The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-02-01
Speech Of Hon. James Y. George.
ia the Senate January 18th
1SS3s

OF the department OF Agrirulture-
Mr.. GEORGE said:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: The motion now
made brings before the consideration
of the Senate the bill reported by the
Committee ON Agriculture to enlarge
the powers and duties of the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Upon that bill
| desire to submit some observations
to the Senate.
The measure under consideration
is, in my Judgment, an important one,
and should receive the sanction of
this body. 1t has already passed the
other House, with only seven dissent
ing votes. 1t has been considered
carefully by the Committee on Agri-
culture, and is approved by them as
amended.
/ give my hearty assent to the
proposition contained in the bill to
make the Department of Agriculture
an Executive Department. | believe
also that the farmers throughout the
Union favor it. The measure meets
the appreciation of my Judgment.
Very early in the last session | pre-
sented bill ON this subject, which
had been prepared with great care
and sound Judgment by my colleague
in the other house Mr.. MONEY.
That bill like better than | do the
bill passed by the House and now
under consideration here. That bill
was considered by the Committee on
Agriculture, and after some amend
ments, which | think added to its
value, was directed to report it to
the Senate, but without any recon-
each member of the com
mittee being free to oppose it or not,
as he shonld see proper.
Under these circumstances | did
not feel at liberty to call it up or
to call it up for the action Of
che Senate. | had no assurance of its
success; and so | waited till the time
should come when the committee
would be unanimous or nearly so in
support of bill on this subject.
That time has come now. And though
| deem the bill less perfect, less eff
cient, than the one reported by me, |
support it. The interests
involved are too great, the necessity
for action too urgent, to allow of a
division about details among those
who agree in the main upon the
| shall not refuse the half
loaf because | think the whole is due,
| shall not repeat here the many
just and convincing arguments made
by the friends of this measure in the
other House, and which secured its
passage there with almost absolute
presume that Senators
are familiar with them, as they have
been again and again presented with
great force and ability during the last
two years. | shall content myself
with some general observations peril
nent to the discussion and an exposi-
ton of some of the more important
provisions Of the bill.
In the first place it is a notable fact
that the Government of the United
States has paid but little attention
to the wants of the farmers of the
country, has done but little to advance
md make prosperous that pursuit,
which is contessedly the support and
stay of all other industries and all
other enterprises, and which contri-
butes more than all others combined
to the wealth and the progress of the
country. So far from favoring it, it
seems that our Legislation has in many
respects inspired with spirit UNI
to this great interest. Ger
tainly it has had no fostering care, if
we except sugar and rice.
This has resulted in part from the
advantageous position which our farm
ers have occupied as compared with
the farmers of Europe. This advan-
.age consisted i'll great degree i'll
the facility with which land has been
acquired; the fact that the producers
have in the main been the proprietors
If the soil, not tenants of a lordly
class in which is vested the owner
ship of our lands. Another advantage,
md great one, too, has arisen from
the extraordinary fertility of our vir-
gin soil, unexhausted by the centuries
Of tiIlage which has impoverished the
farming lands of Europe. Another
advantage has resulted from the vigor
and energy, inspired by the confident
hope and the assured prospect of the
early acquisition of Independence and
wealth, and by the am
oition and aspirations of free citizen
ship with which our farmers have
their vocations.
Another cause of the neglect by
he Government of the interest of
agriculture, while others have been
made the objects of special care and
protection, is, that owing to the great
number of the farmers, scattered too
III over this great country, they have
rot been able to combine, to send
delegates or lobbyists to this city,
md to enforce attention to their wish
IS and interests. They have neither
he money nor the opportunity to
,rganize an efficient lobby. They
ave no other reliance than the justice
# their cause and the fidelity Of their
Representatives and Senators.
Other great interests have been
more fortunate. They are represent
ID by few persons of great wealth,
nd have used fully and freely the
treat power of association, directed
" a persistent, intelligent,and selfish
pursuit of their own ends. The result
) natural, in fact, inevitable. Asso-
lated capital, organized and guided
" an active and selfish intelligence,