The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-04-28

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have an interest. Indeed it is essential tina
discussion should take place, in order tina
the masses should have a full knowledge o
the subject, but unless the discussion lend
to definite action no fruits can be expected
and inst here is the great difficulty in thu
way of reformation. 1t is hard matter tt
get people to act in concert When a con
| vention of farmers is held nothing of i'm
portance is effected. We tried it severs
! times in this State. At the first one OIL
two meetings considerable interest wa.
manifested and there seemed to be pros
pect of accomplishing good results, bu
since then the attendance and interest have
measureably declined until the last assem-
| blage could hardly be considered less than
a failure. And it is not difficult to discover
the reason. Men who have scarcely more
than nominal interest in farming are al.
lowed the chief seats whilst the bona it'd,
| farmers are kept ia the background. Ii
must be borne in mind that self interest is
the handspring of mans actions, as rule
| people are prone to adopt that line of policy
| which seems to promise the largest returns.
| A man may own one share of stock in the
great brotherhood of farmers, and twenty in
the numerically small brotherhood of CAPT
talists, and when question is presented for
his consideration involving conflict be-
tween the two interests. you may safely ex-
pect that he will be governed all the time
by his ideas of expediency as applied to his
own case. For instance. When an effort
was made in the convention of farmers to
decide upon a law to equalize taxation by
shifting part of the burden from the weak
to the strong. these nominal farmers be-
trayed their status. They argued against
the taxation of mortgages, alleging that in
so doing they were influenced by sense of
fear that the borrower would suffer. What
noble exhibition of disinterested solicitude
for the welfare of their needy and misguided
brethren. A sense of frankness and con-
sistency would have led them to say this,
II am lender and not a borrower, and
don't want to be taxed upon the amount of
| the mortgage. L want to place my money
in such securities as are exempt. | prefer
to have the money needed for the State
raised on the possessions of others, so that
1 may realize the full six per cent. interest,
which could not be done without difficulty
if mortgages were taxed.
But some say that satisfactory adjust
ment of this vexed question would be Sc
| cured, and everything 60 on lovely, could
we but get preponderance of farmers in
our Legislature. l am not so sure of this.
Whilst L hope | am not lacking in admira-
ton for the mem bers of our calling as body,
yet il must be admitted that all of them are
not above temptation. Human nature is
about the same in all occupations, and when
the time for testing character comes the
farmer will often be found quite as unreliable
as the others. When he quits his accustomed
work and enters the domain of politics. the
restraining influences of country life are left
| behind or so weakened by the allurements
of Annapolis surroundings as to make him
an easy prey to the professional schemers.
But all tillers of the soil are not entirely
reliable when at home. Why should they
be? Why should they be more so than
persons of other pursuits? The mere acts
of ploughing and reaping are not any more
calculated to promote honesty of purpose
and stability of character than any other
modes of activity. But it must be admitted
that when you get a real good specimen OF
an agricultural delegate you get something
worth having. We had one last winter from
I'll in fao NIT ~
having two-that is, two were nominated,
| but as luck and the voters would have it,
one was taken and the other left, and there
is no way of computing what the Cecil
Farmers Club and the State of Maryland
lost by that leaving.
Comment on the essay being in order,
the president called successfully upon
the members and visitors for criticisms.
Mr.. John r. Bond, while not agreeing
with the writer of the essay in the sugges.
lions contained in it relative to protec.
tive tariff, otherwise generally approved
the matter of it.
Mr.. Sutton endorsed the essay in its
entirety as containing good wholesome
| doctrine for farmers as a class, although
confessing himself politically to be a
partizan and believer in individual
leadership in politics generally termed
| boss.ship.
Mr.. Thos. c. Bond approved the ideas
of the writer of the essay upon the desira.
bility of improved methods looking to
securing the best men for offices of public
trust, believing the claims of the people
paramount to those of politicians.
Mr.. 4. r. Magraw declined TO make
any comment on the essay, have heard
but the closing portion of it.
| Mr.. E. Noyes commented on the essay
favorablJ upon its general merits ant
argued the necessity of organization by
farmers as class in defence of thei
interests business and otherwise. Farmers
he thought generally neglected theil
duties as political factors, and if they
were more regardful of their politica
rights, and exercised individually thei
political privileges they would have less
reason to complain of political rings anc
mismansgement in state and local matters
Mr.. John w. Mccullough, although
not being prepared to endorse the TART
ideas of the essayist, in other respects
approved the essay.
Mr.. Ewing declined to comment on thu
essay, although what it contained me-
his approval.
DR.. Cromwell heartily endorsed it, ant
thought favorably of the ideas and sug
gestions it contained, confessing, however
his indisposition to discuss the broad an,
important questions it suggested.
Mr.. Joseph Coudon, like Mr.. Magraw
had unfortunately arrived too late to nea
the essay in its entirety, and on tina
account declined to criticise it.
DR.. Mackall thought favorably of tn
essay, and believed it contained whole
some suggestions and timely truths. Re
ferring to his experience receatly in tn,
Legislature he said that while many o
the members of that body may not hav
possessed the highest qualifications a
useful representatives at Annapolis, ye
the Legislature contained number Q
men conspicuously capable and thor
oughly qualified to represent their con
stituencies. He instanced a number o
the counties of the State as having bee
represented at Annapolis by able an
honest men. While the outcome of tn
session may not have been as prolific q
wise legislation as could have been de