Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-06-28

P"O'SNNhN "a @NhhNoSSSe Al "
like this, fashioned by the hand of the
Creator, as one of the finest stock coun-
tries in the world, shall its inhabitants
be limited to IL pounds of butter for
the year?
A few days since one of our most
energetic men, at a public sale, made
an average on Jersey cattle in the lead
of the average sale of colts at Belle
Meade. A few men have demonstra>
ted the possibilities of this State as a
stOck-producing country. Campbell
Brown, Malone, Gardner, and others,
with the Jersey; Cockrill with his
Shorthorns, and Belle Meade, with its
racers, have made Tennessee renowned
the world over, and yet, you see, we
only get eleven pounds of butter. You
know that every one of us here con.
sumes more by far than that. We
must make new move; we must not
eat some other mans share of the but
ter. What State in the Union is bet
ter adapted to sheep-raiSing?" Only
four head of sheep on this farm land
they must be very poor ones), provid-
ing only II lbs. of wool-28 lbs. per
head, when they should produce 10
pounds per head. That only allows
each member of our Tennessee family
one pound of wool to shelter him from
the blasts of winter. So we are wear
ing some one ele's wool as well as eat
ing his butter. We cannot blame the
farmer for clamoring for dog law to
protect his sheep that are so small they
only produce eleven pounds Of wool.
Estimating one dog to every voter,
we have only two sheep to every dog,
and if he has any appetite for meat,
he must realize with chagrin that the
Volunteer State, of which he bowls
with pride, has compelled him to put
up with two small sheep. No wonder
our lands go down. No wonder our
husbandmen are poor! We do cheer
ish the hope of seeing the day when
the farmers will awake from their long
sleep, rouse themselves in their might
and break the spell that is upon them;
educate themselves for farmers; study
as chemist, as philosopher, and as q
statesman. Like Cato of old, study
agriculture as a profession, and make
law and politics secondary considera.
ton. There is hope for our country in
the education of the farmers; there is
new life in this land of ours, that has
civilized the world, that in time, will
make this garden, vastly more grand
than the hanging garden of Babylon
swing out in space. That is the life
which must swell the being of every
farmer, till every valley shall TEEN witt
its acres of grain, and every hillside
swell with the music of lowing herds
and bleating focks; till no more thu
rivers be flooded with clayey blood o
the soil, but roll grandly along, bear
ing the blooms of new.grown grass, a;
the water washes our heavy tufts in
stead of through muddy land.
Young men Of Tennessee, what al
f arena upon which to better yourselves
What heritage for posterity, who vii
but rise up and call you blessed, If you
but make for them an Eden home
Never yet has there existed a nation o
, permanent prosperity in which tn
agricultural classes were not thrift
r and progressive. Their content, thei
f happiness and their industry underli
the superstructure of great and last
g ing government.
Realizing these truths, is it not tn
duty of every lawyer, doctor, minister
. merchant, law.maker, and chief rule
f in every government, to bend ever.
e energy to the encouragement of tbos
who till the soil ? Is it so here =? Tn
: cry that comes from under a load q
. oppression, answers, and calls to tn
, front the progressive farmer, by who's
hand the Gordian knot must be Gu
o that binds him to the yoke; by who's
& hand the Alps must be tunnelled t
!, the Italian plains below, and by who's
. hand the cornucopia must be wreste
!, from the angel who stood befor
=. Washington at Valley Forge,