The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-14


( with the thanks of the body.
Hon. w. H. Warren, of Augusta, said
that he regretted that the time of holding
Q the congress conhicted with the close OF
the exposition, as he would have been
very glad to have had the members at
tend it.
FOR THOROUGH AGRICULTURE.
The congress listened to an address by
/. Hon. w. X. Rankin, of Tennessee, upon
the subject of "Clean, Thorough Agricul-
4 ture."
Mr.. Rankin's address was a thorough,
sound and sensible paper upon improved
/ agriculture by a man evidently thor
[ oughly acquainted with his subject.
There is no more vital subject to the
farmers, and to the country at large, he
said, than that OF thorough, intelligent
/ agriculture. Unfortunately, he said, there
| is so much farming land that a system of
! careless culture has become the rule
| which has not only brought farming into
! disrepute, but has injured the interests
! of the farmers as well.
In any other occupation, Mr.. Rankin
| said, it is required that those pursuing it
should have had some instruction and ex-
| perience-should have served some APP
| premiership in the business he proposed
| to follow. In farming alone was it be-
| Heved that any man, no matter how igno-
rant, could be farmeT-could sow, plow
i 0il0 rap Ms d COuSG4 Q6uCE. nc Sdlu,
| there is no industry in which labor re-
| ceives so small return, or is less product
| i've, as in agriculture. AS an instance of
! this, he said that the statistics showed
that the average yield of corn per acre
/ throughout the United States was % clio
| bushels per acre.
This he directly attributed to the farm
| er's lack of study and preparation for his
| business. AS result of it, he said, a
| large proportion of the farmers are
| steadily going deeper in debt, and are
| rapidly becoming hewers of wood and
drawers of water for the money lenders
of the country.
THE IMPROVEMENTS IN FARMING.
The improvements and facilities which
| invention and development have added to
agriculture, as contrasted with the rude
conditions with which our forefathers
/ commended, and the encouragement given
! to agriculture by the government were
| instanced as reasons why things should
not be as they are.
Many reasons, Mr.. Rankin said, were
| alleged to account for the low prices of
| the farmers products and the general de-
| preston of agriculture. Spectators, he
said, were blamed for depressing prices,
| yet there are as many spectators inter
ested IN high prices as there are in low
| prices.
The railroads are charged with taxing
the farmers too high rate for the trans
| portation of his products and yet the
| railroads do not seem to prosper. Many
| of them are unable to pay their fixed in-
debtedness and numbers are in the hands
of the courts. The banks and the
| being in league against the
farmers, yet investigation will show,
said Mr.. Rankin, that the interest of the
| moneyed men are not antagonistic to the
| interests of the farmers. Commerce aud
| agriculture go hand in hand and one is af-
| fected by the prosperity or lack of it in
the other.
The trouble is not with the bankers.
| The trouble is with the farmers them
| selves. There is an inexorable law of
| supply and demand which is said to regu-
late prices, but the trouble with the
| farmers is not that they produce too
much, but that they do not produce
| enough.
They are exhausting the fertility of
theirlands without receiving adequate
| returns.
Mr.. Rankin concluded with the eulo-
| giumiupon industry, earnestness and intel
| lgence as the principles which are to
raise the farmers from the present slough
of despond in which they have fallen.
MIR. Rankin's paper was as strong as
any read before the congress.
BUSINESS METHODS.
| Business Methods In Farming" by
| the Hon. w. II. Warren, of Augusta,
| proved one of the most interesting papers
read before the congress. 1t was a good
deal upon the same line as that of Mr..
Rankin's, and emphasized many of the
points advanced in the latter's address.
After an experience of twenty years in
agriculture and fifteen years in COM
merce Mai. Warren said that he was
convinced that of all occupations more
| business Judgment was required in farm
ing than in any other profession.
Organization and business methods in
farming were laid stress upon as necessi-
| ties for success in agriculture. EXecu-
tive ability was mentioned as another
| necessity for success.
1 The most important step to secure the
| best results, in my opinion" he said, "is
education. While collegiate course is
not necessary, the knowledge OF
the elementary branches, together
some agricultural institute with a sho ri
course of bookkeeping are necessities for
entire success in agriculture. "
How the 81, DOC, 600 people who live upon
the 100000 farms of this country man
age to maintain themselves with the loose
methods followed in our agriculture, is a
mystery. 1t would be interesting to know
olAN lOS 1.-Two Al Vic IllDIOQEn LlCbnOQo per
tanning among business men were
followed
Better educational facilities were laid
stress upon by Maj. Warren as necessities
for the agricultural regions.
The farmers should keep up with the
market reports of the daily papers, MAJ
Warren said, yet few of them take any
agricultural publication even.
WOULD PAY TIE FEDERAL DEBTS.
As an instance of the grand proportions
reached by agrlcultur in this country
Maj. Warren said that the value of the
grass crop alone of the United States fol-
ten years, would pay of all the govern
ment debt and leave enough money in thu
treasury to run the government for one
year, including the pensions.
| Maj. Warren's advice was received
with great applause.
The discussion of the two papers was
then taken up
President George A. Stockdell, of the
Rhode Island Agricultural Society, said
that in his state the farmers had to make
the most of their opportunities, with {
state so small that it hardly made spo
on the map. He mentioned the industries
of Rhode Island as an instance of what
agriculture had accomplished there
There are 1000 farms in Rhode Island
of which 52l are valued at S4,26l 900
All these farms were less than one acre
| he said, and the value of their products