The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-02-27
FREDERICK w. BAKER, Editor.
The Maryland Farmers Convention.

which was held in Baltimore city, on Tues
day and Wednesday, was one of the most
notable gatherings in the interest of the far
here. 1t embraced some of the most
intelligent and progressive farmers from
every county, and we were particularly
pleased to see our own county of Hartford so
largely and so well represented. Among
those who were present were Messrs. VIM.
Webster, James Lee, John Moores, Thomas
A. Hays, W. Scott Barnes, VIM. D. Lee,
VIM. Munnikhuysen, s. B. Silver and Bennett
H. Barnes, of the Deer Creek Farmers Club;
Garrett Amos VIM. NJ. Edelin,, G. ]. Moore
and d. P. Hollingsworth, of the Fallston
Farmers Club; r. B. and VIM. G. Mccoy,
Arch. Wilson, J. P. Street,, John o. Stearns,
]. Fl. Plowman, Jas. M. Jacobs, Joseph Ash
ton, Horace Twining, ]. P. Silver, Albert
Silver, George Jones, ]. Frank Reasin, G. G.
Kinsey, Col. ]. G. Walsh, Henry Ruff, Judge
Price. Washington Jones and others.
Judge John M. Robinson, of the Court of
Appeals, farmer Of Queen Anpe's county,
presided, with j. W. Baughman and VIM. B.
Sands Secretaries.
In taking the chair Judge Robinson made
an excellent speech, in which he referred to
the low price of grain, brought about by the
cheap transportation from the West. The
average yield of wheat in Maryland, he said,
is only ID bushels per acre, and the net price
for the past year has been but fraction over
80 cents. Such business cannot pay the
farmer, and wheat growing must be aban-
doned or the yield per acre increased, Many
farmers, he said, average 30 bushels and the
general yield could be made to approximate
that average. He thought the remedy lay in
smaller farms and better tilage.
On the subject of the farmers burdens, the
chief of which is the protective tariff, Judge
Robinson uttered the views of nine tenths of
the intelligent, thoughtful farmers of Mary
land. He showed how the tariff levied tax
of ten dollars ton on iron to enable the iron
manufacturer to use the iron, the coal and
labor of this country in order that he may
have the privilege of furnishing iron to us at
an increased price; and thus, upon every
pound of iron the farmer uses, whether in the
shape of horseshoe, pillow or self binder,
he is obliged to pay royalty for the benefit
of privileged class. Also in the manufac-
ture ofcotton and wooden goods there is the
same cry, that such goods can be manufac-
tured elsewhere and sold at price below
the cost of production here.
$50" said he Congress must levy tax from
forty to fifty per cent on these articles. And
the result is that everything we buy, from the
coat on our backs to the stockings on our feet,
Is taxed, and this tax We pay for the benefit of
the manufacturer Now suppose VIC turn the
tables and say we cannot afford to raise wheat
at so cents a bushel, and ask Congress to levy
TAX OF 40 cents on every bushel in order that
we may get 81 20. What would be the uniyer-
sal answer? England tried it, but the cry for
cheap bread shook the throne to its founda-
tions, and an unwilling Parliament was forced
to repeal its oppressive corn laws"
Judge Robinson held that tariff for revenue
only would afford all the protection that every
healthy industry needs. Before the war that
was the settled policy of the government, and
no public man was to be found in this State
bold enough to advocate tariff for protection.
"And now," he said, "under the present oppres
sive tariff instead of steady growth and per-
manent prosperity of all interests we find
even the agricultural interests depressed, our
commerce freighted by foreign ships, and with
the manufacturers themselves, over production,
suspensions, industrial commissions, strikes, and
bad feeling between capital and labor. And, in
stead OF a tariff to defray the expenses of the
government economically administered, we
have hundred millions of dollars, wrung from
the hard earnings of the people, lying idle in
the treasury, with all kinds of schemes to
squander it, thus corrupting both the govern
ment and the people themselves. You farmers
have right to be heard on this question In
numbers you constitute a majority, and upon
your labor the common prosperity of the coun-
try mainly depends Of the 1888, 900, 600 of eX-
ports in 1881 agriculture and its kindred pur-
suits furnished over 500, 900, 000-S9 per cent
OF the whole. In 1880 the average was about
the same, and going back for ten years you will
find the average to be SO per cent Thus we
see the relation which agriculture bears to our
financial prosperity, and how any burden which
affects it injuriously must affect the common
interests of all classes"
DIR. ID. E, Salmon, veterinarian of the U. s.
Department of Agriculture, read paper on
Hog Cholera" the medical treatment of
which, he said, was dismal failure. A farm
er should destroy the sick animals at once
and it is better to bury than to burn them.
DR.. NJ. c. Ellzey, of Washington, read
Ul.
Hon. Allen Bowie Davis, of Montgomery
county, followed with an address on the cad
vantages and Opportunities of Maryland"
Ex.Gov. Hamilton was then called for and
said he had been requested to speak on the
subject of cereals and answer the following
questions: 'Should we keep up and extend
the cultivation OF wheat or gradually give it
up and turn to other crops?" and "Can we
not increase our cereal crops profitably by
improved methods of cultivation ?"
AS to the first question, he said that in his
opinion there was no occasion to abandon GER
calls. AT 81 bushel Maryland should have no
trouble in competing with the West. If the
price is less than that, the quantity grown
should make up the difference. neighbor has
narrowed and rolled wheat field fourteen times
the idea being to get 1t in fine filth, no matter
how much labor 1t required The weld was
sixty-two bushels TO the acre. II this example
were followed the wheat yeld all over the State
would be much greater. The most important
matter for consideration among wheat growers
Is whether TO contract our yield or TO extend
our markets. We raise now much more than
we can consume. Ii our markets are develop
ed and extended, there will be no further trou-
Bile. There is no doubt as to our ability to COM
pete with Russia, England and other European
countries. Two years ago we increased the
tariff on sour wines almost to a prohibtory
tariff, and Germany retaliated resentfully
against our pork. This instance will show how
tariff laws affect trade, and how easy 1t would
be to prevent the extension of our markets in
other respects. AS to corn, the Governor
through that In counties where it is not the
principal thing grown, the best use that could be
made of it would be to feed stock. The quality
OF the fertilizer thus produced could not be
quarreled over by chemists. He said that good
fertilizers may be used with advantage on the
best land.
"The Hygiene of Farmers Houses and
Surroundings" was the subject of discourse
by DR.. Richard McSherry, in which he gave
many valuable health hints