The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-08-20
Farmers Picnic.

several thousand attended.
Long before the invited guests and
speakers, with the Frederick City con-
tingeht had arrived, hundreds OF the
county's sturdy farmers with their
hearty, rosy checked wives aud daugh-
tiers had reached the grounds in
wagons and carriages.
Among the guests were: John II.
Brigham, Assistant Secretary of Agri-
culture; Willis II. Moore, chief of the
! United States Weather Bureau; b. II.
Warner and Dr. w. G. Boteler. of
Washington, ID. c.; Prof. Sylvester,
president, aud VIM. l.. AmOss, of the
Maryland Agricultural College: ID.
Columbus Kemp, president of the
Farmers Institute; Col ID. c. Wine
brener, Prof. Cyrus f. Flock. Dr. Il. r.
Miller, William l.. Lakin, Charles n.
HaIgett, John +. Best, ID. V. Stouffer,
VIM. Nj. Crimmins, James p Perry
aud Others.
The visitors were much impressed
with the varied beauty of the scenery
on the trip up the mountain. and from
/ the observatory. Prot. Moore christen-
ed the land the Garden of Eden"
| The f. Il NJ. eos could not accom-
MEDIATE the people that thr0nged to
the Heights, and by noon-tide the
\ grounds were crowded.
The ample baskets were poured out
upon the green, and happy families
and friends circled around. The plen-
teous fare, no less than the smiles that
beamed in every face betokened this
summers marvellous wheat crop, aud
still more marvellous high prices for it.
Wheat and the coming corn crop were
the enlivening themes, with here and
! there an undercurrent of politics.
The speeches were thoroughly enter
tanning, aud the great feature of the
meeting.
Mr. b. H. Warner expressed his
pleasure in attending meeting as
characteristic as this was of the
strength aud temper of the agricultur-
alists of this section of Maryland, the
garden spot of the country. He claimed
that the farmer could do no greater
service to his country than study in
diligently the political situation and
carefully examine the merits of those
who aspire to Office, and vote both in
| the primaries and at the polls accord
ing to the views such study and such
an examination engendered.
Prof. Otis F. Mason confined his re-
marks to the primitive farmer, illustra-
ting his words with specimens of early
! agricultural implements from his col
| lections.
Prof. r. w. Sylvester urged the adj
yantages of the Maryland Agricultural
College to the young men of the State,
and earnestly eXhorted the farmers to
send their sons, that scientific farming
might become general throughout the
State. The various lines of work COW
cred by the colleges courses were cx-
planned, and its facilities and equip
ments described in detail.
The orator of the day was Col. Jos.
II. Brigham, Assistant Secretary of
Agriculture, who spoke in the after
noon. He is typical western farmer,
SIX feet six inches in height and weighs
260 pounds. He spoke for an hour
upon husbandry in its many branches,
and his words were carefully needed
by the large audience.
Prof. Willis Il. Moore told of the
wonderful forces of the air, the meth
DDS used by the weather bureau to
measure them and the system of gath
ering reports by telegraph for the max
ing of forecasts.
DR.. w. G. Boteler concluded the
speaking by delivering an address upon
marvellous Maryland" The attrac-
tive feature of climate, soil and facilI-
ties, and the distinguished characters
in the glorious history of the State,
warmed up the speaker into fervid
tribute to her brilliant sons, who carved
their names on the pinnacle of fame
here and throughout the country.
COL. BRIGHAM's SPEECH.
at is expected on such occasions
that subjects pertaining to the farm
and the farmer will be considered.
There seems to be a general acquies-
cence in the fact that conditions
which have surrounded the agricul-
turalist for the past few years have not
been satisfactory or conducive to his
prosperity. The chief cause for this
depression seems to be the low prices
received for agricultural products. Va
rious causes have been assigned for low
prices; some of them of partizan
character, and not proper for discus
sion at non-partiZan gatherings such as
this. Still it is the duty of the farmer
TO investigate and ascertain the real
these conditions.
The farmer should keep in mind
that with increased production and no
correspondingly increased demand it
is utterly impossible to maintain fnir
prices. The enormous crops of wheat
produced in 1891 and 1892, $4,000, 900,
and 5l6,000,000 bushels respectively,
with increased production abroad, de-
pressed the average value per bushel
from SO S-10ths cents in 1891 to GA
2-l0ths cents IN 1892 and to SO S-10ths
in 1893.
"He went on to show that the farmer
did not make more money out of large
crops than out of medium crops, but
that the price has more to do with his
prosperity than the quantity produced.
1.-THE farmer has been at a disadvan-
tage in the unequel division of the bur-
den of taxation. There has been no
reduction is this burden, rather an in
crease, since the public expenses have
not decreased, and the very wealthy
classes and corporations have success
fully evaded their fair proportion of
the burden. This subject should re-
ceive the careful consideration of every
farmer, and they should see to it that
taxation be equalized..
"What are the remedies? The first
thing that suggests itself to my mind
is the diversification of our agricultural
products. We are now importing from
foreign countries agricultural products
valued at 9,652,0l2, little more
than half of all our importations; "a
large part of these can and ought to be
produced by American farmers.n
He closed with graceful tribute to