Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-08-17
Woodlawn Farmers Club

reported for the Alexandria GazetteI
The annual niee,irg of the Woodlawn
Farmers Club was held at the home of
President Pierson ON the 10.h of August.
The threatening weather of the early part
of the day caused smaller attendance than
usual. There being two speakers present
the regular bueness was deferred until the
nt 1t meeting, and the president Introduced
the Hon. Thomas Whitehead, State Com.
missioner of Agriculture, who began his ad.
dress by stating that 1t was pleasure to
him to be present at this time. Although ne
had been engaged in many cnllings bis hob
by was agriculture. He was pleased TO note
the great improvement that had taken place
i'm this section since he was last here, whiCh
was duriog the "late unpeasantness," and
said it looked as if it were easier to get plen.
ty to eat now, than at the time he WAS here
before. He gave some account of the opera
tious of the State Board of Agriculture and
of the kind of men the board was composed
of, they being all successful farmers and
deeply interested 10 the work. He thought
the legislature had made mistake on strik-
ing out the section of the agricultural bill
providing for farmers institutes. He spoke
of the urgent need of more people 10 the
State to develop her resources and OF the
efforts that had been made to induce imml-
grafton. Said he had been offered all the
immigrants he wanted by the authorities at
New YORK, but told them to please turn the
spout of Castle Garden another way-we did
not want the offsoourings of Europe here.
If he would be allowed to make choice of
people to settle in Virginia he would first
draw on New Jersey. then Pennsylvania,
then New York and New England and the
| west. He wanted men of means, but above
all, working men, and with families. He is
blunt but pleasant speaker The address
was intersperse3 with many lively sallies
and quite interested the audience.
The next speaker was the Hon. G. D.
Wright, q s. Commissioner of Labor. He
had been reared upon farm aud loved to
attend the gatherings of the toiling sors of
the soil whenever he could do 30. He had
not been we'll for the last week or 30 and
was not prepared for any extended address,
h"t would read humorous essay on the
n.g, subject he had not known to be at.
tempted on occasions of this sort. 1t was
well written, evinced much thought, con-
tanned many happy hits and was we'll re-
ceived.
Major Hine replied to some of the re-
marks of Col. Whitehead and stated that
one cultI cause OF tue OluCul6y IN seCuElpS
the right kind of settlers in the State was
the social ostracsm that existed in many
sections; ne was cognizant of many instances
of this kind and knew of member who had
left On this account.
Col. Whitehead remarked that there were
more or less fools in every community; be
knew they existed 10 the northern States too
but said that sort of thing was dying out,
as it should.
f E. Mason thought the matter OF social
intercourse was, in great measure, heredi.
tary or Influenced by education and early
training; the people OF the two sections
were entirely different In many respects
the colony of Virginia was settled by people
from the rural districts of England who
held their land In large estates and spirit
OF excusiveness was the result, while the
New Eogland States were settled mainly
by people from the towns. DlversiGed in
dustries and closer mngling of the people
was the consequence.
The speakers were accorded vote of
thanks and the meeting adjourned to par
take of the eatables that had been provided
for the occasion. Soon the roll of distant
thunder admonisbed us that some more
"weather" was afoot and the crowd began
te disperse.
The next meeting will be held at Lewis
GiIIugham's on the 7th of September.
W. GILLINGHAM, Secretary.