The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-21
FARMERS INSTITUTE LIME BILL

some OF her families are as old al,
our own. Our organic lazy Is had OF
ID have cqiiai Significance here as
there.
For 100 years the agricultural condl-
Tons itlrcland have gone from bad to
cultural standpoint. has steadily de-
clined. and her people and youth. like
ours. have sought their fortunes In
other lands. 4 system Of assenteeism
rental derived from the land was spent
elsewhere, added to. the general dis.
tress. Crime followed where hunger
led. 10 remedy these conditions the
land acts, which provided for the
reconstruction BY legal process OF the
large estates of the landlords. and
their division lnto small holdings pur-
chase by state aid was rendered pos
siblee3 for. the resident tenants. who
received long time and easy terms of
payment and other aid This was done
BY the British people for the Irish
No doubt this special legislation was
denounced by the conservative Lon
don press. and In all probability some
s 81 member q Parliament
priatlon,' but the Improved condition
or Ireland to-day. with its new hope,
It's new Industries and new homes.
| NuSI uuISf OuCo VeEGt pear testimony
TO tho wisdom OF those who upon oc-
I'casion abandoned platitndes. and be-
came real Observation-Disclosures Of
mankind.
control our decisions the principal In
rolved. And yet there Is another mat
ter that dlsturbs me. I am Rich.
mond boy shall always love It for
It's early association. and for the kind
ness and affection which uniformly
had ct the hands Of many OF its citi-
Zens In the days of my youth and
early struggles. e
A Mistaken Feeling.
PERHAPS you are not awaTs that the ne
not in touch as they should be Will
their capital city. and many OF then
4 feel that her citizens are inimical O
Ing popuiation NJ Of the state. { an Al
sure that they are mistaken in this
but this feeling has blighted the DO
litlcal possibilities OF many OF her dis
by millions other cities in the mat.
tier OF trade
y When It WAS proposed to hold our
farmers, institute annually in Rich
How much OF this sentiment, II any,
I is justified? Did the Richmond press
or her representatives in the LeEts-
lature aid the farm ers in their gallant
age Of this limestone bill. II they
did not they have no doubt added to
the large profits OF tho lime manufac-
turers, but. fear. they have further
Hnds after ne a It w 81 af the sWsae
There arc scarcely any of tho manu-
facturers of lime in the State with
whom the agricultural lime is more
I than a mere byproduct. The fight has
been to compel US to continue to pur-
chase at exorbitant rates burnt lime,
which. DR.. Wheeler states. is destruc-
tive Of the scant humus remaining In
our soil. We need ground limestone.
which they do not grind, and refuse
to grind. so far as have been able
to learn.
The farmers of tho State. may say
In conclusion, are no longer a neg1t-
gib1e quantity in it's AFFAIRS. They
are men OF thought and of action.
They desire no legislation that will
| not rebound ultimately to tho great
ness and wealth OF the whole State.
They constitute a largo and powerful
class in the electorate, and when they
realize their strength and their needs
they will become the dominant power
in Virginia
All that our farmers demand is fair
| play. and 1t would seem to be the
policy of wise craftsmanship to see
to 1t that they receive encouragement
and reasonable aid in their laudable
{ efforts to restore the waste places OF
!. the .'old Commonwealth"
}. WESTMORELANDaD
Morven Park, Leesburg, Va.