The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-26
THE FARMERS INSTITUTE.


The Farmers Institute now in session at
Charlottesville. is the second that has been
held in this State in accord with the original
resolution of the Board Of Agriculture, the
first having assembled in 1880, on the Chats
worth farm below this city. with results so
obviously useful and beneficial that it Is a
cause for congratulation that the experiment
will he repeated
The Charlottesville institute. like its prede-
cessor. the Chatsworth institute. is COM
posed Of body of delegates who, in the point
Of an earnest and intelligent interest IN their
occupation. are unsurpassed by any body OF
men belonging 20 other pursuits who could be
gathered together in the State. The delegates
10 the present institute represent the most
fertile agricultural regions OF the Common
wealth. including the counties of Albemarle,
Madison Rockingham, Shenandoah. Warren
Page. Clarke, and Frederick, the garden spots
of Virginia.
The work which has the attention Of the
institute is that which appeals with the
greatest force TO the largest number of our
people as bearing directly upon the con-
dition Of the calling in life III which they are
engaged in earning subsistence. The bulk
Of the people of this State are dependent upon
agriculture for a support. For this reason
the Charlottesville Institute is a distinctively
representative assembly. in every sense of
the word, representative not only OF the
pursuit Of farming. but of :he body OF the
Virgiuian people and Of the personal ele-
Al 4. 4.
principally rely for prosperity.
1t is gratifying to find that the discussions
which have 50 far marked the proceedings of
the institate have been of an eminentlypractical
character, being confined To topics in which
the welfare II the farming interests Is 50
closely bound up. In two respects only does
it seem to us that the line of discussion in the
s,ssonS Of the institute that have been held
up to ibis time has been open TO adverse COM
ment.
First, We believe that the movement to cur
tail tie salaries of orr State and county OFF
GERS is founded in too narrow spirit 70 re-
ceive general support. These salaries are
small enough a. they now are, being rather
within than beyond the limits Of what is re-
quired, even with very strict economy, 70 Sis
tain the incumbents Of offices in the degree of
respectsbility in their manner OF living. which
IS properly expected Of them. To reduce Off
cial salaries and then pass free coinage bill,
which will necessarily lower still further the
prchasabe power Of the amounts re-
ceived in this form, would be blow
at our official classes, which they would
survive with difficulty if they would survive at
all.
The second point to which we -eferred was
involved in the discussion As 10 the improve
ment Of our public roads. The TINES assents
most warmly to the statement that the pre-
sent condition OF or public roads IS the
source of positive injury To- the interests of
our rural communities but we are constrained
to agree with General Field, even while We
admit that something ought 10 be done, that
the real obstacle in the way is the entire imprac-
ticabiity Of imposing further taxes upon the
people of the various counties 10 Introduce an
improved system Of pablo highways.
Neither the State nor the counties. as a rule,
can at the present time afford 20 spend addi-
tional money even 20 secure an ob~,t Ike
this that Nould undoubtedly confer great
benefit upon every community This j. "A
fact that is to be keenly regretted, but il IS
not the less fact for that reason. and the
farmers themselves would be the first TO
admit it if The supervisors Of their respective
counties were to advance the tax levy TO give
them firm and even highways to every point
of the compass. The time IS not now ripe for
the suggestion, but the day will inevitably
come when it will be.