The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-15

To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
There appeared in your issue OF the 2Gtl
September an article with the above head
ing, and signed Farmer" South Boston,
Halifax county, Va. OF course your col
umns are open 10 a.reply.
This self-Stylcd "Farmer" has cvi-
IDENTIFY undertaken TO discourse upon sub
ject Of which he is lamentably ignorant.
For unadulteratcd simplicity and igno-
rance this " Farmer" so called, bears of
the prize. He says:
cit seems that the Commissioner OF Ag-
lriculturc is calling on the Changers and
Patrons (which organizations we thought
were dead beyond the hope of rcSurrec-
tom to rise up and endorse his illegal pro-
lceedings."
| | have never heard that there were two
0rganizations-one OF Changers and one OF
Patrons. don't suppose that there is
lanother man-if " Farmer" can be called
a man-in the United States that does
not know that Changers and Patrons are
one and the same. II :" Farmer SO
called-thought they were dead, he should
have omitted the latter part OF his comlnu-
nication, which will notice presently. II
the Grange is dead. it is certainly the most
lively corpse WE have had on this side the
| Atlantic in some time. and such men Is This
| glIanO-agcnt or crossroads lawyer who
| signs himself " Farmer" are finding il out
| 10 Their dismay. No doubt they would like
| 10 attend the funeral. II the Commissioner
.feels that the courts are going 10 upset his
rules and regulations j." what will he gain
| 10y being endorsed by every granger and
farmer in the Statel am "simple-
minded" enough 10 acknowledge that
can't see what will bc the benefit gained by
the endorsement. "Farmcr SO called
says ''the tag-taX, instead Of being bcne-
fit. will likely work injury to the farmers -
| How? Is il likely TO work any more in
/ jury to them than they have already re-
ceivcd from such men rs "Farmer"-so
caled-and other guanO men!
| "All intelligent farmers can see at once
| that it is only Stamp-taX on fertilizers,
without any further guaranty OF purity
| than the law already affords" All we ask
is that the law he enforced and we will be
satisfied with the "guaranty OF purity it
already affords" To our "Simple minds :"
that is all the Commissioner is trying TO do.
Again "In fact, it seems to open the door
wider to fraud, by allowing any manufac-
turer who pays the Commissioner his tax
to get his stuff on the market endorsed by
the Agricultural Department" What do
you do with section .. Article 4? II
l''Farmer," so called, will read land can
lcomprehend) section ,, Article 4, he will
find this language: "And If il still he
found ION analysis) that the brand is OF no
practical value, the sale OF the same for Use
in this State as a fertilizer shall be prohib-
tied" Carry this out and we will take the
risks. IL it possible that the "stuil" sold
by Farmer" so called, is Of no "practi-
cal yalue"y Or is he afraid for the +" door
to fraud " TO turn on its hinges for fear il
may turn the wrong way aud shut him out :
|" Hence these tears?
Again LET the honest manufacturers
such rs are resisting this illegal tax Of the
Commissioners" DC. We were under the
impression that all manufacturers claimed
to be honest, hut " Farmer" implies that
they are not. To be an honest manuiactil-
rer in the eyes OF This Vcrdant "Farmcr "
is 10 resist the efforts OF the Commissioner
TO carry ont the law as he understands.
backed 10y the opinion Of the legal
adviser of the State government.
, The names OF only three firms are
signed TO the complaint" filed
in the Chmcery Court OF Richmond. They
, are the only honest manufacturers, then.
|
nous percentage of dishonest men in the
trade. Ii " Farmer" SO called, is right in
his conclusion, do not wonder that the
&" supplemented farmers have been so
, numerically swindled.
Farmer" so called, says "Now, those
. resolutions OF Clinton Grange, No. 30,
We're doubtless prepared in the office OF the
Commissioner of Agriculture and sent out
to these supplemented farmers TO be en-
dorsed." | do not know anything about
: these Clinton Changers, but there seems to
; be one sensible man among them. These
supplemented farmers" OF Clinton
, Orange are ready, II necessary, TO make
: oath that the Commissioner never saw
or heard OF those resolutions until
Z they were published. He may have
: seen the copy sent the Virginia Gran
: ger. as he is editor OF that paper.
Can "Farmcr," so called, say truth
fully that his rare-and raw-produc-
ton was not sent him by his EMPLOYERS.
> with instructions to send TO the Dispatch ?
Ii is so very much like something / have
read lately that was first tempted TO ex-
claim "A true copy" The lone sensible
man" in Clinton Grange shows his sense
by not buying any kind Of fertilizer. His
evidence is that she lost $400 in one wear
. by buying so-called fertilizer" He saws
the most Of it is not worth the trouble 10
haul from the depot.
"Farmer." so called, has bundered
from beginning to end OF his amusing
communication amusing In that it shows
what supplemented "Farmerv
dwells or writes from the intelligent co,ln-
ty Of Halifax. lie starts out by saying he
"thought the Changers and Patrons were
dead beyond the hope Of resurrection"
and in closing speaks Of what he "kao,ns
Of the Changers in this county," DC.
There must be some Changers in Halifax
now, and they must be alive, or I" Farmer"
so called, would have spoken OF them in
the past tense rs he would Of things that
were, but now are not.
| will leave Farmer" so called, with
the parting Injunction that ere you again
appear in print learn something about
what you are going TO write about, so that
you can "put up your gaps" better, or
you will do your employers no good and
the Commissioner no harm. In which posi- |
ton you will be neither he nor she, but
simply II.
ONE OF THE SIMPLE-MNDED."
Clinton, Vay October 8, 1882. ]