The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-03-03
Agrieultural.
STATE AGRICULTURE.
ASHLAND, CAswELL Co., n. G.. }
February 9. 1886.

February 9, 1886.
Editor CaSUeU Ne,rs As | am
pretty much shut in by the snow,
and prevented from taking my usual
exercise, / have concluded to drop
you few lines on a subject that
seems to be stirring our people, as it
were, from centre to circumference;
and just here permit me to say l am
not at all sorry that something has
turned up that will in all probability
cause our people to look into and
become better acquainted and more
interested in subject that is of
vital Importance and interest to our
good old North State. / mean the
Department Of Agriculture. You are
aware, no doubt, that in some things
it takes opposition to produce sue
cess When the bill passed the
Legislature establishing the Depart
ment of Agriculture it was bitterly
opposed by some, on the ground
that it would increase our taxes,
particularly the farmers as it taxed
the fertilizers, and farmers are the
persons who use the fertilizers. l
think, though, that idea is pretty
we'll exploded, "a we get cheaper
and much better article since the
law passed establishing the Depart
ment than we did before. So nobody
is hurt but the manufacturer who
adulterated his goods. If mistake
not, before the tax more than a
hundred different brands Of fertili-I
: zers were sold in North Carolinag
After the tax, the next Year,
if | mistake not. only a little over
twenty were sold, and at no advance
in price, which, shows very conclu-
sively it was v protection to the
farmer without additional cost!
But the great cry is, there is extravr
agance, useless expenditure Of
money by the Department. Now
YOU know it is very easy to spend
money, particularly public money,
and | don't pretend to say but that
some none money has been spen
by the Department that would hav e
been better saved. For instance.
the money spent on the New
Orleans Exposition, / always hdd
my doubts; that on the Boston ek-
hibit, grand success-meney wfll
spent | believe the exhibit at B9s-
ton has done more to break down
the sectional animosity and bring
about better feeling between the
two sections than all and everything
else, besides a great benefit to dur
material interests as q State.
Now, Mr.. Editor, if we wish fhe
Old North State to prosper, we
must have little State pride. Slime
States, | am free to confess, / thfnk
have little too much, but North
Carolina has always, according to
my humble opinion, as far back as !,
have knowledge been wanting in
that commodity. Had our good
old State possessed a little more
State pride and fostered her institu-
tons, and given more encourage
ment to her. young and rising sons,
who have distinguished themselves
in other States, they would to-day
have been in the bosom Of their old
IHOIHcI. dIlu Silc HCNo duUoSu ps
"Oid Rip" Sir, l am glad to say ,
"Old Rip" is waking up, Thf
Boston Exposition, or rather thb
North Carolina exhibit, u child Of
the Department, has in agreat degree
been the means of disturbing hdr
slumbers, after 80 many years d
deep sleep, and now somesay Kill il,
wipe it out, it costs too much money,
why continue such a humbug, OUR
taxes are high enough now. Thek
seem to forget that the Departme{ 1T
of Agriculture has never cost II e
State one cent. and never will, prop
erIy managed, but properly an I'D
efficiently managed will be of inc fl-
culable benefit to agriculture in olir
State. Wipe it out, as some sly,
and YOU knock out the foundation
stone Of every otherlegitimate p1,s.
perity, for who ever saw or read OF
a prosperous general goyernm fnt