The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-05-07
A Trance.


natural beauties of opening Spring, have
had the effect to throw Our cotempo,
rary Of the indicator into kind OF bu-
collie trance. In this dreamy condition he
has pictured to himself rustic scene in
with the late Farmers Conven-
ton, both inspiring and enchanting.
tile mind back. to the old time
days. when the bay seeds We're brushed
from ambrosial locks the horny hand
dropped the pow; the soied and uncomely
everyday suit laid aside and the Sunday
clothes" put on to signallze the enjoy
ment and rest Of the first day OF the week.
or celebrate the advent Of the camp meet
ing season. This picture Of rural pride
and contentment-of social pleasure and
unconventional and transformations parade.
has so tnrapt the imagination of our
neighbor. that he has reached the conclu-
sion that it was a realized fact in the re-
cent Farmers Convention. Had the real
farmers of the country--those who direct
the pillow with their own sturdy arms and
make two blades OF grass grow where one
grew before, really been present to give
the benefit of their strong. practical sense
their weary experience and close obser-
walton, il is probable the amateur gran
gers would have been less conspicuous
and the suspicion of political hopes and
plans been dismissed as foreign to any of
%Lx Of tbncQ
who attended. We question, howev
er. whether there were so many as u half
dozen of the class present whom our
neighbor SO pathetically and graphically de-
scribes.a and tits only to his elastic imagina-
ton, stimulated by the soft breezes of
Spring. ladened with the perfume of reviv-
ing nature, that we are indebted for the
rustic photograph he has taken. Most OF
those who were prominent in directing the
discussion. never followed the plow handle
or bent their forms behind the falling grass
never knew of the work clothes pOr-
trayed, or conscious pride OF Sunday
item. Metaphorically speaking, they toll
not, neither do they spin, but solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one OF
them. Theories they may have in album
tact with farm work, and the experience
which follows toll and sweat and personal
effort in the field their story would be brief
and profitless.
But we have no disposition to depreciate
the endeavors of our speculative farmers
in the interest of agriculture. Much good
may be done by them. The practical
farmer is not gifted, generally, with tai
ent for public speaking, and cannot very
well communicate to others, i'll a public
assembly, his experience and observations.
He may prompt and suggest, and correct
any erroneous conclusions or statements,
but his habits Of life have not prepared
him to state in consecutive and persplcu-
Gus order his views and the results Of his
farm efforts Others may do that better,
who have never trained after the machine
or followed in the burrows. and to the de-
gree that their study and learning may
have practical application are they use
full With a purpose single for the pro-
motion of the agricultural interests, each
class may prove help to the other, ana
by united effort accomplish a great deal for
the common veal. 1t is only where the
legitimate objects and aims of Farmers
Assemblage may be attempted to be per-
verified that they should be subjected to
criticism, and it was only in this sense and
with this assurance given 10y some who
were present, that we Ifelt called upon to
offer the comments that we did. But it
is not profitable OF agreeable to repeat dis
agreeable impressions, whether formed
from actual facts or misconceiyed pre-
misses. We are willing to, accept the more
charitable view conveyed to us,and assume
that all who were present in Richmond at
the Farmers Convention meant well, and
will in future improve upon any indscre-
tions of speech or latitude of mannerism
which had the appearance to compromise
the ostensible object of the Convention.
We really hope that the actual toilers
on the farm will fill the picture which the
V5ndicator' s imagination has drawn, and
in the next Convention we will find the
''Sunday clothes fresh from the ward
robe and their brave and true and
useful owners commingling with the
''kid gloved,' silk-stocking.a .''soft-
handed theorists from the cities and
towns and baron ial estates. There
is work enough for all in the material re-
demption Of the Commonwealth, and we
would be the last to discourage them from
putting in their presence, in cause so
praiseworthy. But they must leave their
politics and plans for party ends at home,
and come in the true spirit of the tillers of
the soil and laborers in the field Of mate
rial development.
The Valdicdtor will have to reinforce its
logic about the railroads by something
more practical than a mere sportive effort
to aggravate antagonisms between the far
mer and railroad. The one is essential to
the other, and there should be such rela-
tions between them that each would seek
to build up The other and bring about mu-
tual benefits and prosperity.
Nor is its far-fetched comments on the
point of immigration and the causes which
have controlled it, pertinent to the occa-
sion. If Mr.. Evarts and other Repubi-
cans have said harsh things against the
honor of the people of Virginia in relation
to the debt question, it is because they
have been so taught by the Democratic
press. Had the same care and labor been
bestowed upon a correct calculation of the
public debt and the equitable obligations
OF the State that have been employed to
brand one-half Of the people as traitors to
the Commonwealth and despoi1ers of the
rights of the creditors. a fairer and more
just understanding of the situation would
have been impressed. Mr.. Evarts and
others who have assaied Virginians as
'rogues and swindlers,' have only acted
on the code of Shyl0ck-''the villany you
teach me [ will eXecute.' They ac-
cepted as true that which was proclaimed in
the public press and from the stump here,
and if the lesson inculcated has come home
to plague the inventors, they have no 9th
erS but themselves to blame IF any fair