Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-13
GENRGIA'S FARMERS.
,~~rA1 CONVENTION OF THE
STATE AGRICULTURISTS.

The Programme TO-Day-An Excur-
sion to Tybee-OR for Florida To-
JTOTrOw.
The state Agricultural Society opened
its annual convention in Masonic Hall
yesterday morning with about 200 dele
gates in attendance, representing nearl!
every county and agricultural ASSOCIATION
in Georgia. In the absence OF the fresl-
dent. Col. Thomas Hardeman, Vice Presl-
dent Col. L. F. Livingston, of Newton
presided, with Col. E. c. Grier, Secretary
and nearly all OF the officers ana EAecu-
tive Committee present.
The opening of the convention was de-
Iayed until 10 O'Clock in order 10 alIO"
the large number of delegates VINO ar
rived on the morning trains ample IlHne 70
roach the hall. As soon as the majority
had arrived. the Citizens reception Coin-
mittee. with the Mayor, took seats on the
STAGE with the officers of the society, ana
Acting President Livingston called the
delegates to order ana announced IHe
convention opened.
An appropriate Psalm was read, and
PRAYER was offered by Rev. Charles ii.
Strong. rector Of st. Johns Church; alter
which MavOr Lester, IN behai oil lhe
citizens. extended to the delegates the
freedom Of the city.
DR.. President and Gentlemen: am bldueh
bv the peOple Of this city to extend 10 you Il
bearr, welcome to their midst. 1t IS uuIy
which most cheerfuly perform ne near
Of every son of Georgia goes out 10 lne peOP!e
who represent the vast agricultural interests
of the state. an interest upon whlcn depen'ls
the welfare of the whole people, Ihere are
no people so free. no people so uselul' no peo-
ple so individually independent anu no peg
ple so situated and circumstance as 10 az
ELL freftar - M D.
of the State and perpetuate our Tree lhstl'u-
tiOns. - \.
Georgia is an agricultural state; her people
are an agricultural people. pom llS s".us
of her sea coast, upon her mldlands ana IN the
valleys among her granite mis- Ile peoPlS w
the soil and gather from her fertile yleld the
means of life, productions Ior vast 0oiN-
merce and the comforts OF nome.
Georgia is a land of homes, OF hospltable
homes where the people love TO rear thclr
| children. The people are Il hlgh -ihlhueu, EeH
erOus people. and rear their chluren 10 liSe IL,
| the good old WAYS of their fathers. 10 tiii me
soil to love their neighbors. TO act Ju9Jly' loNe
their homes and be hOsptable 10 the granger
Won have met. Mr. President and gentle
men to discuss the great questions Wnlch con
Germ the material interests OF the state. Ieei
honOred that you have selected our Guy a. i
place for YOUR deliberauOn. we claim 10 DC
| "A part of the state Of Georgia, although thdt
claim may be denied by the disposition OF
some We do not believe that the sun rises at
Twice and SETS IN Lut canal w 49,
that IL shines every foot OF soil IN the 9t:1te
of Georgia We rejoice and aspire TO the
glory Of whatever concerns the hOhor anu
prosperity of the people OF the entlie 9tatc.
Your session we hope Mr.. President, VIII
| be harmonious and profitable, and that II VIII
rebound 10 the interest and utmost OF the
prosperity Of the entire state: IT, ~
IeXtend to YOU the keys OF the CITY May
YOUR stay among us be as pleasant anu agree
! able as it is our desire it should be. rake our
KEYS as long, sir, you may please 10 remain
and keep them.
The eloquent greeting was received
with enthusiastic applause, and, in be-
half of the convention, Hamilton anceY,
Esq, of Rome, responded in acceptance
| of the welcome as follows:
Mr. Nay0r: When, a few days ago, was
surprised by the request OF our honorSd Sec
rotary TO reply to the Address OF MelcouG'
az the savannah Convention, on DehaH OF the
Georgia state 4 gricultural society, was
embarrassed how to answer so compliment
a request. Immersed IN the busy WORK OF
| practical life. | we'll knew now lmpOSolDlc IL
would be for me to suitably prepare a re-
Spouse on behalf of so able body OF repre-
sentative men as constitute the membership
INT. SIR. to decline would have evidenced
| a want of appreciation of the grand work IN
which this society is engaged, ana now coGId
do otherwise than promise that my leepic
voice. should respond in behalf OF an organ .
cation which all Georgians should earnestly
strive by every means in their power TO sus-
| tain and perpetuate. a.. LII
Ii is therefore. with pleasure, SIR, that on
behalf of the Georgia State Agricultural So
cietv. in Convention assembled, ! thank you
| for your words of welcome, Tor the cOItllal
hospitality of your homes, ana lhe IreeuQhi
of Your city, 50 generously EXTENDED 10 lne
| membership of this convention. Inc klnulY
words you have so fifty spoken VIII not alone
| be cherished in the hearts OF those present
| but they Will awake responsive echo OF kindly
| feeling i'm the hearts of all who love Oeof-
| gia and GcOrgias soil. 49,.
