Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-02-23
IL the editor Of the Alexandria GAZETTE

The announcement of Col. Robert Bey.
erley AS Il candidate for Governor, in a CON
, muuication TO the ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
throws some light upon The recent pubIca
ton in reference u The Farmers National
Congress, !" The Virginia Agricultural So
ciety," and the committee to wait Oh ID,
President-elect. From this series oil publ
cations it would appear that there i. AL
attempt in process OF development to make
division iu the politics of lhe Stale and
that this division is to be headed BIZ Robert
Beverley. The means Of its accomplish
ment is apparently the arrayins OF The
farmers and the manual abo. u.u
against capital and brains. Ii II he l.aL
the farmers and iaboring meu have no
brains, or 80 small modicum U! them n,
10 bile at an artificial fly, 50 rudely con.
structed, then some success will attend tile
movement but we hold hat the STABILITY,
the honesty and the sound discretion hat
is the ground work Of our national >urrr>s,
takes its average from the farmers slaEdald
and that Missionaries and seit-seekcrs un,
ornament or elevate, dishgnre or degrade
this standard, but the standard OF ura-ure
cannot be altered, and hence we think TIN,
farmers movement will die aboruius"
Now, why do we so condemn? TO thu,
condemn, without reason, should expose Us
to the just ccnsure, if not ridicule, OF those
to whose sense we appeal We give our
reasons
Let US view the circumstances of the aD-
pearing aud the substance of these publicu.
tons.
In the first place, the address of the pres.
ident Of The Farmers National Congress"
is published, in which he recommends that
the head of the Agricultural Bureau be
made Cabinet otticer-(Cui bono ?J-and
next, that an enormous appropriation be
made in order to expeditiously circulate
among The farmers the weather probabl-
lies. Had This been accomplished and had
the farmers governed their operations there
by, for the last twelve months, what arrant
fools the result would have proved them TO
have been! In this address he also advise.
the establishment of a bureau, at large
federal and State expense TO eradicate con-
laglous diseases among animals.
Until the nature and causes Of these
diseases are better understood, We think 10
good is lkly TO ensue, but rather embarrass.
ments to trade and, perhaps, the establish.
the next pla :e. the correspondence between
the president OF The Farmers National
Congress" and one of its vice. presidents Is
published, in which the latter vilihes the
South in d most cowardly manner-not one
word about farming interests and the
president arises to defend the South with
half strung harp that whines mournful 10
the blast. Then the presidents article on
plaster is published, which reads alike the
advertisement of Salvation Oil"
Again the executive committee Of the
Virginia State Agricultural Society meets
and calls Il Farmers Convention, TO meet III
Richmond "A prIl 10Th prox. and IL Is resolved
10y 1T That The President shall appoint one
delegate from each county and city. or
course that means the whole convention.
Again, The President appoints The com
mitlee To draft and publish the address ot
this society, aud he appoints Gen. Wickham
aud Col. Butord, the Virginia heads OF two
of the three great railroad syndicates in the
State, and the President, himself, il ex Of
6cio, u member of this committee.
Does not this look alike a Farmers con.
vention? There ID an opinion among farm.
ers that he discriminating local passenger
and the freight rates of the Virginia iui!
roads has been al unreasonable burden up
on them, and that the way TO help tho farn
ers by legislation is for the State To assert
her power and exercise il, 10 restrain aud
direct them; and it was supposed Col.
Beverley was making u specially OF this
question, but, now, behold whom he makes
TO figure most prominently in the call iof
mis- Farmers convention Again. look at
the object Of this convention-to formulate
public opinion in favor of enlarging the
sphere of the agricultural department OF the
State, by procuring larger appropriations,
and To consider questions OF immigration
and fertilizers and further, deponeut saith
not"
Lastly, the ubiquitous President il III.
nounced rs a candidate for Governor und
the farmers are told that their vital inter
ests demand that they shall give him their
support. Are not these circumstances sui.
fcient TO Justify a warning?
Ifnot, we know there was bill before
the last Legislature that had for It's object
the imposition OF u special tax upon farm.
ers through fertilizer tags, of about thirty
thousand dollars, 10 be expended sin es'
banding and giving greater efficiency to the
Department of Agriculture and making
more liberal provision for its support aud
eniarging its field of operations" That en-
ldl SSulebb cuOI uCeU ZIG cIcCJiOu vi bb' W
more buildings III the city OF Richmond aud
the establishment of Bureau Of lmtnigra
ton, &c. The preamble of this bill stated
that it was to advance the interests OF the
farmers, but if the title of the bill expressed
its effects if it ever became u law, it would
have stated, ITO rob the turner's" Wcsup
pose that one object of this convention is 10
arrange that this or q similar bill shall be
come law.
II such be the trusted friends Of the far.
rDers, God help the farmers, for there Is no
heI y for him OH this side of Him. But even
that is not all this bill meant. us prucli'
cal working, if it ever became law, would
be to place such mpedm-nts upon trade
and the free exercise of the judgment Of the
farmers, Judgment based upon experience
aud observation, guided by sober and undI'
vided sense Of interest, that the farmers
must, per force, become obedient slave- u
the Agricultural Department. The time
has not yet arrived when the farmer Of
Virginia SO desire vet nurse that they
will totally ignore the value of the NUN
neut and the price they have to pay for il.