Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-21
Agricultural Legislation.
IVor tina Disnatch.l

The session of the Legislature is drawing
TO a close. The Farmers Assembly met
here in January. Mr.. Magruder. of Albo-
marie, chairman of the Executive Commit
tee. in his report says that he officially APP
peared before the Democratic convention
last year. He says:
THE Democratic Committee on Resolu-
tions gave me a very patient and courteous
hearing, and embodied the substance OF
one. and the terms themselves of two Of
your measures in their party platform;
thus pledging the party to them as firmly
as the utterances of the convention could
do so. The one providing for State COM
merce or railroad law they seemed afraid
of as aparty measure. though as individuals
many favored 1T. The platform, however,
in addition to the measures Incorporated,
pledges the party. by all proper legisla-
ton, to advance, foster, and secure the agrl-
cultural interest of the State
ION this platform, and on the strength
of these pledges, the party received
heartier support than even its most SAN
guine leaders counted on. and the Legisla-
ture elected on the faith of these promises
will doubtless cheerfully fulfil them in the
spirit in which they were understood by
the voters"
Chairman Magruder then recommends:
"III.-The third measure of the assem-
bly, embraces the promotion OF lmmlgra-
ton and the holding of farmers institutes.
The bills for the accomplishment of these
objects will doubtless be drafted by the
Board of Agriculture, in whose hands we
may safely leave the whole matter, with
renewed expression of our wish that the
immigration of both foreign and native
whites who will become either landowners
or industrious workers, should be pro-
NOTED and encouraged, but far more i'm
portant and desirable is it that our own
energetic young men should be retained in
the State and on the farms, by making agri-
culture more attractive and profitable, and
amongst the means for doing this the
farmers institutes, such as have found
great favor in the North and West. should
be given trial.
1.-THE State Board Of Agriculture should
therefore be given the authority and means
to hold these until it is ascertained whether
they will prove beneficial to our agricultu-
rists or not"
The report Of the Executive Committee
was referred TO an able committee, who
among other things reported this resolu-
ton.
"3d. We earnestly recommend 10 the
Legislature the adoption of such measures
as will promote the interests of immigration
and the holding of farmers institutes,
and refer it to the legislation proposed for
this purpose by the Board Of Agriculture,
which will at the proper time present bills
for these objects" and it was unanimously
adopted.
Now we have the official promise OF the
Democratic party and the official request
of the Farmers Assembly, recognizing as
one of the representatives of the agricul-
turists the State Board of Agriculture. and
we have a Legislature overwhelmingly
Democratic, and tho Farmers Assembly
concluded with the following resolutions:
"That Hons. John NJ Silver, A. b. Light
ner, Robert ii. Tyler, |. A. Pitcher, Il. j.
Anderson, j. $. Hacker, aud w. p.
Dupuy, of the House of Delegates.
and Hons. Thomas NJ. Dunn and W.
II. Dudley. of the Senate, be selected as
committee to take charge Of the
recommendation of the Farmers Assem-
blp, bring the same before the General AS
sembly through the proper committees OF
that body, and use their best endeavors TO
have the same enacted"
Now let the promise be kept. the request
granted. and the State Board of Agncul-
ture sustained in slch manner and form as
the farmer members. TO whom the subject
was committed, shall say is just.