The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-25


lively scene this morning long before
the hour for assembling the Interstate
Agricultural and Industrial Conven-
ton. AT s O'clock an excursion train
from the North brought in about 500
people and the regular train a party
of twenty influential planters. While
the number Of visitors is not so large
as anticipated, it is very creditable as
to numbers and thoroughly represent
alive. AT 10 O'clock the convention
was called I'd order by Assistant Com
missioner Gates, who was followed by
Maj. A. J. McWhirter in an address of
welcome as pillows:
Mr.. M'HHIRTER's ADDRESS.
Mr., CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND. GEN
TLENEN-W deem it no less pleas
ing privilege than distinguished
honor to extend to the delegates of
this convention a most cordial well
come. You have been invited here to
measure lances in this tournament of
ideas" in behalf of the arts OF peace
TO enlighten us upon the sub ects of
agricultural development and indus
trial skill. | see before me repre-
sentatives from ten or more OF the
States of the great Mississippi Valley
men distinguished in agricultural, in
dustrial and professional pursuits,
many OF them of national renown for
ability, enterprise and achievement,
who have renounced for a while the
allurements of delightful homes and
the Establishments of kind friends that
they may receive the welcome and en-
Joy the hospitality of Tennesseans.
May we not express the hope that as
a congress Tor the discussion of prin-
ciples and policies that affect the So
cial welfare or as a conference for the
exchange df experiences and COM
elevated agriculture and industrial
skill, that its efforts will indeed
be far-reaching and its influences
incalculable. Perhaps no State in the
Union can offer wider sphere for ag-
ricultural development and industrial
skill than the State to which we well
come you to-day. Her minerals, her
structural material and her forests are
exhaustless. Her climate meets the
wants of the Northerner and the
Southerner. Her winters are rarely
rigorous, and her summers are always
salubrious. The products of the
North and those OF the South meet
within her borders. Her educational
facilities have given her fame
at home and abroad, and the tone of
her people is commensurate with the
highest culture of the world. We
again extend to you, gentlemen, a
cordial welcome, not alone to Tonnes
see soil, but also to our homes and to
our hearts.
PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.
A permanent organization was eff
fected by the election OF N. d. Fratt
of Racine, Wis, president; George G.
Dibbrell Of White county, Tenn, |.
B. Nall of Kentucky, J. H. Field of
Mississippi, Clinton Babbitt of Wis
consin, B. B. McGlincy of Illinois, R.
b. Crawford of Nebraska and ]. P.
Steele of Iowa, vice-presidents Rob-
ert Haynes of Jackson, s. B. Thomp-
son of Illinois and j. B. Satterlee of
Iowa were made secretaries.
This concluded the business of the
morning session.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The convention was called together
at o'clock in the afternoon, when re-
grets were read from Gov. Bate and
Maj. f. A. Burke of New Orleans.
An address by the Hon. J. II. Field
of Mississippi was warmly applauded.
He urged upon the farmers the ne
cessity for getting rid of their preju-
dices and old fogy ideas and of keep
ing up with the progress of the age
to educate their sons and daughters,
adorn their homes, and, instead of
following year after year the ideas of
their fathers, to think for themselves
and strive to learn something from
the best writings of experienced men
upon special topics connected with
their avocation; to devote some time
to the study OF political economy and
statistics, and to put into the councils
OF the country some of their own
wisdom, depending not entirely on
lawyers and politicians to determine
those great questions which affect the
farmers of country.
A discussion on grasses, which fol-
lowed, was ably opened by J. P.
Steele OF Iowa, who was thoroughly at
ease and evidently in love with his
subject.
The Hon. Clinton Babbitt, secretary
OF the Wisconsin Agricultural Society, |
before entering upon the discussion Of |
grasses, said he had come to jackson
leaving all prejudices behind, and de-
termined to learn, if possible, rather
than to criticise the people of the |
South. He thought the interest of |
one section was the interest of all, and |
that nothing was so much calculated |
to wipe out sectional feeling as meet
ings such as the present. He advised
the farmers of the South who would |
be happy in their old age to cover the
old gullies with grasses. He thought
it shame that so lovely country as
this should look so barren when it
might be clothed in all the loneliness
of verdant nature.
A. p. Farnley's paper on grasses
was a very valuable one, and was lis
tened TO with the closest attention.
He declared that there was not hill
side so rugged, no field so barren,
that there was not some variety of
grass adapted to it, and that instead of
spending millions for fertilizers, the
South could enrich her lands and
raise thousands of head of sheep and
cattle every year without extra ex-
pense.
Cyrus H. Lakin, a thoroughly prac-
teal and sensible farmer, read a short
paper on grasses which was followed
by general discussion.
The convention then adjourned I'M
til aftPr supper.
THE SESSION TONIGHT
was opened with an address on immi-
grafton by Col. NJ. B. Hilliard of Lou
isiana, who handled his subject in a
mastery but informal way, which
captured the convention. He spoke
in the most glowing terms of the eli
mate and soil of the South, stating,
among other things, that several years
ago he sowed bluegrass seed from a
car window for 200 miles on the Mo-