| Sir. ii can but be a source of infinite gratid-
| cation to the agrIculturlstS or Georgia that
| this great commercial and seaport city of our
| State has flung wide open her gates ana eN-
| tended to their humble representatives the
| hand of friendly greeting SO corulally.
| SIR. though we have come together from
| every section of our State, and some OF US sir,
| even from under the shadows OF the Blue
! Ridge. where we listen to the music OF the
| murmuring voices of our mountain rlVulets,
| as in their impctuOus flow to the sea lhey
] mingle their waters through the channeIs OF
| the beautiful OOstanaula and the cataracted
/ EtOWah, to enrich with their Ieilllc utposllo
| and cargOes of freight a sister state, ana,
| though we have traversed hundreds OF miles
| that we might council together IN the pursuit
| of that knowledge which must rebound TO the
/ good of our beloved State, we do not leel thil
/ we have come among you as strangers, DuI,
! on { e contrary. that we are OF a brotherhood
| nurtured bv the same mother. united IN our
| common interest in the noble effort 10 IlIt
/ our grand old mother, Georgia, upon Il
| higher plane of prosperity IN the better de-
| velopment of her economy and material re
/ sources. of the treasures OF wealth IN hef SOIL
] in her mines and in the many and varied IN
| dustries within her borders.
| And feeling thus, sir, we are glad that our
| deliberations are to be held where they VIII
| receive so cordial n support.
Sir. the history of your city has filled, and
/ must ever fill, large part OF the history OF
! our State. Since the planting OF the banners
! of the philanthroDic OglethOrpe upon the
/ banks Of wonder noble stream-mOre than a
/ century and a half ago-has your city I'M
| pressed the influence of its thought upon the
| great practical and political questions OF inc
/ ace and largely aided in giving direction to
/ moulding the affairs of state. Ana to-day,
| sir the people of Georgia rejoice IN the pros
| perity and progress of your much loved ana
/ queenly city.
| The culture of your people. the beauty and
| refinement of your daughters and the genu-
| inc hospitality of your citizens are pr0VerDlal
/ throughout the limit ana boundaries Oh thls
| commonwealth.
! We rejoice to know, sir, that the many and
| varied interests of your city have the infusion
| of new blood and vigorous life, especially that
of YOUR shipping interests Is so rapidly growing
| In importance. and that healthy VigOr per-
| vades all departments of your economic anu
| commercial industries. We trust, sir, that
| the ssfeld daVs' of your shipping interest may
| nnultinIv in geOmetrical progression to all
| the diversified pursuits in which your people
| are engaged And we feel assured sir, that
! YOU fully appreciate and realize that the agrl-
| culture of the State Is the very foundation
| and suppOrt of those varied industries, and
! upOn its success depends their permanent
! prosperity and the continued progress OF your
| commercial Importance.
! As the great centre of the trucking indus
| trv'' your city must be greatly benefited by
/ its growth and influence. | am not prophet
| enough to predict its possibilities. lie who
| few wears ago had dared suggest that the car
| goes of YOUR great ocean steamships would
| have been largely of truck and that the
| great railroad lines of the country could not
/ furnish ears enough nor engines of sufficient
| power to convey the truck of Southern GeOr-
] gia to the markets of the East and the west,
| would have been ridiculed as dreamer and
| laughed at as theorIst.
| The present is pre-emlnently an age OF pro-
! gress and the great heart Of the Empire state
! Of the south IS to-day thrObbing with the pro
/ crressivencss of her earnest working citizens.
/ Never were her people so much IN earnest Tor
| the development of the resources calculated to
| advance their economic and social condition
! and Of awaiting themselves OF the wonderful
| discoveries of science and their practical APP
/ plcati0n for the advancement OF their mate
| rial prosperity and happiness. Ana IN no oe-
| partment of scientific research have there
| been more wonderful discoveries or
greater progress made than in the science
/ of art and agriculture Ignorance and
| nreiutiicc have, since the world began, de-
| cried the theories Of science and refused TO
/ ACCEPT them until the sunlight Of truth has,
| by the crucible of experiment, forced the
/ great mind of man to accept demonstrated re-
| suits and thus utilize the great forces OF ma
1 turc for the good of the people and the adj
/ vaucement of future generations. And thus,
| sir, even in this age OF enlightenment and
! progress. has this society in the face of skep-
| tIcal and adverse criticism, looking alone to
| the advancement of the great agricultural
| and material interests Of the state. earnestly
! DESTROYS of freeing that interest from the cob
| webs of error that have entangled II, of dlssi-
| pating the clouds of dependency that were
! lowering over it, steadily progressed IN Its
! great work of stimulating inquiry and dis
! seminating the condensed ana matured
| .houcrbt and rraetiep of the most scientific and