Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
Governmental Help to Agriculture.

The remark has been frequently repeated |
about the state house during the past ses-
sion of the legislature that there was no
more sense in having board of agriculture
for the benefit of the farmers than board
of shoe-makng for the benefit of shoe
makers. In a sense, this is true. It is not
the proper province Of the state or the ma
tional government to advance the peculiar
interests of any trade or business as such.
Farmers ought to understand this, and prob
ably do as well as any other class in the
community. The farmers, as body, have,
so far as we know, never asked for any aid
from government If the question of board
of agriculture could be submitted to pop
ular vote it would not surprise us to see
considerable majority of the farmers voting
against it on the ground of economy"
We believe all the efforts that have been
made in different states to establish agri-
cultural boards have originated among that
class of educated and independent farmers
who had little of personal benefit to expect
looked for aid in their undertaking rather
to intelligent and patriotic citizens outside
of agriculture than to their agricultural
brethren at large.
The principle upon which these boards,
the agricultural colleges, experiment sta
tions, and the agricultural department at
| Washington, are founded is the need of the
whole country that agricultural production
should be stimulated as the basis of national
prosperity in all its branches. The farmers,
to their discredit, have as body been either
unfriendly or Indifferent to them. As Aspublic
measures they stand upon the same footing
as the patent office, river and harbor i'm
provements, the military and naval colleges,
the public law libraries, the coast survey,
geological and geographical explorations,
etc. That is, they are for the benefit of the
state or nation as whole, and not for the
benefit of particular class, though that
class may derive benefit from them, and in-
deed must, if the desired object is effected.
But the final advantages are generally dis
trbuted, and all share in them. If board
of agriculture is successful in stimulating
an increased and improved production of
crops, the railroads, the merchants, the
manufacturers mechanics and professional
classes all feel the benefit of the influx of
the money received for the products of the
farmers.
Though this is all so and there are as
good grounds for such appropriations of the
public money (aud better) than for nine
tenths of our public expenditures, yet we
have always wished that the farmers them
selves would unite in establishing aud sus-
tanning their own boards, schools, clubs, in
stitutes and societies, entirely independent
, of government subsidies. The past history
, of our board of agriculture has shown that
its relation to the state is a hindrance to
good work, rather than help. If mem
Der of it particularly distinguishes himself
: by his zeal and usefulness, he is apt at once
to become such target for envy, Jealousy
and defamation as makes him desirous to
step down and out as soon as possible, or il
not, is sure to result in his being turned
I out, or otherwise got rid of. But if the
board were an independent body, its usefu
members would be on all hands urged anC
. solicited to continue in their positions, and
9 aided to become still more useful. Thei
4 popularity would not, as now, be the direc
Q cause of their dismissal. The misfortune
S Qf they may be so regarded) of some of the
a earlier members of our old board acted as
J, damper on the work of subsequent boards
p and was prime cause of the ineflicienc,
!. that was urged as reason for its dis
|. continuance.
s Now it would be far better; in our jude
J. ment, If, instead of reestablishing the board
l. after the unpleasant experience of its frs
g term of existence, the state agricultural SC
r. ciety had come forward aud occupied the fe
@ by holding agricultural institutes frequentl
8 in various parts of the state. Many goo
= things could have thus been secured, not tn
9 least of which would have been large az
d cession TO the membership of the society,
IS better knowledge on the part of its mar
o ayers of the resources of the state, and O
It the feelings and wishes of the farmers
"a which would have resulted in fuller exhib