro-
ducts. Occasionally, as in the Ma
tional College Act for the higher
education of the industrial classes,
in which it was impossible to over
look agriculture, not so much be-
cause it was indisputably an indus
trial pursuit, or in connection with
some transportation scheme, or
through the representation of
sportsmen, or prevention of cruelty
societies, agriculture is greatly ben
Gifted by legislation but rarely for
itself. or through the efforts of its
representatives. LII.
The existing laws directly affect
ing agriculture were most of them
made at time in the early history
of the representative States, when,
necessarily the larger portion of the
people lived upon and by the soil.
This was before the country was
sufficiently developed to furnish
material for manufactures and the
cities trade, and before their off,
spring had forgotten or learned to
laugh at their common ancestor.
France offers yearly large sums
of money for Investigations in the
natural sciences, SO far especially in
connection with her grape and beet
sugar production, and each year es-
tablishes new schools and colleges
of agriculture, and experiment sta
tons. Great Britain also places
agriculture as the most important
of all her peoples occupations, and
legislation is directed to improve it.
The law makers are the soil owners,
and of course consider it. But the
tenant farmers, too, have their spe
cial representatives, as in the case
of Mr.. G. S. Read, who is support
ed with hearty good, and works
Loyalty in their behalf. Germany's
first interest-after the military-is
her agricultural schools and her ex-
pertinent stations are numbered by
the hundred. Australia has recently
created the office of veterinary in
spector general, with a rank equal
to that of minister of state. China
and Japan, as nations and govern
ments, place agriculture on so high
a footing as to have sacred observ-
ances in relation to it, in which the
heads of the government take a
prominent part. And it is a hope
full sign for the latter country that
in her newly begun progressive
march the traditions of the past have
been respected by erecting an agri-
cultural college as a monument of
progress by the way.
AS patriotic Americans, it is hu-
initiating to think of our country
being SO backward in the recogni-
ton of this great industry. 1t is as
if many great States as contained
half the population of the country
were kept out of the Union, and
only allowed to exist as territories
mere tributaries, outside province,
which were still compelled to con-
tribute equally to the support of the
whole. Yes, it is the old idea of
taxation without representation that
question ever prominent in our
politics, the principle, the victory
over which we, as a Nation but