The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-12-11

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partment of Agriculture and the creation
@ Minister of Agriculture at its head
That proposition had been endorsed by
nearly every agricultural body or assembly
throughout the country. 1t had received
the unanimous support Of the agricultural
press and agricultural speakers and writers
everywhere. 1t was received with laugh
ter and sneers. ssWhat use. y said some OF
them, s'has agriculture for Cabinet Min
ister? The thing is absurd, preposterous
| and ridiculous Instead OF this IDEA be-
ing preposterons and ridiculous, it is mere
ly borrowed from the practice Of other ag-
rlcultural nations, among the most en-
lightened and progressive Of modern times.
We are not to be silenced by the dictum OF
constitutional expounders who tell us 1.-THE
word agriculture is not to be found in the
Constitution We understand the theory
of our government and the spirit of
our Constitution far better than these
learned gentlemen give us credit for.
We will not slavishly bow down to
whatever political Fetish is held up for
our worship. We know full well this
is not a constitutional question at all,
but merely a question Of expediency
standing on precisely the same footing as
the establishment of the Department of
the Interior. the Posloffice Department,
or the Department of Justice stood. AS a
question OF expediencyand wisdom, we who
are clear majority of the voters Of the
Union choose to decide for ourselves that
we will have Minister Of Agriculture, and
if our servants and representatives refuse
to obey our mandate we Will choose in
their stead others who shall be pledged to
carry into effect the things we have de-
termined. The truth is, the farmers of
this country have so long been regarded as
political mud-sills, and | fear have SO long
accepted the position assigned US. that
politicians will not yet credit us with the
possession OF patriotism and information
and brains. / believe the time has now
come when il it our duty and determina-
ton to change all that. Gentlemea, I az
firm that Congress could not be brought,
and as at present constituted, / believe
can never be brought, to give serious and
statesmanlike consideration to any meas
ure originating with the agricultural class,
however important to the welfare of the
agricultural class, however important to
the welfare OF the nation. 1t is supremacy
necessary for us to take adiSpaSSionate and
business-like view of the situation. 1t is
my conviction that we should firmly insist
upon the creation Of a Department of Ag-
riculture, whose chief shall be a constitu-
tional adviser of the President. equal in
dignity, influence and power with every
other officer of the Cabinet. In that
way land in that way only, as I believe,
that is TO say, by and through our Cabinet
Minister can we hope or expect to gain
for such measures as may be vitality i'm
pOrtant to our interests that wise and re-
speetful consideration which the welfare
OF all the people demands. Does not every
man know that extensive disaster cannot
detail the greatest and most essential of
the industries of the nation without the
evil consequences being felt by all the peo-
pie. Such disasters to our business fall in
evitably with cruel and crushing effect
upon the poor of every class throughout
the entire land. Let lis all stand together
to protect the poor and honest laboring
man, and especially laboring woman, who
bear far the greatest burden of the family.
We may safely leave the well-to-do and the
rich to defend themselves. In the name of
our common humanity. why do our repre-
sentatives refuse or fail to do whatever
may be lawfully and safely done to protect
and defend the greatest of all industries,
the nursing mother of science and arts,
the source of all national greatness and
progress, splendor and power, the founda-
tion of all sure and permanent wealth.
We must learn to realize that the yir-
SiLibS VI ILC Dull VI GAllo t(fob st1tl nlGS HI
iicent country is already despoiled and de-
lowered, much of its fertility is already
wasted and destroyed, yet nothing is done
by this ausrepresenfatsre government. to
stay the deStroyer's hand, nor to rescue the
national domain from the plunderer, moth.
ing done to enforce or encourage the res
toration of the waste places. TO all this
our legislators and would-be masters have
one scornful reply, viz. 1.-THE word agricul-
ture is not to be found in the Constitu-
tion." 1t must stand alone and nnpro-
tected, help itself as best it may. Thou
sands and thousands of acres once fertile
and productive, are to-day grown up in
brush and pines, the habltation of foxes
and wolves. and armies of our agricultural
laborers are forced westward, westward
westward, seeking new empires to DESTROY.
/ I'M old enough to remember when Ohio S
wheat crop was thirty bushels per acre
now barely twelve. Ii this utter indiffer-
ence of the National Government to the
progressive spoliation OF the national do
main be not arrested, another generation
will see q teamlng and hungry population
struggling for existence on a soil depleted
and Impoverished. But 4 Constitution.
strictly construed. framed to meet the
wants and necessities of three millions OF
people must be made by constitutional en-
Founders to fit the wants and necessities
of one hundred millions without alteration
or growth or amendment
Gentlemen of the National Farmers
Congress, farmers of America, we must
always remember, that great results are to
be accomplished only by great and persis-
tent efforts. We must prepare, II again
rejected or mutilated, to appeal them to
the people. We must resolve to continue
aalt lotarrn InQd nprCiQtpOt 00It1ti0n n
til our great purposes are accomplished.
We must again press upon Congress our
measures by them rejected or mutilated at
their last session. We must bring them
forward in the congressional districts, and
in the senatorial contests before the Leg
islatureS, and we must cause 1t to be be-
lieyed that we have resolved to fight it out
ON that line if it takes the balance of this
century.
Gentlemen. there are several other points
of great interest connected intimately with
the wants of agriculture, OF a national
character, that might discuss i'll this adj
dress to you. but | fear to weary you.
will only mention them, and they may be
brought up as subjects OF discussion Ill this
representative body-vi1.. experimental
stations, fostered by the government i'll
connection with our agricultural colleges
I'd, Interstate transportation, as bearing
upon agriculture and, Sd, the increased
facilities of education to the agricultural
classes. The latter, however, in my hum
Bile opinion. should be left to the several
States, or at least entirely under their con-
troll.
In conclusion, let me say it is far from
my purpose to discuss the political issues
of the day yet, j must refer, before !
conclude, to certain relations OF Federal
taxation to our great farming industries.
1t is surely knownt to all that the legislation
of Congress upon this subject has been al
ways either openly hostile to certain great
products of agriculture or has wholly tailed
to foster or encourage any Of them BY
any decisive or adequate measures. The
burdens have been thrown upon the hon
est toilers of agriculture and mechanics,
while the millionaire and the mOnopOlist
have not borne their just proportion
OF this fact there can be no possible dis
pute; all men know it. They know, too,
that in the National Treasury vast sur
plus is collected, a INDUSTRIOUS corruption,
fund. which constantly threatens calam.
ity to the country through dangerous
corruption and collision OF the public SER
wants employed in the administration of
the government. In the meantime an
odious and. onerous and wicked tax left
upon certain great productions OF agricul-
ure. A tax not necessary for revenue,
md Iv No - 20.