The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-04-19
National Department of Agriculture.

EDITORS CLARION have seen with
surprise that the proposition to establish a
National Department of Agriculture, the
principal officer of which shall be a member
of the Cabinet, has received the general
favor of the press of our State, and the
unanimous support of our entire Congress
sional delegation in both branches, with the
possible exception of Mr.. Money. To me
the proposition seems utterly at war with
The spirit of our institutions, and subver-
sive of the fundamental idea upon which
the federal government rests. However men
may differ as to other questions of federal
power, it has always been admitted by every
class and shade of statesmen, that the pater-
nal idea of government finds no countenance
in the Constitution of the United States.
The most extreme advocates of the protec-
tive system, while contending that the
levyingof import duties should be regulated
with direct reference to the building up of
American manufactures, have never dared
to insist upon the establishment of gov
ernmental department for that purpose. II
the protective system is right (Which you
and / strenuously deny) the farmers OF
the country have right to demand that
laws shall be passed to operate upon
the whole country to the possible detri-
ment of other interests, and for the special
advancement of Agriculture; but none
whatever to ask that salaried officers of the
highest rank shall be created to devise
schemes for effacting this end. A bill now
pending in the United States Senate, intro
duced believe by Senator George, not only
does this, but declares that the President
shall never appoint to the new Cabinet office
created by it any one but q famer Truly
most extraordinary provision, and most
alarming stride in the direction of pater-
nal government, which shall soon assume
the control of every form of human indus
try, and swallow up every department Of
administration. Why not have a depart
ment of Medicine with 4 doctor at its head,
and a department of Mechanics, with 4 me-
chanic at his head, and a department Of
merchandise, with q merchant at its head,
and a department of Manufactures, with
manufacturer at its head and 50 on through
the whole range of industries. Ii amy good
and sufficient reason can be given for Sc
lecting out one form of industry alone TO
the neglect of all others, | should be pleased
to know it. The truth is, that the whole
thing is fundamentally wrong. The Ma
tional Government has nothing whatever
to do with any form of industry, except by
wise and equal laws to promote the interests
of all, with exclusive care for none. 1t has
a navy, and an army, and a treasury, and
IL. off. To- mo
the affairs of each. 1t has many law suits,
and must therefore have an Attorney (called
Attornev-General), to attend to them. 1t
carries the mails, and must have Post
Master General, but it has no farms and has
nothing more to do with farming than with
shoe making. There is no more propriety
in providing by law that the President
shall always have farmer in his Cabinet,
than in declaring that he shall always have
a dancing master there.
The scheme may tickle the fancy of the
granger element, and capture some votes for
those who advocate it, but every intelligent
farmer, who thinks seriously, and dispas-
sionately about the matter must see, that 1t
is unwise, if not unconstitutional, and not
at all likely to advance the interests OF any
farmer, except the one who is called into the
Cabinet, and those who may succeed in
getting to Congress by reason of their advo-
cacy of it.
If | am mistaken in this, and
going 10 promote the interests of
ing element, then l insist that
and the dentists, the merchaui
mechanics, the bankers and tlt
turers, shall all have departments
in the Cabinet created for them.
good thing for the nation, why is
good thing for the States also, andS
didn't our Legislature, composed as it >''sEl
of large majority of farmers, create an'
Agricultural Department for the State and
provide that no body but a farmer should
ever be elected to it.
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