Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-02-26
Partners CONTENTION Il PIKRSVILLg


a Farmers Convention vas held nj
Red Mems Hall. Pikesvilie, Bali.
more county on the llth and 18th in.
slant. A number of important pa.
psrs were read by prominent persons,
and Hon. Frank Brown delivered nm
address. He wss introduced a. the
next governor. and was greeted with
much applause. He spoke as follows:
Mr. President and Fellow Farmers.
AS such address YOU, and feel high.
iy complimented at the invitation 10
De present with you on this occasion.
dseming that my connection with your
interests was the direct source of your
Kind courtesy. am proud to be re.
cognizsd as with and among the farm.
ers; from my earliest childhood and. in
fact. throughout my life. every effort
and aim has been to promote the farm.
ing interest.
There is no part of the work of a
farm that have not learned thor.
oughly. The dawn of the day has
found me IN the field with the cradle
or plough in hand; and the sun has
gone down behind the Western hills.
as trudged. tired. but buoy ant, to the
farmers home. These things I say
to you. gentlemen. that you may un.
derssand the feelings which actuste
me in oil that concerns the farmer and
his pursuits.
1t 10 the pride and truthful boast
OF Americans that we have the best
system of government known to man.
The fundamental principles of this
government were wrought out at a
period when the sgicultural pursuit
was the most important and the lead.
ing industry of this country. The
men who framed spd carried to sue.
csssful establishment this grand fab.
rlc were farmer boys; and amid the
helds, hills and wales the inspiration
OF freedom came that made us /. ma.
tion. The great and leading r.ind,
OF this country at that time were pa.
triotic-absolutely so-in every sense;
and, thas it ever occurred to you) that
the secret Of this was in the ayocation
OF their lives. Self.sacrifics il the
cardinal principle of patriotism: and
sslf-defsnce from oppression is the cor.
ner stone in the Temple of Freedom.
Then this great aud thorough system
OF government was established bv
men whose occupation was such a. TO
place them in a position looking 10
the greatest good to the greatest mum.
Der. Under this system, the farmer.
with his broad acres. could work out
for himself a fortune, which needed
no goad but industry and frueslity;
they then possessed the wealth aud in.
tiuence Of the nation; and through.
and by it. we attained = prosperity
and progress which amazed the ma
tions Of the old world.
Contrast that time with the present.
look at the condition of the apricui.
turist in the heydey Of his prosperity;
and now in the day of bis adversity.
The farmer Of today 10 az active, pa.
triotic and intelligent as the farmer
OF that day; in fact, his Information
and advantages are superior in many
respects; more varied 40 10 being we'll
read, and greater by far az to oppor.
tunities in improved machinery. Yet,
with oil this his labor today brings
him but pi,tance where once he
lived in opulence.
/ do not wish to become an alarm.
ist by overdrawing the picture; but a
Retrospective view Of the past plain.
ly shows to US that we are drifting TO.
wards utter and absolute ruin % indi.
vidual land owners and farmers. To
see this as / do. and remain silent.
would be Q dsreliction of duty, not
only as 0 man and q nsighbor, but as
citizen of this grand old common.
wealth.
Have any Of you gentlemen seen
the statements recently published as
to the condition of farmers in New
Eogland2 Why, in New Hampshire,
the State Commissioner reports 800
abandoned farms; and that in one
neighborhood there are eight farms
adjoining entirely deserted, with the
country roads grown up in bushes,
and at many points imp asssbls. In
Vermont farms are offered for sale nc
from "a TO S5 per acre. with almost
every farm for sale. And so on. we
could picture the destitute condition
Of our brother farmers in New Eng.
land.
In many parts Of the South. instead
OF the mansions on the plantation,
with its white owner improving. man.
sging and bsartifying the surround
ings Of his home. and directing with