Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-09-12
FARMERS INSTITUTE.

AhMhh , 1NoIlIUIh.
An Admirable Address from President |
Ramsey.
The Warren County Farmers In
stitute met in the courthouse on
Monday, September 18th, with good
crowd in attendance and much in
terest was manifested. Sixty mems
bers were enrolled. Several impor-
tant subjects were discussed relating
to agriculture. The Program COM
mittee failed to report, whereupoa
the chairman appointed (on motion
and by consent of the Institute) Jno.
Russ, B. G. Wilkerson and Geo. M.
Smart committee on Program for
the meeting. Said committee re-
ported instanter, to wit:
Your committee suggests you dis
cuss the best manner of sowing
wheat, the best time, manner of SOW
ing and preparing ground, etc., and
that w. H. Smart open the discuss
sion, and that members be requested
to join in the discussion. Time
limited to five minutes. Signed,
B, G. WILKINSON,
G. M. SMARTT,
j. M. Russ,
Committee.
1t was moved that S. Nc. Ramsey
give some suggestions in preparing
ground and the best time to SOW
wheat. Several very good discus
sions were delivered on the subject of
agriculture and a general good in
terest was manifested.
The time for the next meeting was
fixed for the last Saturday in Septem-
Der at the court house in McMinn-
vile.
The following is the address of
President S. Nc. Ramsey in full to
the Institute:
To the Members of the Farmers In
stitute:
Your partialities have assigned me
place on this occasion that to me
is more than embarrassing. There
fore l hope you will indulge me in
reading what 1 have to say.
We have not met here today as
politicians or partisans of any order
neither is it our purpose to form g
combination that will in any man
ner embarras any laudable industry
, We have convened as friends anC
! brethren to interchange opinions
, swap thoughts, and discuss points o
: difference in regard to the most i'm
portant branch of human industry
that Of agriculture. The importanc
. of the freest and fullest discussion Q
"a this subject must appear most oh
O vious upon the slightest reflection
, The capital represented by the farm
ers of this great State and the revt
> nue. derived therefrom should Civ
their number, capital, labor and in
20 fiuence, the highest respect. DO W
T. receive this respect from those er
&c gagged in other pursuits? 1t is CLAIM
o. ed by many that we do not-that I'll
10 farmers are a much abused class
N that the rest of the world conspire
30 together to rob them of their har
~ earnings-that the middle men, Il
n merchant, the railroads, the wi
n trust, the sugar trust, the beef trus
40 and many other imaginary evils, a
n consuming the lions share of Il
III fruits of labor. 1t is also elaine
70 that the governments, both State al
ii National, legislate mainly in the il
no terest of large capitalists. Now &c
90 tlemen, if l believed one-half of til
bo l would quit the farm and engage
os some other pursuit. To think that
n. would have to contend against SUI
odds would excite in me degree
.o+ degradation that would consume {
,ts my energy. Now hope you W
N indulge me in very brief investig
Of ton of some of those charges. Fir
~ That we have felt at times the u
flo eqal operation of laws that may ha
no been unwisely passed, l am free
,oo admit. But how could we expect
of otherwise in a country almost bour
ho less in extent with such diversifi
a. interests. And where inequali
lin does exist are not the farmers the
n selves more to blame on account
roc superior numbers than other class
III. Are we not, right here at hon
,u, much to blame for the shortcomi
INV of many of our laws by Sinking {
all duty to them? Where is the inte
oo. gent farmer who can deny that
of highways of our country are !