The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-08-17
a FARMERS PICNIC.
sociation-Farmers Urged to Com
bine.

down the attendance last Friday upon tn,
first day of the Mount Airy Fair at Wild
wood Park, under the auspices of the Uppe
Country Tobacco Growers Association an,
the farmers institutes of Howard, Carroll
Frederick aud Montgomery counties.
Despite the fact that during the morning th,
sky was overcast and there was once or twic,
a slight fall of rain, which gave every indica
ton Of developing into a regular downpour by
afternoon, about 100 persons braved the ele
ments and journeyed 10 Mount Airy by car
riage and train TO participate in the outing
Atnoon there were scarcely 5OpersOns upon
the grounds, but as the afternoon wore away
| they came in increasing numbers.
This was the theme upon which the princi
/ pal speaker of the day, President Sylvester, OF
| the Mary Agricultural College, dwelt with
| the greatest earnestness, although he did not
approach this point until in the latter part
| of his remarks. "Try to get together" was
the watchword he left with his auditors in
| conclusion, and the same idea was the subject
| of the address of Mr.. c. Hayes Taylor, OF
| Indianapolis, who is the secretary of the Ma,
tional Tobacco Growers Association, and is
| a representive of the American Society OF
Equity.
| The fakirs show people and proprietors OF
| the various catch penny devices common TO
fairs throughout the country reaped poor
harvest.
President Sylvester, of the Maryland Agri-
I cultural College, took Farming for the sub
ject of his talk He spoke, in part, as follows:
"As a representative of your Agricultural
College, it gives me pleasure to greet you on
| this occasion and to extend to you the infor-
nation that your college is growing. Its regis
tration is very large, the increased attendance
having been more than $50 per cent in the
last 10 years. "
Captain Silvesver went on to say that this
is the age Of the specialist, and that the man
with so called general education, with smat.
teriug Of number Of different accomplish.
menis. but without a specialized training in
any, is lost. What can you do y he said, is
the question tina; is asked Of young men, aud to
the reply Almost anything, comes back the
answer, IL do not want you
He dwelt upon the necessity for q thorough
preparation in the agricultural colleges, say
ing that a general knowledge Of all principles
Is necessary for the man who would be par
/ ticulsrly proficient in any one.
With passing word upon the possible pro
ftableness Of horticulture in Carroll, Freder-
lex, Howard aud Montgomery counties, the
speaker pleaded for more intelligent farming.
II am preaching the doctrine be said,
that a greater variety Of work Is What the
farmer needs. The same amount Of intelli-
gence that is required to raise 10 barrels Of
corn to the acre. IL put to the peach, pear
or plum tree. would make the raising Of
fruit profitable IN these four counties.
In speaking about the opportunities the
Agricultural College offers TO the boy who
comes from the farm. President Sylvester said:
There Is no, boy who has been gTadu-
a,pd al the complet.su Of the rrgulsr course
within the last ave years that the manage
IL. ~
put into position where he could earn from
500 to $1,000 the 6rsi year, far more than Is
earned by she beginners in most Of the pro
fessious.
If the fathers want to keep the boys on the
farms they muSs make it profitable for them
TO remain. A boy without brains enough to
make y good lawyer or good doctor certainly
has not brains enough 10 make good farmer
Inducements must Se held out To the young
me Of brains
Mr.. C. Hayes Taylor emphasized the
thought Of the latter part Of President Sylvcs
ter : address. and took !; for his part Of the
afternoon 70 demonstrate that farmers can
successfully combiue against the cncrOAch-
menls 81 capital. and that they, rather than
The middle men and spectators, are the onos
10 requisite the prices Supply aud demand.
rs used IN the mouths 81 the specalAiors sBd
middle men. the speaker insisted, ~eTe mere
catch words, and be went on to cite several In.
stances "a which prices we're hIcd arbitrarily
sithoug reference 10 supply
II the farmers would form associations,
each local reporting 10 the district association
aud lhe latter M turn 10 The national body
about crop conditions organized farmers
could De- 10 better position 10 kuow
the amount Of the crop Of zay given year than
would the experts hired By the spectators.
- H.. IL. -.
fair and equitable price upon the commodity
and insist upon receiving IL
Mr. Taylor told Of several successful aghts
uased against the bayers by tobacco rAisers
Ia Kentucky. North CArolna and Ohio, and
urged solid and concerted Aciios here
The second day Of the Mount Airy Fair.
undeF the auspices Of the Upper Country To
baccn Growers' Association aud the farmers
institutes Of Howard, Carroll. Frederick and
Montgomery counties. attracted !, $40 persons
20 Wildwood Park Saturday. The day vas
perfect one for an outdoor meeting. and
long before noon more than !. coo persons hSd
assembled al the grounds from various parts Of
the four counties.
Fully !, 600 vehicles. ol varioas descriptions,
from The nA,ty drng 10 the cuuairy wagon,
Were stationed just outside lhe grounds proper
when the exercises hrEAH Saturday afternoon.
Farmers aud their families drove in from all
the surrounding region within radius II 30
miles from Mount AIRY. aud fee came from
even farther a~Ay.
Great disappointment MAS expressed a. the
inability Of Assistant Secretary al the AEri
culture Have to be present. aud deliver the
address Of the day. he was 10 have spoken
in The absence ~ Secretary Wilson, ~ho i IN
the West However, the committee provided
plenty Of good speakers, whose remarks ~ere
4. - A
particularly by the tobacco groWrrs, 20 whom
directly most Of the addresses werc made.
The first speaker Of the day WAS Dr.. Richard
:. Hill. special State agent for investigating
Maryland tobacco markets. He said. in part:
my position is to get the largest domestic
market FOR Maryland tobacco. Ii has nothing
TO do with getting market in Europe. but
whenever the opportunity offers itself 70 ne
to 90 anything along that line ] shall do the
best can. Al this time the Agricultural DE.
pariment OF the Government has taken up
ID : very matter and gone thoroughly into the
laws Of the countries that buy our tobacco.
When this great department Is arr,yed upon
the side Of the farmer, you may be pretty SURF
that it is going to help him. | am confident
that when the present Maryland crop mar.
keted VT shall see the benefits from the inter
est taken by The Federal Government, Ia the
local market Ohio IS nov paitrE Us crop
where your crop used to 60.
Mr. NJ A. Martin. State organizer of The
Virginia Tobacco Grower Association. Spok,.
OF conditions that obtain ia his own State aud
in other parts Of the South. lie said lhal so
per cent OF the tobacco farms of Virgins are
mor;gaged and what is worse, that the crops
standing in the field are sold under conlrac,
with 'penitenIiary clause, whereby the
grower must deliver his product upon the floor
of the buyer at a certain price, or else go to
prison. Mr. Martin grew eloquent when be
described conditions aud alleged oppression
upon the part Of the Tobacco Trust, which
forced man to keep himself, his wife aud
children at work in the fields from morning
to night in order to get enough for bare liv
ing.
There is money in the tobacco business,
despite these conditions" Mr.. Martin in.
sisted. 1.-The commission dealer is making q
living, and big living. The manufacturers
are getting rich off il. Why should not the
grower have l,is share of the profit that is be-
ing made, instead = being ground down in
order that the profits of the other two shall be
argerg'
Several other persons made brief remarks,
and an address upon fertilizers was delivered
by Mr.. C. J. Patterson, of the experiment
station at the Maryland Agricultural College,
who said, in part;
The farmer should bring back the soil 10
its original condition by the use of organic
,l 90