The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-07-29
MEETING.
5000 Attended First BaCk-To- The
Farm Meeting Held At La
Plata, Charles
County.

An audience of 5000 greeted the speakers at
the first public meeting of the Farmers Conn
mission of Maryland, held at La Plata. Charles
county, on Thursday, July q, showing the un-
bounded favor and interest in the back-to-the-
movement farm which has been inaugurated
in this state by Gov. Crothers.
A special train of eleven coaches left Balti-
more at o'clock and arrived at La Plata
about 10:45. AS the train drew up at the
station, the Governors salute of eleven guns
was fired by the local committee and when
the visitors alighted they found the town in
i gala attire, nearly every building In the little
town of 265 inhabitants being profusely deco
rated and banners and notices strung across
the streets.
When the Governor was seated in his car
riage to begin the parade to the grove he was
treated to the most interesting ceremony Of
the day. A guard of honor, composed of II
girls mounted, dashed by and formed at the
head of the line. They were dressed in white,
with sashes and badges of Maryland colors,
and fillets of the same color bound around
their hair.
The parade to the ground was headed by
the ladies, followed by the Fifth Maryland
Regiment Band. Then came the Governor
and other visitors in carriages, followed by q
large concourse Of citizens in carriages and
on foot.
| When the grounds were reached Mr. Charles
A. Councilman, chairman of the farmers
Commission, then introduced Mr.. Adrian
Posey, as presiding officer. Mr.. Posey called
| the assemblage to order, using broken plow-
share. He made a brief speech, assuring visi-
tors that the industry of Southern Maryland
was not dead, but just merely sleeping, and
that just such meetings would awaken it to its
| former glory.
After the invocation by Rev. Horace w.
Stowell, the address of welcome was deliveted
by Gen. L. Allison Wilmer. After extending
a cordial welcome for the great throngs
gathered, General Wilmer expressed his and
| their appreciation that La Plata should be
selected as the.place to sound tn first call in
| fight for improvement and progress.
Governor Crothers. responding, said, in part:
''The peace and safety of our country rests
| upon the farmers. II the farmers are true to
their duty, all will be made. But you must
| take an interest in politics, in governmental
affairs. The farmers are conservative and
will act as balance upon extremists of every
kind. Study the questions Of government. so
that you can aid in solving the proplems that {
confront us.
L IL 10 d IuISlSth0 W Uulllh butt ILLS QOtcEAk-
ment good as it is will stand forever without
intelligent study and work. Serious questions
have arisen in the past and will arise in the
future to be solved. The expenditure of the
taxes, both national and State, the control Of
/ corporations and the labor problem are all of
/ interest to the farmers. Farmers, watch the
| Government.
ITO keep the boy on the farm appeal to his
| intelligence. So often farm labor means
nothing more to the young men than physical
| labor, and it is no wonder that they go to the
cities. Let them understand that their pro-
fessions is as capable of development as are
| the socalled learned professions. Let them
know that an educated farmer can sell the
products of his brains just as the lawyer,
| doctor, teacher or preacher can. 4
Some people asked in alarm when the Legis-
lature passed the 5000, 900 road loan? Where
is the money to pay to come from?' Well, we
increased the collateral inheritance tax, and
last year it yielded $l45,OOO this year it viii
produce 100000. We increased the liquor
license and obtained $3.50 OOOl last year thereby.
We placed tax on automobiles and that
yields respectable income. We can pay the
interest and put enough in the sinking fund
to pay the bonds when they come due and no
| one will be hurt. know when you ask Con-
gress to build roads you are told that it is un.
constitutional. They drag out the Constitution
whenever they are asked to do something that
they don't want to do.''
Mr.. A. P. Sandles, State Secretary of Agri-
culture of Ohio, sounded the keynote Of the
meeting and received the greatest applause by
his complimentary references to Governor
Crothers. His address partook of the nature
of stump speech to farmers.
Mr.. Frank Menges, of Pennsylvania, who
styled himself genuine Pennsylvania Dutch
man, next spoke on High Cost of Living"
He said that it was due to the great distance
that now exist between the producer and the
consumer He urged that the farmer should
begin to manufacture everything he raised ON
the farm and sell to the producer and the
consumer
At the conclusion of Mr.. Menges' address
lunch was served on the ground. A bountiful
dinner sufficient for everyone, was served by
the ladies of Charles county
After the recess Rev. G. M Sarver led in
prayer. State Senator Gosnell, of Caroline
county, made short address upon his exper-
fence as a farmer. He was followed by j. e.
Pennypacker, chief of the Division of Road
Management of the Department of Agricul-
ture. He spoke on good roads and opposed the
national highways, which, he said, would be
OI no use 10 Cue IArIu6r. he pleaded IOr the
short roads leading from the centres of trade
to the farm and said that the average haul Of
farm products in the United States by wagon
was a little over nine miles.
Mr.. M. B. Waite, of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, spoke on Personal
Experiences in Fruit Culture in Southern
Maryland His address was one of the most
instructive of the day. He told the farmersbs
the commercial possibilities of fruit culture
and proved it by his own orchards. He took
up peaches, pears and apples and told the
farmers the kind of each to plant to be sue.
cessful.
Mr.. James G. McSparren, of Pennsylvania,
spoke on the political responsibilities of the
farmer. He emphasized the points made by
other speakers that all power was in their
hands, and called upon them to use it for their