The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-14
Mr.. Heflin's Remarks

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Mr.. Heflin's Remarks
"Mr. Chairman, last year young kim
brough, a 15-year-old boy from my dis
trict, came to Washington to receive a
prize for having produced more corn on
one acre of ground than any other boy in
the state of Alabama. lie produced on
one acre 224 bushels of corn. Well do |
remember the impression he made upon
me when l saw him in the gallery of this
House, how l looked with admiration upon
the manly little fellow and prophesied the
time when he would become an ideal
farmer in my state.
Mr.. Chairman, a few days ago a Ken
lucky boy, Lester Bryant, came to WASH
ington to receive prize that he had won
for producing more white corn on one
acre of ground in Kentucky than any
other boy produced on like area in a
half dozen states around him. He died In
this city and now sleeps on the slope of
a hill near the field where he welded the
hoe and guided the plow in producing
that record breaking yield While we
have under consideration the agricultural
appropriation bill, as a member of the
committee on agriculture / want to lay
q
made grave of this little Kentucky boy
who did so much for agriculture In the
United States. | know, Mr.. Chairman.
that what / may say will not affect him
now. but II may be OF some comfort to his
loved ones and friends and may be OF
some value to some farmers boy some
where.
''He was born and reared Oh a Kentucky
farm, and when the Secretary of Agricul-
ture called for boy volunteers to help in
crease the corn supply of the United
States, he became the volunteer in the
army Of American corn growers. This
army was composed of 1000 American
boys, and Lester Bryant was only a
private In the ranks; but, Mr.. Chairman.
there was chance for promotion and op-
portunity was given to become an hon
ored captain In that industrial army. This
youthful Kentucky farmer at the end of
Il months service, was one of 50 boys
chosen from the ranks of 1900 as prize
winner in contest where industry and
skill of a high order were essential TO
success. He won his promotion from the
place of a private in the ranks to the Of
fee of a captain in this Industrial army,
and he came here to receive his commits
sion. at the hands of the Secretary OF
Agriculture. the commander-in-chief OF
the corn boys army.
Sent Pang Over Country
when his eyes beheld for the first time
this glorious capital of our country, how
beautiful the vision to his enraptured
gaze. But, Mr.. Chairman, within a few
hours of the time when he would have
heard the Secretary of Agriculture say,
Well done. my boy, you have won the
prize death touched him and he fell into
that mysterious sleep that kisses down
his eyelids still. The news of his sad
' NJ IN.
row through this House and over the
country. PluclSed our of life when hope
was high and the future seemed so bright.
dead in the morning of happy, buoyant
youth time. And yet, Mr.. Chairman,
he did more in his brief time on earth
to teach the art of intensive farming
than thousands of men who have lived
long and died of sheer old age. He has
done more for his state and nation in
emphasizing the marvellous possibilities
of one acre of ground than thousands OF
men who have lived their three score
years and ten. He was little mission
ary,i carrying to the farmers of his state
and nation the gospel Of Intelligent, scien-
tific farming. and the fact that he did
accomplish so much by the inteiigent cul-
out am example and become light TO every
farmer boy who aspires to become sue
cessful farmer. He broke the soil deep,
carefully prepared the ground and se-
lected seed corn that he planted. He de-
voted time and labor to the careful culti-
tivation Of one acre of ground, will stand
yation Of that one acre OF ground, and
when the harvest time came. amongst all
those seeking the prize for the greatest
yield Of white corn On one acre of ground
his name led all the rest. The soil yielded
her increase and gave to this farmer boy
a record breaking yield. and Lester
BRYANT, in the sweat of his face, be-
came hero on the field of agriculture.
On the Firing Line
Mr. Chairman. he was on the corn
boys firing line in the battle for bread.
He had enlisted in a noble cause and be-
fore he was Is years of age surpassed all
that had been accomplished on the Brit
ish farm in the !ley-day of its production.
when. as Goldsmith in his Deserted VIII
lege wrote: Every rod of ground main
tanned its man.. He produced on four
rods of ground. or one acre, enough corn
to maintain not four but II men. He had
overcome difficulties that stood In the
way Of generations OF farmers before him.
lie had removed the barriers over which