The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-23

marketing farm products and to the
restoration of our nnproductive soils
The greatest detriment to the ad.
vancement of our agricultural inter-
ests is the wave of political agitation
that sweeps over her every four years.
Alabama is cursed with politics Pol
tiles that handicap the efforts of US
who belong to the red neck fra
ternity. Politics that are of a brand
more deadly to the agricultural in
terests of the state than the cattle
tick, the hog cholera and the boil Wee
vii
Even at this early date there are a
few bobbing up here and there over
the state who are advocating great and
wonderful reforms great and wonder
full measures for the regulation of rail-
roads and the sale of whisky, or ad-
vocating the wonderful results from
the creation of some new courts or the
change of some judicial circuit; some
are more solicitous of the welfare of
the conviets than they are of the well
fare of the farmer; they are more in
terested in the income derived from
the sale of the conyicts' hire than they
are in the income derived from the
sale of the products of a well regu-
lated farm. Some are more interested
in the protection of the hog 1t is
amusing to hear the average politician
when at gathering of farmers twist
ing their great measures to suit thd
need of the farmers. Then they delight
to tell of their earlier days on the farm
fhaV n NO mo haxr
of the great yields OF corn. of the big
sides of bacon, and the juicy hams
They make their own mouths water as
they tell of the old farm table groan-
ing under the weight of good things
to eat. The big fat biscuits and tho
generous slices of ham forming islands
in a sea of rich brown gravy; the great
dish of stewed corn.
oh, my, just to think of that pyramid
of yellow butter. the rich thick cream,
the pitcher of cool buttermilk; then the
corn meal battercakes, sorghum mo-
lasseS and the delicious glass of sweet
milk. They assume a hungry look and
tell us they have sacrificed all for the
privilege of serving their state BY
their flights of oratory they endeavor
to make us forget their tailor made
suit patent leather shoes. stiff bosom
shirt and high collar. and to picture
them as a meek and lowly prohpets
come to lead US out of the land of
ignorance and toll They want us to
see them only as a humble being wear
ing crown of hayseed and yarn socks,
but having been buncoed so often we
can only see them in their true light
We see their great ideas for the adj
varcement of the farmer are but warts
upon their intellect, and would rather
see them quarantined with the buzzards,
cattle ticks and the sheep killing dogs.
This bunch of wind jamming retired
agriculturists" are always lined up to the
trough believing to be fed from the pub
lie crib. They are only asking for a good
fat salary and title in order to be able
to show their ability to do great things
for the wealth producers of the state
Place the whole crowd upon the Most
productive farm in the state without the
supervision OF a good farmer and they
would all starve to death in less than IL
months If all their agricultural brains
were placed under one hill of corn there
would not be found enough plant food in
them to produce a fair size nubbin. Yet
they are permitted to roam over the state
with the whis<ers on their intellect filled
with germs detrimental to every interest
of the farmer.
The affairs of the state need as much
intelligence in their management as do
the affairs of well regulated farm. No
Aoi iici nOuAd lAdSI Tic average WlnQ
jamming parasite to plow a row of corn
for him. yet we trust the affairs of the
state TO them simply because they would
starve to death in any line of business
or become a burden upon their wife S
folks. 1T is the duty of their relatives
to care for them and not the duty of
the state.
The farmers of this state would be
unanimous in their desire to have the
next legislature make an appropriation
| for a demonstration farm where we could
confine few fine specimens of Alabama
political parasites and by a light course
in agriculture and a daily compulsory
exercise of their muscles we could see if
1t were not possible to make real intelli-
gent beings of them. There is one thing
sure the intelligent farmers of Alabama
have had proof sufficient to convince
them that well bred beef bull is a
more valuable citizen than the oratorical
efforts that float over the state, attempt
ing to ride into office on the shortcom-
ings of their predecessors.
What state needs at this time is
business man for its governor, and for
its commissioner of agriculture a man
who knows the difference between a sasa-
fras, thicket and corn field and a legis-
lature that Is able to distinguish the diff
ference between the requirements of the
agricultural class and the requirements
of the office seeking class, composed
mostly of the past failures.
For a business governor it seems we
could no better than elect Mr. Charles
Henderson to that office. He is man
of proven business and executive ability
and a good farmer.
For commissioner of agriculture know
of no one more competent to fill that Of
flee than Mr.. j. 4. Watt of Talladega
A plain common sense man who is thor
oughly familiar with the agriculture in
terests of the state and a man who would
be our next commissioner if he could be
prevailed upon to make the race. Yours
very truly, CL.AiREDON DAVIS.