Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-04-26


the New England Indians had precisely
the same method of planting. They dug
little holes in the ground and put small
fishes in along with the seed. At Plym-
outh in 1925 writer said: You may
see in one township hundred acres to-
gether set with these small herrings or
shads, every acre taking thousand of
them; and an acre thus dressed will pro-
duce so much corn as three acres with
out fish, All, Mr.. Secretary, il they had
only had my deep planting along with
the herring in each hill!
Undoubtedly corn saved the early
settlements in America. But for maize
the first colonists would have perished,
and this continent would now be cen
tury or two behind the present mark.
Corn saved the day for our forefathers
when they struggled for independence.
Without corn there would have been no
revolution-no great republic to lead thu
world into new paths Of government.
In the struggle between north and south
in the late war il was corn against cot
ton-two agricultural kings in mortal
combat-and corn was the victor. Why
should not love this beautiful plantl
Moreover" continued the doctor,
placing his hand on the shoulder of the
secretary of agriculture, "corn is today
used for food, directly and indirectly, by
a greater number of the earth's inhabit-
ants than any other article. Mr.. Martin,
of the New York Produce Exchange,
whom ! met only this morning at the
hotel, told me corn was never so popular
in Europe as it is today. The demand
for it over there is SO great that the ex-
port is limited only by the vessel room
available. Yet it is within my recollec-
tion and yours, Mr.. Secretary, when the
exports were mere trife. ! remember
reading as late as 1S47 an official report
which stated in effect that the value OF
Indian corn had been heightened by the
recent introduction of it into Great Brit
ain, and that while it had not at once re-
ceived universal appreciation there was
reason to believe it would win more ia
vor there when more pains were taken
to prepare it for foreign market. When
you and ! were boys, Mr.. Secretary, q
few ships could hold all the corn that
was exported from our shores. Now
whole fleets sail with their holds full Of
the yellow grain and come back for more.
Corn has literally conquered the earth,
and yet we of the prairies burn it in our
stoves"
"WhyT
"There is too much corn. Much as l
love this royal grain, my eyes are not
blinded. Corn is king, but we do not
need to make it tyrant. We must de-
throne it. Thirty years ago the good
people Of section of our country thought
cotton was king, that it ruled the land.
One day 'mudsilP rose in his place in
congress, armed with official documents,
and made the astounding statement that
the hay crop Of the country quite doubled
the value of the crop Of cotton. This
hitherto undiscovered fact disturbed the
stability Of the Union. 1t recast the con-
stitution, freed slaves, made a new ma
ton. We do not want kings on our
farms. Kings are un-American. We
must dethrone corn, and in his place
set republic of diversified crops
We need more wheat, oats, rye, barley,
sorghum, beans, peas, beets, goobers,
hemp and tobacco. Our bins and barns
are literally bursting with corn, for
which there is no market at price that
will repay first cost. Corn absorbs too
much Of our energies, exacts too much
of his subjects"
And when the shades of evening fell,
and the typewriter girls. and the seed