The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-03-20
Washington Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, March II, Is

culture of the house of representa-
tlves, and learning what was being
done for the millions of thrifty till
, ers OF the soil and raisers of Berk
shires, Chester white, Durhams anC
Sborlhorns.
Before speaking of the personne
of the cumInittee, it may be well tc
state that no nation of the globe
mas heretofore taken so little inter.
est Ia the prosperity of it's agricul-
Jurists as has ours, but to-day we
are behinning to see that it is all
important that this enterprising,
wealth-producing and industrious
class are but demanding their own
when they insist that twenty five
out of the fifty millions of the peo-
pie and one half of the wealth of the
nation shall receive at the hands OF
congress the consideration that
their numbers and wealth entitle
them to.
| Not alone are the agriculturists
interested in what affects them di-
rectly, but our whole people are
interested indirectly flor the inter
ests.of one half of our entire pOpula-
tion cannot be infringed without af-
fecting the other half. 1t is fact
that it has taken years to bring
clearly home to our people, that
while we have increased in wealth,
population, Importance and gran
deur as nation; while the thou
sands of millions of a war debU has
been paid, the enormous sums re
quired have not been dug from our
mines, hewed from our forests or
produced from the handiwork of
man, but that all our wealth, our
greatness and our glory are direct
ly traceable to the original, the
first, the prime source-agricul-
ture. And yet in the face of this
now established fact we have had
men framing laws for the people;
men who are mere consumers; who
never add one dollar to the wealth
of the country, but who frame laws
to impose on the producer and en-
able them the better to live, at ease
on the sweat of the laborer's brow.
Without making invidious distinc
tions it may be stated that while |
all our laws have been made to pro-
tect the manufacturer, the miners
and others, the statistics show |
that besides furnishing suffi-
cient to supply our home consump
ton, the products of domestic ag
rIculture exported to foreign coun-
tries during 1883 aggregated |
$619.269, ,449, while manufactures,
mining and all other industries ex-
ported only $1S4,964,183, or less
than one-third, and this has
been the history: of our country from
its earliest days. An average of SO
per cent. of all expectations were
the products of domestic agriculture
When we realize the vast millions
brought into the country through
the lator of this great industrial
class, we are surprised that only in
the last few years the attention of
the nation has been properly dIrec-
ted to their wants and need or any
heed has been paid TO their cries.
The pre- ent committee on agrcul-
lure seems to be fully imbued with
he idea of the vastDess Of interests
entrusted To- their care, and to be
honestly working, not alone to ele-
yate the agrIculturist, but eXalt
Ills calling and do what it is possi-
5le to have IN the interest OF the
class is the very essence and life Of
The nation.
The committee of agriculture con-
sists of sixteen members, viz,
Hatch, of Missouri, chairman; Dib-
,ell OF Tennessee; Beach, of New ]
York; Winans, of Michigan; Pat :
ton of Pennsylvania; Wilson of
Iowa; Ochiltree of Texas; Stephen /
son, of Wisconsin; Aiken, Of South '
Carolina; Williams of Alabama
Green of North Carolina; Weller, of !
Iowa; Cullen, of Illinois; White of ;
Harvey Of New Jersey, /
and Raymond of Dakato.
Col. W. II. Hatch, of Missouri,
,he chairman, has been a member
Of the committee for six years and
las devoted much of his time to
IN earnest, honest, conscientious
study Of the wants of the agricultu-
rist, and seems to have succeeded
admirably and to have the earnest
support of his fellow-members on
the committee.
OF the legislation so far perfec-
ted by the committee it may be
stated that .they have prepared
a bill providing for having the ag-
ricultural interests of the country
in the cabinet, by max
ing the bureau of agriculture a de-
partment of the government and its
chief a counselor of the president.
This bill is now on the calender
and when reached will be pushed
by every member of the committee
with every prospect of its passage.
They have perfected and had passed
in the house the measure known as
the pleuro-pneumonia bill, for the
extirpation of disease of cattle and
it is evident that it will pass the
senate. They have under consider
alton a bill for the extension of the
signal service or weather bureau
off the line of railroads to enable
farmers to be warned of the APP
proach of storms, frosts, ETC., and
which if it can be effectively per-
tected will be of incalculable bene
fit to the farmer. One for continu-
ing the experimental farms for the
acclimation of foreign plants, fruits
and grains; for continuing the ex-
periments with artesian wells on our
western prairies, and for the re-
clamation of the arid wastes, and
for providing water for man and
beast,
Hon. W. j. Green of North Caro-
lima, a member of the committee,