The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-01-12
isaac G. Dougan in His Inau-
guraI Address Before Socie-
.sA
ty Advocates Better Ideas
And Conditions.
WORLD HAS NO USE FOR
THE NEGLIGENT FARMER.
Man Who NegIects Has Not
Caught the 0uickening SpIr-
it of the Times and Cares
Nothing for Home.

One Of the most eloquent addresses
ever given before the members of the
Wayne County Horticultural society
was that of the new president, Isaac G..
Dougan. as his inaugural. In it he
advocated a higher plane OF thought
and activity for the farmer and said
the old tangled idea that progress i'll
farm ideas was detrimental, had van
ished among the majority of those re
siding within the county borders
Home life of the highest type was ad-
yocated. In part he said:
AT the outset of my remarks, per
init me to thank you collectively and
individually for the honor you have
conferred upon me by rc-clecting me
president. and also for tile very cor
dial support you have given me dur
Ing the past year.
The older ones present can well re-
member when it used to be Sneeringly
said, he is only a book farmer" but
since then, the quickened agricultural
thought of the country is beginning to
keep step with the progress of science.
and to realize that an intelligent COM
prehension of how to farm. is essen
tial to success. Beginning to compre-
hend the great fact that scientific far
ming has not only the pledge of sue
cess i'll it, but the sure pledge of en-
larged profits and expanded ideas
Wayne county has of late years
very much improved in her methods of
agriculture, yet we have by / means
reached the possibilities OF her pro-
ductive capacity. The market garden
ers of our great cities are object les
sons which show what our land is ca
pable of producing if properly prepar-
ed and fertilized. The little family
gardens frequently astonish rs by the
amount of food products they yield for
home use.
Notwithstanding these improved
methods adopted by many of our far
merS we have not as a whole even in
his old county of Wayne. yet drifted
away from the loose and slovenlv
methods of more primitive farming.
Indiana, cultivated as i'll the lands of
densely populated countries could pro-
duce food for millions of people be-
sides her own population. Tons of
hay could be raised along her high
ways Fruit trees could then yield
their abundance and touches of art
scattered along remind us that a
thing of beauty is joy forever"
ic 10
at our doors when labor. the source
OF wealth. will be dignitied according
10 its worth, and science and art will
together develop and beautify rural
homes and their surroundings, all over
our country. What makes the differ
enCe in the homes of our country :
Why do we see on one side of our
county roads tumbled down home
fences IN zigzag lines. weeds crowding
up to the doorways, panes of glass
missing in the windows. and the spaces
where they should be. filled with old
rags. or discarded hats? The barn. il
there be one, all tattered and torn by
the elements until it seems colder
within than without. The old family
and melancholy air. near his neglected
stall. with an almost human pleading
look in his eyes for better feed and
better care: Why this air of desola-
tion? Why this blot upon civilization
Ttght here in this richest and besi
county: The owner has not caught
the Quickenins spirit Of the times. He
spends too much of his time in idle
ness. He stays too much in town. He
fingers about saloons and wastes pre-,
Cious hours and days in reviewing him
self. He is destined TO become one OF
the submerged tenth. His biography
IS written in plain characters upon his
houe and its surroundings. He is
one who IS always complaining thai
government does not do enough for
the individual. He is the chronic
grumbler of the neighborhood AM
claims that society is all upon a wrong
basis.
Across the same road and not far
distant stands beautiful home with
all modern improvements. In sum
mer, roses bloom and flower bells
swing in the warm air. diffusing sweet
incense. Its owner has developed ar
individualism. He is n worker and Z
thinker. Few idle hours for him. His
horse. spirited and we'll groomed
seems to enjoy life, On his center
table are books. magazines and news
papers. In the management of his
farm he is up-to-date. He is a worker
rs we'll rs thinker. All thinkers arr
workers. "Oh the evil that is wrought
by the want of thought" Every far
mer. every farmers Wife. son an,
daughter. should aspire to the develop
ment of we'll poised individuality.