Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-08-22
SECRETARY MoRToN's SPEECH.
AT the Farmers Institute at Manas.

SECRETARY MOTIONS SPEECH,
AT the Farmers Institute at Manas.
sas yesterday Secretary Morton's ad-
dress was the feature of the day. He
led off with glowing tribute to the
State and its people, stating that he
did not know which to admire most,
the State in its past, with its history of
great achievements, it's chivalrous men
and their deeds, or the present posi-.
bilities of the State. He illustrated his
attitude toward the State and its peo-
pie in this connection by very pretty
Persian fable. He then talked to the
people assembled about their State
from the view point of the head of the
Agricultural Department. He told
them what he had learned about the
farming lands of Virginia since becom-
ing Secretary of Agriculture, and
pointed out that land selling for ten
and fifteen dollars an acre near Manas.
sas was better land by far, and much
nearer to markets, than land selling in
the far West, away from railroad COM
munication, for much more money.
He spoke of the wisdom of careful in
tensive farming as compared with e1.
tensive farming.
This country imports" he said,
lover one million dollars worth Of
potatoes yearly. There is no need for
this. Such crop could be raised in
this country, and should be, if the
farmers of this land are to get all out
of their farms they should. The
glsmor and fascination of the ma.
chine crop is over every farm, and there
is too great desire to relegate hand
farming to the ranks of the things obso.
lete. The hand crops pay, however, and
in many cases where extensive farming
with machines and great acreage have
failed, and the farm owners have been
forced to give up their holdings, Others
have come upon the ground, and by an
intelligent system of intensive farming
have sustained themselves in great
numbers on the same land on which
one man failed to get crops enough by
machine methods to make farming pro.
fitable." Mr.. Morton then pointed out
the great possibilities in farming in Vir.
ginia.
1T have just been over the fruit farm
of Mr.. Robert Portner of your town.
he said, "and have seen the boughs Of
pear trees hanging to the ground, al.
most breaking under the great strain
upon them. In line of several hun.
dred trees there was not a tree that did
not have prop under its limbs to keep
the fruit from breaking down the trees.
In the face of such examples as these it !
is idle to talk of the land in this section
being worn out or poor land. The land
is fit. 1t only remains to till it proper.
ly and get out of it all there is in it,
Mr.. Morton then wound up his talk
with lecture upon the wisdom of using
the best tools in farming and the best
fertilizers. I'm no other direction
said he, "can the farmer make more
costly mistakes"
General Roy Stone, chief of the di. +
vision Of roads of the Agricultural De.
partment, then discussed at length the
ACCESSIBILITY of securing decent roads {
before farming could be made to pay in Z
any section. He advocated the use Of
convict labor in the quarries in prepar.
ing stone for roads, and urged the farm
ers to recognize in the bicyclist friend
and assistant in the good cause, doing
more good to produce good roads for
the farmer than the farmer himself had
ever done.
An address in the same line was de-
livered by a. L. Anderson, president
Of the Good Roads Society of Virginia.
In the evening an address on the re.
lations of plants to man was delivered
by Prof. Charles A. Keffer, chief OF the
forestry division of the Agricultural
Department. The meeting was closed
for the day by a speech from Hon.
Thomas Whitehead, commissioner Of
agriculture. TIE night session took
place at the Methodist Episcopal
Church, Judge Nicol presiding. The
institute will close this evenining.
Yesterday evening Secretary Nor.
ton and q number of his friends
were the guests of Mr.. Robert Portner
at lunch, returning to Washington Oh
the eight o'clock train. Representa-.
tive Meredith held the foot of the table
opposite Mr.. Portner. Secretary Nor
ton was at Mr. Portner's right hand.
eve ought to thank you, Secretary
Norton said Judge Nicol, "for the r
good you've done our State"
"Since that publication" said Score
tary Morton, "I'd be afraid to say how IS
many letters I've received asking how
to buy FIRMS in Virginia"
"Well, Virginia, " said Representative
Meredith, "feels deeply grateful to you b
Mr.. Seer. tary, and she may find a way
through her delegation OF expressing e
her gratitude in the next convention
"I've no sort of doubt" said one Of
the gentlemen, ''but the next delega'
lion from Virginia will vote for Mr.
Morton for President"
The Secretary laughed and shook bis
head. 'pm free to say, gentlemen
'nid he, "while I appreciate the CON.
oliment you pay me, that when l ge.
through with my present Office Pm en-.
;irely and completely done. 1 shall
never hold another. AS for the Presi'
lency, it will probably, as nomina'
ion in the next democratic convention
20 East. Perhaps Whitney, perhaps
olney, possibly somebody else ofths
East.n Eli
Secretary Morton clearly has in mind { +
he purcl ase ola Virginia farm, eithfI :
It Manassas or somewhere else.