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The Farm And The State

The Farm And The State image
Parent Issue
Day
4
Month
October
Year
1878
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

At the Maryland Stat.o Agricultural and Mechanical Fair, held at Fiintico, near Baltituoru, Senator Bayard, of Delaware delivered the udcli i-ss Sept. 26. After quoting froni Sir Thomas More's " Utopia " of the advantages of manual oceupatiou, and of agrioulturo especially, aud citing the exaiuples of Newton, Watt, John Hampden and Wade Hampton as those of men who had acquired eminence and leadership away from cities and under tbe inapiration of rural Ufe, the Senator went on : Far away from the busy haunts of nii'ii, distant from citics and their tumults, within the quiet wulls of the monasteries, during all the violence and wars of the Middle ages the lamp of learning and scienoe was faithfully trimmed and kept burning ; and art and ecience and history in that long and dark period of unrost lay hid and safely preserved and cherished by the patiënt, modest and conscientious labor and chroniclo of the poor recluse and humble monk. Unconseiously, perhaps, a striking and most practical illustration of the truth I have suggested is given by the uieaus adopted in many States of the Union, somi) by constitutional amendment, as in Illinois and Pennsylvania, in others by statutory ainendment of municipal charters, to arrest the appalling increase of the debts of cities and large towns, which have grown with such rapidity as to threaten absolute confiscation of theproporty within their jurisdiction. And many city governments, so far from being a protection to the accumulations of industry and au encouragement toenterprise, have come to be rugarded as their greatest danger Under our systeiu of suffrage as con-" ducted in the cities public expenditures have beuome so excessive, so wild and proflígale, and so large a class of the population have come to look upon the public treasury as their rightful means of support, and the corrupt improvement of private property at public cost has become so couimon, that the power to incur further indebtedness has been withdrawn from the local control of city officials and committed to the restraining influences of State Legislatures, which are composed chietty of representatives from the country districts. Does not this fact constitute a public adinission that a more reliable sentiment, a more "saving commonsense " in the care and adminisrration of property exists amoug the citizens of the rural districts than would seem to control their sharper-witted brethren massed at the centers of population 'i I barely glance at thisserious problem of the governmeut of men in large and dense masses, not proposing on this occasion to treat of the obvious evils of our municipal systeins or their proper remedies, but merely to draw your attention to the confession contained in the fact referred to of the manifest reliance exhibited üpon the calmer and slower and, as it would appoar, more WÍ86 and conservative judginent of the inhabitants of the rural distriots. Never was there a time in the history of our country when calm, independent and resolute resistance to wild and dangerous popular fallacies was so needed as now. Every thinking man must have feit that tbe absence of legal ranks and classes in the United States has created what may be likened to a broad prairie land of public sentiment, over which every galo that becomes popular sweeps with unobstrueted forcé and levéis all individual opposition. This is one of the defects and daugers of our democratie form of governmeut, against which its friends must guard it, and which especially needsthe opposition of outspoken individuality of opinión, and is yet so indisposed to tolérate it. A falsehood is not less false because a thous ind voicos shout it ; it is only the more dangerous and should encounter more active aud strenuous resistance. We do need, and need badly, vigorous utterances of independent opinions. It is froiu Hie conflict of houest, outspoken minds that truth is obtained, just as the steel and the flint are both required to strike the light. And to the tyranny of unchecked popular opinión is added the terrorism of politica! partisanship, by which Americau intellect and personal conscience are so rudely assailed, overeóme and dragged in the dust of wild and clainorous error Uixm the thoughtful minds of men who love their country, aud whose lives are passed remóte from busy orowds, I earnestly press the consideration of choirduty and responsibility to remedy these defects. Il, iti the midst of such fiuancial distress and bewildermentasnow surround us, remedies, illusory and yet plausible, should be urged ; schemes which protnise immediate relief, unbouuded, easy and seductive, and whieh havo caught the popular mind suffioiently to promise the possession of temporary political power to their most conspicuous advocates, how plain is the duty and responsibility of every man who seue the lurking error and oonoealed danger of sueh measures to bear bis teslimony in loud warning against theni f What answer should the farming classes, the land-owners aud the hardy yeomen of the United States, give to these strange wild cries we hear güing up from the political conventions of pi ties with uew names, that no more runt should be paid lor laúd, no inore interest for the use of money, that the precious niotals should be discarded and "absolute mouoy " oidained by law should replace and measure all values and bo received for all dues 't Who bhould so strenuously resist all sellemos which tend to lessen public reverence for pledged faith, to weaken conñdence