The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-08-26
Weather forecast for Fred
ericks6uro and oicinttV.
Fair SATURDAY, fresh NOrth-
east aoindS.

A recent letter in The Free Lance
from Caroline county contained the
statement that at the sale. by COM
missioner Of the court, Of the estate OF
the late r. H. W. Buokner, near Rap
pAhannock Academy, the home tract
containing, no doubt, the family
mansion) brought 81 30 per acre; that
So acres Of the same tract brought 81
per acre, and that SO acres was knock
cd ont at so cents per acre. Such
knock outs as this are knock down ar
guments against the present methods
Of agriculture in that section Of the
State. The estate Of Mr.. Buckner was,
ut one time, before the civil war; ac-
counted one Of the best in Caroline
county, and Caroline county was noted
for its fine estates. This estate is close
to the Rsppahannock river, and. there
fore, convenient. by steamboat naviga-
tion, to the markets Of Fredericksburg
Baltimore and Norfolk. The soil is
naturally productive. and where ex-
hsusted. by improvident husbandry,
takes kindly to intelligent methods of
recuperation. What then Is the expla-
nation of these astounding prices at
which the lands were sold at public
auction7 There is something wrong
somewhere. Why, these prices are
actually lower than the figures at which
government lands are sold to se-tlers in
the far-off Territories beyond the Rocky
Mountains. Think Of it Here within
eight miles Of the home Of John Tay-
lor, Of Caroline" the author of "Arat-
or" (the farmer. one Of the most nots-
bic estates In the county, sells for an
average Of but little over one dollar an
acre. This land is not more than eighty
miles from jamestown. the first settle
ment Of the English race upon Ameri-
can soil. 1t is within six miles Of Port
Conway, where President Madison was
born. 1t 10 within twenty five miles
Of the birth places Of George Washing
ton, James Monroe, Light Horse Harry
Lee and Richard Henry Lee 1t is. 80
to speak. within sight OF the first land
ing of the English settlement in Amer
lea II Is, as 1t were. the cradle In
which the infant liberties of the Re-
public were rocked. And this is the
locality where the lands have retrograd-
cd to the prices at which lands are taken
up. under government patents. thousands
Of miles away towards the Pacific Ocean.
How is this2 There must be some.
thing wrong. there surely must be. in
the methods Of husbandry In q re-
gion 30 favorably situated as this, ard
90 closely associated with the very
fountains of civilization and cultiva.
tion, and the establishment of civil and
religious liberty upon the American
continent.
Horace Greedy said in speech in
Lynchburg ION bale-box in front Of
the darlington Hotel). in 1858. that il
''Old Virginia shall over 90 down, let |
1t be written on her tomb stone. died |
Of too much politics. ," Gan 1t be that |
this Is the malady with the people |
near Rappahannock Academy, in Caro-
liner Nay, may 1t not be malady |
with most Of our Virginia people? Are
they not devoting more thought at this
very time to politics than to agricul-
turef IL 1t not the Martin-Ty con
test more In their minds than the study |
Of improved methods Of husbandry7 |
The true philsnthropist would be an
other John Taylor to inoulcate the |
principles Of intelligent farming. and
not the loud .lunged orator Of the
court green to infiame the minds Of the
people upon the rapid and envanescent
topics Of current politics.