The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-01-21
THE FARMERS MEETING.
PER sANENT ORGANIZATION
EFFECTED. .--REso LUTIoNS
ADoPTE
Speech If Hon. e ]. Simmons. =
Prof. w. c. Welborn Invited
foAddress the Association
on First Monday in
February.

Pursuant to the call Of the Sill
yer Springs Agricultural Club,
goodly number Of farmers and
other citizens Of Pike county, in
terested in the prosperity Of the
country, met Wednesday in the
county court house, in Magnolia.
Mr.. George w. Simmons was
elected chairman, and in calling
the meeting to order stated that
the object of the same was to
consider the propriety OF perfect
ing a county organization, and Of
discussing the advisability of re-
ducing the acreage in cotton, and
increasing the acreage of food
and forage crops.
He then called on Hon. e. j.
Simmons to deliver an address
of welcome, and explain moro
fully the objects Of the meeting,
who came forward and spoke, as
follows:
Gentlemen: A life busy beyond
its limited capacity in the dis
charge Of professional duties af-
fords little opportunity for the
careful preparation of speeches.
But as | salute this assembly of
representative farmers, men in
whose keeping abides the destiny
Of a great nation, and who con-
stitute the bulwark of American
freg institutions, the very bone
and sinew of the fairest country
that ever barred its bosom to the
stroke Of honest industry, / am
appalled, by a sense of my utter
incapacity to cope with the ext
s gencies Of this most solemn hour.
Yet standing as do in this mag
nificent presence, imbued as am
with the magnitude of the inter-
ests involved and of the exalted
character Of the work upon which
we now enter, | cannot refuse the
behest that comes in no uncertain
accents, not only from the, people
of Magnolia, bat that pulsates
upon every breeze that wells from
vale and hamlet throughout the
commonwealth, bear from US to
that infant organization of farm
ers a message of hearty welcome
and cordial greeting.
Gentlemen, If the consciousness
that in your crusade against error,
ignorance and vicious methods,
you have the frank and complete
sympathy of your fellowman Of
whatsoever rank or calling will
serve to impart to your labors
here more ofinspiration and ear
nestness If the consciousness
that in your efforts to better your
own condition you are helping te
emancipate agricultural interest:
from the power Of q conscience
less lordism and are sending the
invigorating sunshine Of faith and
hope into the embittered lives oi
countless men and women who
have for years struggled or
through melting heat and piercing
cold TO drive back poverty anc
want that hovered like wolves
about and ever increasing flocl
OF children; / say if the con-
seriousness of these truths will
carry into the reform you now
contemplate men of christian fer.
yor and enthusiasm, let me bic
you in the name CT even handed
Justice, in the name of what yot
hope to be, in the name OF Hin
who has so marvelously endowed
you with power to think and tx
act, to lay down the great worl
which you here take up only
when new and better day shai
dawn to the American farmer an(
peace and plenty streaming ovel
the borders of our southland shal
pour through every valley ant
iIlumine every hillside.
For If it be true that our civil.
ization is progressive, If it be tru'
that this is an age Of incessan
change, that reforms are needed
in the adoption of means to enc
and that the needs Of civilized
man are becoming more complex
if it be true that the management
of the intricate machinery Q
modern industrial arts constant.
calls for enlarged activity an'
broader intelligence on the par
OF operatives, then our Lines ar