Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-18

strength and stimulus which came
through the ownership of the soil, to him
who occupies it, has fixed his home upon
it, and looks to it as his means of subsist.
ence 1t is to the division and subdivision
of the land, almost as much us to their de
vOtion to the institutions of learning and
religion and their determination 10 secure
all social and civil rights, that our fathers
owe their success IN establishing free gov
eminent on the continent. They had the
/ Anglo Saxon love of land, but above all
they had the Anglo Saxon love of individual
independence, and land monopolies, entail
and primogeniture were especially Odlous
to them They established in the earliest
colonial days system of land holding
so simple, so exact, so easily managed
| that it has become the example which all
republican Cover nments follow. They es-
tablishcd public registry of deeds, and
provided for an easy and recorded trans
fer of landed estates from hand to hand,
as easy as the transfer of personal prop
, erty. The state which they formed be-
came not only the home of civil and reli-
gious freedom, but OF small landed pro
pretors also. When they struck for free
dom they struck for the sacred right of
| their own homes, which had become scat
tered throughout the length and breadth
of the land, and were the nurseries of II
hardy, independent, sturdy race Of puri-
tans in religion and rOundheads
/ in politics. They were indeed the
! lords of the soil, and were as
unconquerabe III their defense of their
. little farms as the great landed prOprie-
/ tors of their old homes were in protecting
/ their immense estates from invasion or
/ popular revolution. The fcudal tenure of
/ England never gained Il foOthold here.
! But the commercial tenure which took It's
place gave every prosperous member of
! the community an opportunity to cult
waite his own little Kingdom and to dis
pose of or exchange 1t at his pleasure.
/ The temptation to secure land, under
these circumstances. became irresistible.
The mechanic labured to secure his home
stead the merchant was never satisfied
until he had purchased farm with
the surplus profit of his commercial
adventure. The professional men
of the day-the lawyers, the clergymen.
the physicians-all owned cultivated and
their land, which they were proud to oc-
cupy. And with this American system, us
it has been called, IA system which the
English reforrnerS have advocated, and
promised the English people, went Il null
ttude of civil rights, and privileges, and
opportunities, which We're never lost sight
of those who made mp and supported and
organized the community. The occupants
and owners of the farms We're the pillars
of the church: they tilted the town offices
they took their places IN tGc ir.gr.ntu',
and made laws for che commensurate
they took part IN the town meeting witt
its stormy debate and its free ballot: the!
asplrcd to high offices AMI ..'. .iil
right of beating and being hrur'I at g..
polls The school house, th" library. IT,.
lecture room they cuirrrl 'ur the
mental culture; the church for thci
moral and religious cduculiOu The.
founded system of state an'
society here which required Of them an,
requires of us, also, II liberal cNpcndtur,
both for public and private ucccs-itc,
and Injuries. In Il community founded a.
they founded theirs, taxes must neces,ari
~ be somewhat large: the advancement
of home must be provided for: the pub
lie entertainments will be enjoyed the
children must be well clad, provided with
books and supplied with II good educa-
ton. And this is the American system of
holding-with all its duties, privi-
leges and opportunities-a system which
the statesmen of the Old world study with
profound interest and great care. 1t may
be attended by great deal of careless
and Improbable and unskillful farming,
as every system is, but it produces great
results, and Is the foundation of great pub
lie and private prosperity.
Agricultural Law.
The agricultural law which governs the
management OF farms like these is the
home, and if possible Il ncighbOring mar
ket. For the great grain growing sections
of our more pOpllouS and Older States,
with their commercial and manufacturing
cities furnish the great bulk of the mar
kct, consuming 30 per cent. of all the
agricultural produce of this vast country.
For the smaller farms these same great
Centers of population furnish Il market
for all local crops, and encourage careful
and systematic farming. As onr popula-
ton increases, and the manufacturing
and mechanical industries extend, the
latter system of agriculture with all its
profit, and its Independence of long and eX
pensive transportation will prevail. While,
therefore, the foreign market presents
great temptation, fair profits and the
stimulus OF commercial enterprise, as
well as the financial benefits of an inter
change OF industrial products, 1t is the
markets OF our own people which possess
the greatest advantages, and lie at the
foundation of our agricultural prosperity.
We may learn from this, If we Will, the
vast Importance of developing our dOmeS-
tic industries of every description, and
of uniting them in all III Il cluster of enter
prises supported by American capital, de
veloped by American labor, and organ
lied on the laws OF American state and
society with their civil rights and their So
cial equality.
/ In view Of this mutual dependence of
American industries upon each other,
DR.. l.oring congratulated his audi
ence on the increased interest IN
agriculture everywhere manifested ut
the present time. The spirit of inquiry
shown by individuals and associations de
voted To agriculture, is full of promise.
The desire to prove theory has given
place TO Il determination To ascertain laws,
and to investigate the practices which will
afford the largest profits to the farmers.
Agricultural science now means not alb
stract theories, but practical results
DR.. Loring concluded by appealing to
the farmers present to exercise economy,
and skill and devotion IN the management