and to cripple and destroy public (and of course private) credit by agreeiug to plans for the indefluite postpouemeut of tbii payment of public engageinents accordiug to their terms? What portion of the American people need credit so much and so regularly as the farmer, who bas to wait six months between seed-time and harvest for his meaus of paymentr1 If a man would enjoy credit, let him denouuco all sohemes to weaken credit and insist upon all that will give it strength. To the poor and honest man who needs credit and is coiupelled to borrow mouey I earuestly commend these words. What portiou of the American people kuow so well as the agricultural classes the great fact that all values arise out of labor, and that nothing of valué can be had without its share of labor ? To whoin, therefore, can the fallacy that wealth can be created by enipty proraises to créate it bo more apparent, and by whom should it more scornfully and promptly be rejected ? Who knows the reality and necessity of steady, continuoug manual mdustry better tban the American farmer ? and who can bettor attest the falsehood of a systetn of currency which instructs men that pieces of paper upon which is printed a promiae of payment never to be redeemed, and which can be multiplied indefinitely at the will ofany accidental maiority of Congress, oan ever be a atable and reliable measure of the value of those crops upon the pro duction of which so much human toil, anxiety and care have been bestowed 'r The pretouded mysteries of the alcbemists have long since beeorno the subject of human pity and derision, and surely the attempt now to revive the greater delusion that a printed Government certifícate of value, not oonvertible iuto anything of ruine, can take absolutely and permanently the place of and perform all the functions of actual value, will 8peedily be discarded by the " sober, seooncl thought " of the American people. Hut little more than twelve months ago we witnessed here in Maryland aml iu other States, oecurrences growing out of oonrlicting claims of labor and uapi tal, in which lawlessness rasad it horrid front and shocking scènes ot insane and 8a vage destruction of pruperty and life were enacted well calculated to lili every citizen with apprehension and deep anxiety. So long as public peace and aafoty are in jeopardy there can be for all good citizens but ono i m medíate, ever-present and paramount duty - the maintenauco of the law ; aud when law is obeyed and sits rirmly and unquestioned iu its rightful seat of power, then, and only then, and not until then.shall tho hearing and relief of alleged injuries and injustice be patiently, calmly and kindly heard, investigated and reinedied so far as legal justiee can nnffirin But I do not propose to touch upon this, the gravest and most important problem of modern civilization, which is shaping itself aud oonslautly demauding recognition iu every quarter of tho civilized world, not less in empires than in república, and the solution of which the remedies and course of action which are most deeply touohed with a seuse of coiuuion human brotherhood and are the most influenced by the essentialand iudellible but unwritten laws of justice and good-will botween man and man, will ulone prove productivo of permanent prosperity to all classes. But there are facts which all must recoguizu and which are full of present iustruction. Owing to a varioty of causes, which I will not attempt to recapitúlate, there is to-day a large body of our fellowcou n ti 'yincn unemployed and in want, who are entitled to the most intelligent consideration and most active friendship and assistance. Go into the streets of Baltiuiore, and indeed of every lesser town, and you will find them idle but most anxious to be honestly employed. I read a few months since the statement of a leading coal-land owuer and miuer in one of the Pennsylvania valleys, in which he assured all the uncmployed people of bis district that all the caol-mining now needed could be done with one-half of the bauds gathured in that región, and that for the oth6r half there was no prospect of employment. These men were to be counted by thousands, and with their families are to be counted by ten thousands. When I think of the fair and fertile península on which I live, and ofwbich our dear old " Kastern Shore " ferms a part, I wish froiu my In-art that all of these strong and wilHng hands of labor could be transported and permanently establishpd on Maryland aud Delaware farms. When we cast our eyes across the (icean, either to the east orthe west, and see the fearful ravages of death in the starvation of millions in British India and the Chinese Empire, or witiihss an imbriitüil couditiun of living humauity with more thau the pangs and none of the deliverauce of death itself, we can better form an idea of the dirKeulties of human goverumeut under conditions of dense populatiou aud iusuffioient production aud realiza the blessinge of communities such as our own Marylaud and Delaware where, uuder just and equal laws, the íesults of industry are protected and personal liberty guaranteed, and where a roof to shelter from the elements, warm clothing aud abundant aud substantial food are obtainable by any man who, with moderate health and strength, is content to walk with industry, sobriety and simple honesty as his coinpanions. Has there not been for more thau twelve years past a steady exodus of ouryoung yeomanry frora the country districts to the towu8 and cities 'i Is it not a fact that the steady labors of the farm and the duller occupations and amusements of the homestead have proven irksome and distasteful to many of the present generation, wbo havesought in