Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-09-15
THE FARMERS.
Summary OF the Proceedings of the
Meeting at Nashville this Week.

summary OF bn6 fTOCe6ulugS OF Gne
Meeting at Nashville this Week.
A large delegation Of Tennessee
farmers assembled in the hall of repre-
sentatives last Tuesday morning at
11:30. The meeting was called to or
der by Col. Cockrill, who stated the
object Of the meeting, which has been
discussed at length by the State press
for several weeks. Col. j. B. Stokely,
Of Cooke county was made temporary
chairman, and on accepting the posi-
ton, gracefully acknowledged the hon
Or conferred, and spoke at some length
oh the object and progress, as well as
the Importance of cooperative action
on the part of farmers. He said he
was proud of the honor of addressing
the farmers of Tennessee, and not alone
the farmers of East Tennessee as he
had heretofore been in the habit of do
ing. 1t behooved us, as farmers, to
organize. If we are true to ourselves
and to those Who follow us, we must be
alert. The man who holds and moves
the plow, runs every loom and every
spindle and every train; the farming
interest is the basis of every industry.
These meetings bring us together in
friendly council they bring us tOgeth-
er with men of brains and influence.
This is no political meeting, but it is
our duty to do all we can to mould
public opinion on matters affecting our
interest. Nor is it our purpose to Sc.
cure class legislation. We should dis
cuss all questions in spirit of fairness
and not bitterness. We have a right
to discussl questions of public interest,
but, we have no right to discuss them
in a partisan sense. Whatever ques-
tions should come before us we should
however, discuss them boldly. The
question of a dog law may come up; if
so we should meet it fearlessly and not
with an idea that it might or might not
defeat us for seat in the Legislature.
If you think dog meat is better than
sheap meat speak out and say SO.
Gov. Bate was then introduced and
deliyered the following address of vel
come:
Mr. President and Gentlemen Delegates:
At the request of the local committee
of this organization, / am here to per-
form the pleasing duty of extending tc
you in the name of your people, q
welcome. l am the more pleased as in
doing so 1 speak flom both personal
and official standpoint. 1t is mine
therefore, to greet you on their behalf
and as executive of state so deeply
interested in all that concerns agricul
ture, with warm and cordial welcome
to our capitol. 1t is an occasion moi
without significance and interest tina
has called together in their reperesen
tative capacity delegates from th'
farming interests of our State. 1t il
the more so because free from partisan
ship and political affiliation.
Such organizations as social and prac
tical business institutions are susceptible
of great good if kept within their prope
sphere and devoted to the purposes 70
which they are intended. But if di
rected purely to political purposes, lik
its predecessors, it will meet with il
success.
In these days Of charters and cen
tralizations, organization may becom
necessary to assert and maintain indus
trial rights for in cooperation there
strength, and the intention of this Mic
die Tennessee organization, as L under
stand, is fashioned somewhat after tha
which has been established and is no.
existing under favorble auspices in Eas
Tennessee. There is no interest with
the limits of our State in which th
good and evil of her people are so int
mately blended as that Of agriculture
There is none which strikes so quickl
and sensitively the chord that leads
the popular heart. 1t is the great il
terest of Tennessee, and should be 70
tered, but not at the expense of hi
other varied interests for justice an
equity should mark alike the interes
of individuals and organizations, ar
when these are wanting proper rel
tions fail to exist and the corrective
needed. The farming interest is Il
basis of prosperity as it is Of supper
Indeed, it has been computed that
thousand millions of human beings, al
the domestic animals adapted to the
use and comfort are daily fed from t
soil, and notwithstanding the profC