The Democratic advocate., 1908-07-31
OF MICHAEL E. WALSH
Delivered at the farmers Reunion,
Taneytown, July %, 1908.


upon your true conception of rural
life and your participation in the pleas
ures and advantages of the same.
You are doing noble work, not
only for your own community, but
your influence and example are per-
meating other sections of our grand
old commonwealth. AS pioneers in
reunions of this character, you are
sowing seeds of benefcence, the har-
vest of which will be reaped by this
as well as by future generations. The
sympathetic and substantial coOpera-
ton which you are receiving from
other business interests, testifies to
their full appreciation and recogni-
ton of the honesty of your purpose
and the purity of your motives.
1t is a pleasure for us to come to
Taneytown on all occasions and par
ticularly on this one. 1t is certainly
inspiring for us to be here surrounded
by the broad, fertile and well titled
fields and happy homes of your thrifty
industrious, honest and up-to-date
farmers, and it is certainly of lasting
benefit and advantage TO us to be per-
mitted to commingle in social inter-
course with ladies and gentlemen, the
very best type, most noble and gener-
Gus, that any community, county, State
or nation is capable of producing.
In the broad domain of agriculture
horticulture and their kindred avoca-
tions are found not only those products
which supply and satisfy our appetites
and natural needs, but that which ap-
peals to all of our higher senses OF
form and beauty and delights the eye
and tends to ennoble our thoughts and
ideals Who is it that does not appre-
ciate the everlasting care and watch
fulness of Him who brings the flowers
to their complete perfection, with
their most brilliant hueS and exquisite
perfumes, who touches up the luscious
fruit with golden rays of sunshine
plucked from the morning sky, with
the pink, purple and crimson trans
lated from the f1eeting rainbow and
the verdant velvet of grass ornamented
by diamond-like sparkling dew drops?
These delightful and extraordinary
exhibitions of natural phenomena are
wrought by the same power that paints
the magnificent prysmatic colOrs in the
eastern sky after refreshing showers,
that paints the nocturnal northern sky
with all the majesty and magnificence
of the aurora borealis, that has thrown
the lightning to the winds and warns
mankind in dreadful tones of pealing
thunder of his individual helplessness.
1t will be observed from your pro-
gramme that you have a most excellent
Intellectual treat for your visiting
friends and a magnificent educational
feast for yourselves, in which you have
shown an eXtravagant degree of gen.
erosity in sharing the same with your
guests and friends.
The large number of professional
men who are possessed of scientific
knowledge and capable of dealing in
telligently with the subject assigned
to them will bring to those who are
fortunate enough to attend this re-
union the consciousness that agricul-
ture is business interest.
The Secretary of Agriculture fixed
100000 900 as the value of farm pro-
ducts for the year 1907. Our farmers
have not only fed and clothed more
than S0,000,000 of our own people, but
we have sent across the seas approxi-
mately $1,500,000,000 of products,
enough to preserve the balance of
trade in our favor and add $780, 100000
to our national wealth.
1t is certainly only reasonably just
and fair that the great producing class
should have proper recognition for it's
enormous contribution to our national
wealth and the upbui1ding of our great
nation. Then how shall it be done?
1t is well known that personal inde-
pendence and individual action no
longer hold their just position upon
the industrial field. 1t is only by asso-
citation of effort, exerted through chan
nels of organization, that great inter-
ests are promoted Organization is the
of success and the cry of
the hour, as voiced by every interest
in the land.
No business, interest or industry in
the world deals in values so large as
the farmer, or is in greater need of
effort to secure just share
of the harvest which they themselves
produce and fair and equitable dis
tribution of the burdens of society
1t is the imperative duty of the hour,
that every man and woman, directly
interested in agriculture should join
the ranks of the patrons of hus-
bandry, that they may better promote
their material welfare, develop a more
elevated degree of moral perfection,
beautify their homes and make rural
life more attractive, that the young man
hood and womanhood may be induced
to remain on the farm in healthy
atmosphere, conducive to healthy de-
velopment, physically, socially and
and for the further purpose
Of maintaining our political rights,
always stopping short of interference
with the rights of others, reserving
The final liberty to each citizen to sell
MS labor, products or ability at such
price or place as pleases him.
Those engaged in agriculture, the
argest business interest in the land,
are more interested, numeri-
eally, than any other class of people,
n the stability, prosperity and honest
administration of the affairs of our
government That being the case, the |
farmers of this nation, state, county
md community should unhesitatingly |
in the affairs of govern
nent, at least to the extent of contrib |
1ting to the enactment of wise legis-
ation. You have the numbers,
strength and power to see to it that |
our interests are properly represented
n the halls of legislation.
You should by all means know what |
candidates for public Office stand for |
before YOU place them in official place |