the hotbed growth of trude and speculation, fostered by paper money iu our centers of population, a more profitable, an easier or more exciting kind of life 'i What has been the result 'i The cities are filled with the idle victiras of overtrade and exploded speculations. Agricultural labor has been abandoned by those most fit for it, and our farmer have been compelled to get along with less competent hands aud pay them higher wages. As a result, production has been lessened and at the same time the cost of productiou has been increased. One obvious cure for much of tho distress we now witness iu cities and laanufac turing centers will be fonnd in the return of the popuiation to the cultivatiou of American farim, which today are at prices far below their intrinsic value, because the couipensations and advantages of country life aud agricultural occupations have not been duly weighed and appreciated. There need be no fears of over-production of the fruits of the earth by American farmers so long, at least, as the mad ambitious of European rulers turn the continent into a vast camp or battle-field, aud pervort the energies of their peoples to their mutual destruetion, and by vast military establishmt'iits suck the very life-blood out of the industries they profess to protect. Knowledge como.-, But wisdom iingers. The progress of iiivontion and the application of natural forces to mechaui cal uses within the last quarter of a century is indeed marvellous. Undoubtedly every inveutiou whereby labor is roloased from any task leaves it free to seek new iields of employmeut, and thereby production is proportionately increased, anrt production is wealth, and personal comfort and luxury are the followers of wealth. What may be the results of the wonderful diücoveries iu physical science we may uot fully comprehend, but " I doubt not through the ages an inoreasing purpose runs." Under all conditions of life, uuder every change and vicissitude of human affairs, human nature remains the same, and within ourselves rests the responsibility of human will left free. A sayinj of Periclns has been preservod : " That pO88essions (houses and lands) can never produce uien, but men can gain of itich thiugs as many as they will." New inventions may render the old useless, and the machinety of to-day uiay be cast into the rubbish pit to-morrow ; our institutions of governiuent may fail and be replaced by others - history is filled with such illustrations. But there are otner things that will never fail, and can neversafely be discarded - are needed now, always were, and ever will be needed : 8elf-reliauce and self-restraint. Industry and frugality. Courage and patience. Truthfulness and honor. Morality and religión. These are the essential basoa whichkeep the world sweet aud correct those fermentations which human passions genérate. Upon these qualities we must dopend for all the hope of permanent and progressive prosparity and happiness. And how shall they be secured 'i All are honiespun virtues - virtues spun at home ; and to the guardians of homes we must look to see that they are iuiplauted and nourished there. Mothers of America, how great a power is in your hands ! - to mould the characters of those wüo are soon to be chargod with the government of their country! How shallow and petty seeiu all other rights compared with these - the true wouiuu'a rights that spring not from human statuten, but have their warrant from a highor hand. In reflecting upon the evils which day afílict our country, which havo prostrated its prospority and paralyzed ita industries and commerce, I trace the want of influeuce of the tireside virtues I have named. Oursis a governmunt of laws, but laws moulded by public opinión. In a roforiiivd, rogeneratod public opinión must we look for the cure of the eviU which uucleau dishonesty, disrcgard of truth and honor, uusurupuluus private greed, and unpatriotic aniinosities havo brought upon us. The family and home circle are the natural birthplacn and nursery of the principies which, beiug educated and established there, expand into the couiuiunity aud pervade the whole body of' laws and Government with their sober and sweet iiiüuuneos. The care of his family is the jast, happiest, and proudest duty of the American citizen, and to the American mother is assined the power aud duty of moulding the charaoter of the American man. No written law, no establiahed constitution has created or assigned these duties, but in their just performance rest our chief hopes for individual aud national welfare and happiuess. -On the 28th uit., while Walter Acker, of Brighton, Livingston coutity, aged 'iO, was buntiug with a companiou, the latter's gun went off accidentaüy, the charge of shot taking effect in one of Acker's legs, inflicting a very serioua wound. ■ - Hon. Jonathan J. Woodman has roached his home at Paw Paw from the Paris Exposition, whore he was a Michigan Commissioner. - A five-year oíd son of Geo. Leutzidel, a farmer living near St. Clair, was drowned in an open well around which it was playing, on Sept. 29. - Miss Sarah Karnham, a teacher in the Battle Cieek public schools, feil down stairs Sept. 30, breaking her shoulder and being otherwise injured. - A Mr. Comelius Elvert, of Ionia county, h'is paid James Humpurey, of the saiue county, $1,500 for accidentally lodging a charge of shot in the latters right arm. - Arthur Burley, of Big Rapids, claims to have been robbed of $750 by John A. Seymour and Jas. Morrison, while on a drunk at Grand Bapids on iSept. '5. A costly drunk. - A barn belonging to H. J. Perrin, of Marshall, was burned on Sept. 27. Loss, f 1,500; insured.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus