The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-01-20
FARMERS CONVENTION
Addresses by Alfred s. Niles and
James Robinson.
HOME RULE IN TAXATION
TRUCKING IN MARYLAND.
Points For Farmers 10 Consider


L. Silver, was in the chair, with VIM. l.. AmOss
and WIN. b. Hopkins Secretaries.
Mr.. Silver, on taking the chair, thanked the
convention for the honor of being called upon
to preside over ITS proceedings and said he was
glad to lend his aid in any enterprise whereby
the furmcr may be benefited. His address
was excellent At its conclusion he introduced
Mr.. Alfred ;. Niles, of Baltimore, who made an
admirable address ON the subject of Home
Rule i'll Taxation i'll Maryland"
Mr. Niles said that public sentiment is arous-
cd ON the subject of taxation. He compared
the condition of the state i'll this regard to Il
sick man, to whom one person recommends
hot bandagcs and mustard and another SuE-
gcStS ice. External remedies, such the
Hayes bill or any other new general assess
mcnt, will not cure the disease, but only sOothe
the pain. The only thing that will effect II cure
in his opinion, is that the city of Baltimore and
each county should have power To assess them
selves.
Each city. town and county is suffering from
local taxation not from state taxation and amy
assessment which would reach the so-calcd
tax-dodgers of Baltimore city would not have
AN appreciable effect IN lcsscning the State tax
rate His remedy is to let the whole State fix
the assessment and the rate for State taxes and
let the city of Baltimore and each county mia T.
its own assessment and fix its own rate for city
or county purposes, taxing or eNempting what
each pleaScS.
Under the present system and under the
Hayes law the county taxes are based upon the
Stute assessment. The Hayes bill, too, would
hu, e taken from the people of Havre de Grace,
Bel Air and fourteen or fifteen other towns the
power they now exercise of assessing property
within their limits for town purposes. He
argued that the people of Hartford county
should have power to exempt the farmers
tools and Implements and the poor mans furni-
turc to the amount of $3.50 il they please,
without any injustice 10 any other county.
The counties, he said, are clamorIng for IL
new assessment law, thinking it would i'll some
way reduce their taxes Under the present
assessment
city and county, Governor Browns veto not
outstanding. He showed that Baltimore city
pays 81 per cent. of all the state taxes and
said that Hartford and other counties receive
more than they pay IN state taxes. Mr.. Niles
suggested the election of men TO the Lcgisla
turc who are ill favor of Home Rule in Taxa
ton and if il be found that such measure is
unconstitutional, who will submit titu-
tiOnal amendment to the people allowing this
privilege. The principle is that the people who
pay the taxes and spend them should have the
right to say how those taxes sho- ld:be lai
Mr.. Niles urged the formation of clubs in the
counties of the State for the purpose of advanc-
ing this principle. He was listened to with
earnest attention by an int .lgent audience
composed of representative farmers of the
county.
At the afternoon session an interesting adj
dress on Trucking was delivered by Mr. James
Robinson, of Anne Arundel county. Mr.. Rob
inSOn, besides being practical farmer, Is
clear and forcihlc speaker. The lines of agri-
culture. ne said, have enlarged and divcrgcd,
during the last few years, and staple aErit.ul-
turc now fails to be rcmunerative and has been
abandoned i'll many places. In his county last
fail not II single buShcl OF wheat was SOwed and
no corn is raised, the farmers getting more out
of their land by trucking. Trucking is divided
into two kinds, the truckers proper and the
gardeners. Ii il Il matter of fact that none of
the class of produce truckers raise, such a
cabbage, lettuce, kalr, &c., pays in the neigh
borhOOd where il is grown but must be shipped
To more nerthcrly markets.
Another class of truckers pays attention To
fruits and makes money out of them. The
question is whether the enlargement of this in
dustry will not break down the profits, but
clearly the prospect tor profit is brighter now
than it has been for thirty or forty years.
Up to 1880 tomatoes were grown merely as
curiositicS and were called love apples"
were put up last year ana the prices are now
sufficient to satisfy any Gamer i'll Hartford
county if he had any to sell.
The cultivation OF straw berries has largely
increased in Anne Arundel county. In 1874 it
was reported that Il farmer had sold 800 quarts
of Strawberries in Baltimore city for $40 and
the report was not believed. From the same
farm 100000 quarts were sold last year. The
current year over ,OOOoOO quarts of straw
berries were sold from Anne Arundel county
to Northern markets-to Montreal and Quebec.
The market demand for tine fruits Is ahead
of the supply. After all was done New York
and New Jersey furnished the local supply to
Maryland at l. cents Il quart.
Mir. RuriuSOn said he had no idea that garden
ing would SUIT Hartford county. In order to
grow Vegetables successfully the trucker must
he where II large amount of manure can be OBJ
tanned III order To ccp up the fertility OF his
land. The cost of getting cabbage to market
in quantities is too great To make il II paying
crop except near market. he'd raSpberTics
could he grown in Hartford county and sent to
Northern markets ut At large profit. lie had
obtained Is cents quart for them in Pitts
burg.
The field for profit in tomatoes has not yet
been scratched. II the Gamers Ill HarIord
county would start tlcir plants in n hot-bed
early i'll the SpIilg, be- prepared to ship tnlna-
toes curly to Northern markets and puck the
residue they would make III ImItry more than
by packing tn" whole crop. Last year, up to
the 10Th al August, he EGt one dollar II basket
for tomatoes.
Thc opportunities of shipping 10y means of
refrigerator cars has only been appreciated by
truckers within the last t1vc years
He would not advise farmers who are not
familiar with the cultivation of strawberries
or raSpbcrrcS to abandon at once what they
are now doing, but To feel their way along I'M
I'll they know now To grow thess fruits. Ii is
as easy Ia grow Strawberries or raSpberres
protitahly ON Hartford county farms that are
II railroad AS II Is III Anne Arundel county.
Mr.. Robinson said if several farmers are
raising these fruits and arrange to load II car
together the freight to Northern murhcts Is
materially reduced.
The varieties of raspberres recommended by
Mr. Robinson were Delaware, Brandy wInc.
Cuthbert or Queen of the Market. The stock
should be gotten from good nursery and they
will soon increase. The plants can be set out
from time to time until the middle of July.
There is more money in Strawberries than in
any other fruit There is no ideal berry. Such
Il berry would be early, of large size, product
distant markets. The SharplcSs has size but is
too soft, is late and is unpopular in some mar
kets. The earliest is Michei's Early and HON.
man. The one single berry that commands at
tentiun IL the Kentucky. Hr. Robinson ex-
planned the difference between pistillutc and
staIninatt straw ferries and those with perfect
bloom. The Kentucky has perfect bloom.
The Bubuch Is is-lllutc and must be planted
with StamInatc varieties to make il bear.
If farmers would 20 into trucking they must
have better system of public roads. Under
the present arrangement II large amount of
money is waste Il and large amount would be
wasted under any system unless il is expended
under intelligent guidance and direction.
Farmers need science, which is another name
for ,nOwl ledge, along the whole line of I'M
prOvrmcnt, and whenever any rOud system is
adopted, If it is to DC economical and success
full II Will have to be under the elements of civil
engineering.
The than, $ of the association, by Il rising
vote. WEE given IL McSsrs. Niles ana Robinson
for their excellent addresses.
MFR. Robinson said he would be glad to an
Swcr any questions relating to growing fruits
Ia the best varieties either then or by adj
r"s-ing him at College Park, Anne Arundel
county, Md.
MIR \. Haviland Hull offered tine following
resolution which was adopted unanimously:
Res0lced, That this convention approves the
the plan of road-mcnding embodied in tine me-
mortal prcsCntcd to the County Commissioners
by the Deer Greek Farmers Club and earnestly
urges its adoption.
Mr. Hull said no subject was of greatctcr in
tcrest and Importance 10 farmers than the
public roads and the people of the county
ought to be grateful to the Deer Creek Farm
crS Club for its movement in favor of road inn
prOvement. The plan will give us better roads
at once and looks to Il more judiciOus eXpendi-
ture of the road money. If put in operation it
will prevent the great and rapid increase in
taxation for roads.
The memorial prepared by the club and pre-
scented to the Commissioners was read by the
Secretary and explained i'll detail by the Presi
dent of the Association.
1t was announced that meeting will be held
in the Court House ON Friday. January 27th.
for the purpose of organizing Road League
i'll Hartford county.
The attendance was large and included many
of the most prominent and influential farmers of
the county.