The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-06-10
Noble Stand

A Noble Stand.
1t is we'll known to most of Orr
readers that there is a bill now
pending in Congress "to enlarge
the powers and duties of the De.
partment of Agriculture. II is
also known that most of the poiti.
cal papers oppose the idea of ma.
king the head of the Agricultural
Bureau a Cabinet officer. The
Farmers give more strength to the
political machine in their present
condition, hence the proposed ad.
vance is generally opposed by politi>
cal papers and the poor tools scattered
all over the country must do their
duty and work or loose their bread
and butter. We wish. however. TO
call attention to one marked excep-
ton, the Philadelphia Press, whose
able editor treats this question so
generously and so impartially,
that for the benefit of our readers
we copy his views entire:
"The farmers, it is claimed. can
take care ofthemseIves just as other
great interests do; for instance
banking, manufactures, railroads,
shipbuilders, etc. But it seems to
be forgotten that these interests do
not take care of themselves, but on
the contrary, are always in want of
something and TO get it maintain
a most permanent lobby at
Washington. When did Congress
sit through a session without an
appeal for aid to some railroad, or
a subsidy to some line of steamers
to somewhere, or to alter the tariff
on this or that manufacture, or
to make the burden of taxation
little less on that prosecuted and
almost helpless interest known as
banking? bow long is it since some
of the metropolitan newspapers quit
bowling about wood pulp and the
tyranny of any legislation which
should be "a tax on knowledge
How long is it since the manufaC
turers of whiskey and tobacco
those great moral interests which so
nobly sustain civilization and
Observation-Disclosures the idea of
demanding some sort OF legislation
which should put money into their
purses? Every manufacturing and
importing interest is annually beg
ing for some sort of protection =
some amelioration of its wretcbed
condition, either by an import or
an export duty, one that shall pro-
tect itself and burst all competition.
True, some of the great interests
have not asked for a Secretary to
sit in the Cabinet and make annual
reports to Congress and the people
of their condition and transactions,
and the profits, and to discuss plans
fer making them more useful to the
people at large, because to be
amenabfe to anybody and to give
reliable and honest reports of their
business to the public is not the
protection they seek. They would
rather be let alone in that respect;
and they have strong reasons for it.
But the movement now in pro-
gress does not trouble itself about
social recognition; that will take
care of itselfin time. What is aimed
at is better organization of agri-
cultural thought and effort, so that
it shall be more intelligently con-
Quoted, and practical information
concerning it be authoritatively
disseminated. Very few-not even
the mass of farmers themselves
have any comprehension of what
there is to be learned in their cal
ling. The organization of the De-
partment of agriculture on its pres
ent basis, much as it has been
sneered at and ridicnled, has done
great deal of good, and its pro-
posed reorganization will do much
more. Incompetent men may
sometimes be placed at the head,
perhaps, but if so, it will be much
the same as in other departments.
incompetent men are all the while
climbing into unfit places, even into
journalism, where they write as
foolishly on this topic as those did
who once predicted that steamships
could not cross the ocean, or that
messages could not be sent round
the world by electricity. They are
unconsciously ignorant and narrow
on this matter. Nor is it to fail OF
ultimate success 1t is to succeed,
because it is wise and right; be-
cause il will serve a vast and benef-
icent purpose, and be an additional
agency for helping on other great
reforms. When farmers generally
become fo~ehanded and well edu-
Gated, and understand both the
philosophy and functions of free
Government, the grip of lawyers
and lobbyists will be loosened, and
the country will advance in pros.
perity and homo as 1t never did
before. Wealth will accumulate
among the masses instead of among
the few, and the "decay of men
be arrested"