The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-23
CONGRESS- OF FARMERS
NATIONAL CONFERENCE AT
 NIAGARA FALLS, N. r.
Governor odell Delivers an Address. Major Purse of Savannah Op- poses a Reciprocity Treaty
 With Cuba.

Niagara Falls, N. T.. Sept. Ex-Governor
 Odell addressed the Farmers National Conference here to-day. After few pre-
 fatory words. he said
 "The recognition which has been given
 by the national and State governments to the farming interests of our country. might at first glance appear to be in the direction of paternalism, yet 1t Is as in- portant in It's effect as any legislation
 which can be enacted for the beneflt of the people as a whole. It is as much the duty of the government to aid in the de- velopment of the soil of the country as 1t is to protect it's artisans against un- just discrimination or unfair competition at home or abroad ito aid in promoting the material welfare of it's citizens, as 1t Is to stamp out disease or epidemic which may threaten the lives of individ- uals.
 This encouragement which the govern ment extends does not lead to a depend ent spirit but rather makes our citizen ship more self-reliant and more patri- otic.'
 Discussing the qualities that so to make good citizens. Governor Odell summed up the subject as follows:
 "The good citizen Is product of the greatest value to the country. His cul-
 ture and development Is as necessary as the cultivation of our fertile fields and valleys. The vicious and uneducated man Is the center around which revolves those whose ideas are antagonistic to civil. re- ligious and individual rights. One of the first duties, therefore of our country Is to fight ceaselessly and energetically against all classes that defy law and whose principles are menace to so- ciety. We do find such people all over
 the country The farmer. the mechanic
 and the professional man are responsible for such conditions when they exist if they have made no efforts to place with | in the reach of all these peculiarly strick-
 en people these dwarfed intellectualities that which is the basis and foundation of contentment that is in decent homes, fair
 remuneration for toll that will permit of
 social and intelligent enjoyment" Governor Odell entered a plea in behalf
 of politicians and public officers whose efforts are directed to the peoples good, | and protested against csrping criticism
 and the assumption that because a man is a politician he Is naturally dishonest In conclusion he said: Tt is your duty for you to use your influence and your power to better the conditions and win
 back to useful membership insofar as you can by the force of example those whose environment has not been such as to make them good citizens; to use the power
 which you possess in the halls of iegisla- | tion to correct abuses which may exist, and to aid in the fight which is being
 made by the philanthropic and benevolent people against disease and crime among
 those to whom bright sunlight Is almost | unknown and to impart to those who do
 not enjoy the advantages necessary to give them that conception of what lib-
 erty in our country means. that under,
 standing so essential to good citizenship" ."
 The present Congress will devote great
 portion of its time to the distribution side
 of farming, the productive side having
 hitherto taken most of the attention of
 farmers. The addresses of the officers showed that the Congress Is growing in
 power and influence, and especially in the
 matter of securing beneficial national
 legislation.
 Major D. G. Purse of Savannah, Ga,
 gave an address on Sugar supply of the
 United States" The Congress should op-
 pose a reciprocity treaty with Cuba, he
 said, unless reciprocity treaties are made
 with France and other countries. Major