The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-02-14
FARMERS CONVENTION AT
PIKESVILLE.
Address of Hon. Frank Brown.

read by prominent persons, and Hon. FRANK brown
delivered an address. He was introduced as the
next governor, and was greeted with much APP
plause. lie spoke as follows:
Mr. President and Fellow Farmers: As such l
address you, and feel highly complimented at the
invitation to be present with you this occasion,
deeming that my connection with your interests
was the direct source of your kind courtsey. | am
proud to be recognized with and among the
farmers From my earliest childhood, and, in fact,
throughout my life, every effort and aim has been
TO promote the farming interest.
There is no part of the work of a farm that have
not learned thoroughly. 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, l trudged, tired, but buoyant to
the farmers home. These things l say to you,
gentlemen, that you may understand the feelings
which actuate me in all that concerns the farmer
and his pursuits.
Its the pride and truthful boast of Americans
that we have the best system of government known
to man. The fundamental principles of this gov
ernment were wrought out at a period when the
agricultural pursuit was the most important and the
leading industry of this country. The men who
framed and carried TO successful establishment this
grand fabric were farmer boys; and amid the fields,
hills and wales the inspiration of freedom came that
made us a nation. The great and leading minds of
this country at that time were patriotic absolutely
so-n every sense; and (has it occurred to YOU
that the secret of this in the ayocatiOn of their
lives. Selfsacrifcc is the cardinal principle of
patriotism: and selfdeieuce from oppression is the
corner stone in the Temple of Freedom. Then this
great and thorough system of government was es-
tablishcd by men whose occupation such as to
place them in position looking to the greatest good
TO the greatest number Under this system, the
farmer with his broad acres could work out for
himselfa fortune, which needed no goad but in
dustry and frugaty they then possessed the wealth
and influence of the nation; and through, and by it,
we attained prosperity and progress which amaZ'
ed the nations ofthe old world.
Contrast that time with the present; look at the
condition of the aSriculturst in the heydey of his
prosperity, and now in the day of his adversely
The farmer Of today is active, patriotic and III
teigcnt as the farmer of that day in fact his ifor
nation and advantages are superior in many re-
specs more varied as to being well read and greater
by far as to opportunities in improved machinery
Yet with all this his labor today brings him but q
pittance, where once he lived in Opulence.
do not wish to become an alarmist by overdraw
ing the picture but retrospective view Of the pas
plainly shows to US that drifting toward:
utter and absolute ruin individual land owner
aud farmers. To see this as do, and remain silent
would be derelction of duty, not only as man
and neghbor, but as citizen of this grand Ole
commonwealth.
Have any of you gentlemen seen the statements
recently published as to the condition of farmers III
New England? Why, in New Hampshire, the State
Commissioner reports 500 abandoned farms; and
that in one neghborhood there are eight farms ad
Joining entirely deserted, with the country roads
grown up in bushes, and at many points impossible
In Vermont farms offered for sale at from So Il
So per acre, with almost every farm for sale. AND
so on, we could picture the destitute condition o
our brother farmers in New England.
In many parts of the South, instead of the man
sions on the plantation, with its white owner i'm
proving, managing and identifying the surround
ings of his home, and directing with zeal, energy
and industry, we find farming districts almos
entirely deserted by the white man, and it is Otter
the case that farms portioned of into one, two
three and fourhorse cultivation, as they are called
and the negro who owns one horse, or furnishes
labor TO work one horse rents that portion to till
and on with the number of horses; the result be
ing that it requires the entire revenue of the crop
sustain the life of those who labor with nothing foi
the owner.
| Look at the Vest In Illinois, oil land alone, the
increase of mortgage indebtedness in seven ycar
from 1880 to 1850 SiI 9jS00O and this Indebted
ness still increases it is impossible for the farmer
to make living and pay the interest on their debt
The State Board OF Agriculture published officially
that the farmers of that State lost the crod
of 1880 -. 1882
! In Michigan the State Labor Bureau of Statistics
reports that the farms that State are mortgaged to
the amount of $50 600 at average interest o.
per cent, and to pay the interest on the farm
mortgages for 1889 would have required 555il more
! bushels of wheat than net crop amounted TO.
! am told that in many sections of Kansas starva
! ton stares the farmer in the face.
The great State of Pennsylvania is not exempt
from the general depression and the depreciation
in farm values for the past ten years has been fully
| 40 per cent
In the State of New York official reports give the
same deplorable condition.
In New jersey where diversified farming is fol
lowed to its fullest extent the Board of Agriculture
of Salem county officially reports decrease in farm
values of 40 per cent and in many instances iarm'
in some of the finest and most productive sections
that State have decreased in value in the past sever
years 50 per cent.
Now farmers, these are facts. We have idly per
mitted, and oflimes sanctioned, the methods o
governmental policy which has brought upon u
the evils and mislorluues of our times. From the
great leading forces of thought action and influence
we have fallen TO the position of supplicans From
the proud position of aIluence aud wealth. we have
become the debtors of mankind.
Then pardon me If should appear to disagree
with some of you in bringing to your attention wha
l sincerely believe to be among the causes of thi
deplorable change / am speaking from
honest convictions, and l ask the forbearancc Of
anyone who may feel that have taken advantage
of this opportunity TO express views of pOlilca
nature
We haze come together TO speak as man to man
as farmer to farmer-and it is best that we should
speak out and be plain. l thoroughly believe ant
am convinced of the fact, that the present depor
able condition of the agricultural interests Of th
country is largely due to the effect of class legsla
ton Dracticed by Congress for the past quarter of
century. Upon the ruins of agriculture has beer
amassed fortunes of untold wealth in individual
and corporate capacity The farmer finds himsel
the victim of all the evils of protective tariff, with
out its supposed benefits. The promised home
market be has found to his cost if not to his ruin
is a delusion and snare. He is being heavily tax
ed for the benefit of the whole list of these assisted
industries that rob him of his working force, while
the labor saving machines of the prairie farms Of
the Vest stimulated by lavish gifts of lands of set
tiers and subsidies to railroads, ruinously reduce
the prices of his products in the home market"
Itreauires no vast amount of statesmans lore tC
note the fact that when the farmers are driven tC
the verge of bankruptcy, then follows in its wake
financial reyerses which set at naught the sophistry
of those who try to explain the dement's OF onerous
taxation The burden of this government. in its en-
tirety cannot be borne by the toilers and consumers
There must be an equalizng of this burden; and in
self-delencc they are combining throughout thi'
country to make their power and influence felt IN
the halls oflegislation.
Railroads haYe been granted rights of way and
aided by State, city and county subscriptions manu-
facturers have been invited by land grants and ex
emption from taxes ships have been subsidized tc
aid commerce; rivers, creeks and tributaries have
had their appropriations. Now let something be
done for the farming industry which lies stranded
and PROSTATE.
What other industry in this condition would not
! be seeking redress Mass meetings would be held
petitions, with thousands of signatures, would be
placed before the law makers for some action TO re-
lievc.
The general government can so far, in all fair
ress to remedy these evils under which the farmer
has been brought to his present condition. do not
mean by this class legislation, but hold the doc
trine that when a vast industry is crippled beyond
selfresusctation that il Is the privilege of the gov