Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-12-17
THE OFFICERS ERRED,

The board of commissioners have
dealt Henderson county, which had
just begun to bloom with progress, the
saddest and most disastrous blow the
i agricultural Interests have ever re-
ceived.
Who are the proper ones to say
whether or not this farm demonstra-
ton work was needed and desired by
those who had to help pay the taxes
They are no less personages than the
| farmer, who is entitled to a full hear
ing. The county farmers union went
on record unanimously in favor of the
continuance of this work as evidenced
by their vote and their action in al
most taking the last dollar from the
unions treasury to supplement the
salary which the county should have
1 paid in full. The farmers did not get
a square deal in this matter. The
board of commissioners first decided
to give $500 from the county funds,
to which the honest and faithful till
ers of the soil contribute by the sweat
of their brow, the other $500 to be
raised otherwise. At the next month
ly meeting the board of education
joined this splendid work. and pro-
missed to increase its appropriation Of
last year from $3.50 to SITS, thereby
highly endorsing the work. The far
n.ers had to get busy and raise the re
/ naming SIPS. They gave it by a
unanimous vote. but before they could
report their action the commissioners
called a special meeting and abrogated
their former order. thereby stopping
the farm demonstration work.
Where can there be any sober ra-
ticnal judgment in this action? Is
not the honest farmer entitled to mora
consideration than this? Should NOT
our agricultural interests be encour-
aged rather than discouraged? Should
not our farmers be trained to make
sufficient produce for home consump-
ton rather than import about $4,000
worth annually? Every man with the
semblance of a little gray matter Is
compelled to say yes and we know OF
no better way to do this than througE
the farm demonstration work.
Something is wrong somewhere.
Mr.. Perkins, although he refrains from.
talking politics, is reported to be on
the democratic side in his home copn-
ty. 1t is the concensus of opinion
among both republicans and demo
Gratis that the commissioners in an
Overwhelmingly republican county
could not swallow the dose of keeping
democrat on the pay roll. Mr.. Per-
kins has not dabbled into politics but
! has faithfully performed his duties
and has earned his salary time and
time again, as will be seen from our
news columns giving the wonderful
record he has made among the farm
crs of the county.
Further, the Democrat is informed
that republicans have applied for Mr..
Perkins Job. This situation could
have easily been remedied without
blighting the hopes of the progressive
clement of our farmers. The matter
was strongly presented to the con
missioners and they were shown that
the farmers wanted demonstration
agent regardless of politics. But their
earnest plea for agricultural progress
fell upon deaf and cruel ears.
The farmers are going to have their
day and if they can't get it IN any
other way they will exercise their in
fuence when election time comes and
the officers who will turn a deaf ear to
their greatest needs justly deserve to
be politically ostracized.
No intelligent man can look at the
record made by Mr.. Perkins and say
this remarkable work did not justify
the expenditure of only $500. for which
the commissioners will be held res
sponsible.
The democrat is reluctant to believe
that Henderson county does not havU
progressive board of commission
ers who have the better interests of
the county at heart, therefore it sin
cerely trusts that after giving the
demonstration work more mature de-
liberation and taking into considera-
ton the wishes and Imperative needs
of the farmers and the public gener-
ally they will reverse their last order
and re-establish this excellent work,
which will in the course of a few
years prove an investment that will
return un benefits MANIFOLD.