The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-10-09
THE FARMERS, OPPORTUNITY.

Nh EblToR: In view of the approaching
farmers annual carnival at your agricultural
fair. l thought you would permit me TO present
through your paper the following practical ideas
which may be of interest to your farmer readers
/ venture to ask the pardon of personal allu-
sion, when say that q considerable factor of my
own professional life, as we'll as the whole of that
of my father. from 1922 to 1887. when he had
emerged from the service of country. lin the
war of ISLE and l4) and after thatsOf education
for the speciality of a Presbyterian clergyman.
Hartford county has farming area OF 260.OOO
acres, with population OF 22OOO persons. The
county OF Hartford has shown its advancement
on this line of competition above any county OF
the State. in the manufacturing and commercial
world. But behind this advancement In your
commercial and land development, there Is the
great body Of your old routine farming popula-
ton. There are your farms, your painted houses
to the ends of utility and adornment. Your
people. too while evidencing marks of advance
ment on these lines, be 1t now said are an nos
pitable people and may 1t ever be 30 SAID Oh tne
people of Maryland and of the great and old
Middle States, until the entire population of the
snail .eel dhe coatagon ana hs iSnl
lated, selfish, Rrasping social and inhuman SEN
timeut of mere tradesmen, who undervalue
money value. or of the millionaire classes, who
look upon others with effrontery that s offensive
and un-American.
This civilization is not the home of narrow
minded, selfish people, nor of a supercilious class
Of wealth. or to be made SO BY any worldly en-
dowment or social sequestration. The Amerl-
can, whether poor OF rich, is equally the Sover-
eign. ii honor, industry Integrity and character.
are part of himself l know OF no popui ssnn
oughly Illustrate these marks of good, respect
able and valuable people. freed from the airs
and foibles of the foolish and presumptuous,
1han do the farmers of Hartford.
Now. added to this social factor, the American
farmer represents 25 per cent. of the 10 millions
of our vast national population. By irreversl-
Bile laws, segregated into our city and rural
classes. must step forward on the lines or our
civilization trend. The farmers of the republic
IN fhn If e
support by the hunters or forest life. IL Is no
longer a nomadic life. These are the methods
snoe and barbarian I'M fastened upon the pagan
world. The American farmer must stand among
the front ranks of our advancing population.-
Gated. The sons and daughters of the Republic.
who take the prominent places In our city Ire.
vor Of the mai per cent Of the natons
exports giving us balance in trade, are the
fruits of his toll.
nation, the world home for all men and women
who have the manhood and womanhood to be in
dependent. must take care OF itself we can no
longer confine our work to the supply of bread
stutfs corn, potatoes, wheat, oats and nay, and
30. 900. 900 of our population, home consumers of
the farmers products. are engaged in mechani-
cal or manufacturing pursuits. We must adapt
ourselves to the demands of the times. The sur
plus of your products this year. with the provl-
cages with which the American farmers are
blanketed, and but for this our markets would
al that Se
Of l6 millions of the American people shall place
themselves abreast with the worlds current
events. Our National Congress, after long and
disputed legislative discussion. has formulated
code Of national and commercial protection.
1t will be noted to our discredit as State, that
in the assessed valuation OF It's pro-
perty, is one OF only four of its As States, which
has gone back. Our assessed valuation in 1880,
o. ana n 1880 Ssys no. n saaDsss
ourselves to the current issues of the times
This State, in addition to 2S0 0C0 of bay subma-
capable of producing in gross
igures $48 100000 in products annually. and we
nave 7.l19,0OO acres of farming lands. Hartford
county owns 260, 600 acres of farming lands and |
,as an assessed valuation of $l20OO.0O0. This
property ought to produce an annual revenue of
per cent, or s7zO, coo. while its population of
2 1000, If rated per capita with other States, at
81 900 head, this represents a wealth factor of
y, 000,0 600, which at 8 per cent, represents |
u 10000. Thus, the annual Increment of your |
q ooo. ~ '"n' anu p'pu'a''A' '"0u'0 s
Now. what do we mean by keeping abreast
DUR national congress has relinquished it's i'm |
bort. duty upon sugar and coffee, necessities
which we cannot produce, thereby saving to our |
population $lC000O,0OO annually. 1t invites the |
he field of competition, in the culture of the
,roduct; i shuts ont 50 600 900 pounds Of hemp
oreign industry, and 20 600 900 of silk cocoon.
We consume in the United States 100000, 900
'OunQs OF wool. ana produce only 1o4,uU,UUU
'ounds. We need among our American farm
RS So, 600 600 more of sheep producing 336,O000OO
'ounds of wool, as against the present product
# A.000, 600 pounds. Now there Is not per cent.
4 the farmers of Hartford county who are avail
ng themselves of the profits from the tremend
us business issues of these factors. To every
arm of 100 acres. for the purpose of scavengers
f your land. and of annual profit, you ought to
ave Is head of sheep, producing you an annual
evenue OF 500. Pro rata there should be
70 100 600 sheep, or an annual revenue of S520OO0
rom our sheep. You have 1,000 acres of land
dapted to hemp, fax. sugar beet culture, &C., |
nd yet it is doubtful whether any of these ar
icies and others which might be named are cul-
ivated by any of our Hartford or Maryland farm
rs. 80
Now these are but passing ideas which cast
ut, hoping that this aggressive population. the
iarford farmer men and women, will take hold
nd deveiope. say women. because the Ameri-
an woman is coming to the front, to stand be-
ore the world, as God in nature and revelation
esign her-man's equal, no longer his slave or
hattel, the conditions of barbarism.
I heartily congratulate this vast assemblage of
Hartford county upon this gala day of the farm
re- carnival. This is no bull fight show or gladi-
tors display of the barbarism or pagan civilian
ion of the day, or of past centuries, but the bu-
mess carnival of the farming population, the
motoring power of our Christian civilization.
GEO. MORRISON.
Baltimore, Oct. 5. 1891.