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BY k?XTII, SMITH & CO. WALHALLA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TinJttSDAY, JUNE IO, 1880. " "7" VOLUME XXXI.--NO. 30.
i
Another Uabinot O?icor.
Speech. of Hon. I>. Wyatt Aiken
on tho Appropriation Billi ??ro
?iontctl foy Committee on Agri
<culturo.
Tho IIouso being in Comtnitteo of tho
?wbolo IIouso on tho Btato of tho Union,
.oonsidoriog tho ogrioultural appropviuliou
bill,
Mr Aiken said:
Mr. Chairman, 1 am grateful to my
?friend, thc ohuiriunn of the Couimittco on
Agrioulturo (Mr. Covort) for tho timo
allowed mo, aud shall consume it in cu
.dcavoring to couvinco this ilouso aud tho
country that tho appropriations for thc
Department of Agrioulturo aro uot com
.mousurato with tho claims which that
department has upou tho Government.
That I will succeed so far os this llouso is
concerned is quito problematical; for, sir,
I havo becu u mom ber of Congress long
enough to know that iu all political discus
aions upou this floor party fealty shapes
the issuo, and upon ell other questions
looal intorcsts, sectional interests, prejudico,
or self a?sortiotj aro moro pot?nt than argu
ment iu determining results.
Tho very first item jj tho hill ?B tho
salary of tho Oomtfassionor-S8,00fJ. I
contend, sir, thal!HJ responsibilities of him
who prosidos over thin, thc people's depart
ment, aro sucli us entitle him lo a salary
equal to thoso paid thc heads of other
departments of tho Government. True, j
they aro till styled lixcoutivo Departments,
and their head? compose thc Cabinet of tho
President, while this deparlmcut, whoso
solo purpose is to promoto thc general
welfare of the people, is stoutly denied a
constitutional oxisteueo. Dut, sir, if thc
authority ot tho General Government ia lo
bo invoked in suoh "matters BB concern all
thc States und which catinol bo managed
by tho States in the. independent cu pa oi ty,
or only with great di?liouliy und cm bm russ
ment, , thon does tho constitutional neces
sity exist for tho establishment hero at our
national capital of un Agricultural Depart
ment which should control all mailors of a
goncrul and common agricultural interest
"which cannot ho wisely and efficiently
managed by State authority." And ho
who pre?ido? over such n department should
bo cfjuul in pay nod equul tu rank with any
other officer appointed by thu President.
If to give this oom mission er thc salary und
rank of Secretary of a department tl rusts
bim into thc Cabinet of tho President, then
be it BO. Put let it bc remembered that
neither our statu lo nor organic law recog
nizes tho oxisteueo of a cabinet.
That word or C7cn tut allusion lo il ii?
not lo bc found in thc Constitution, which
authorizes thc President to require tho
opinion in writing of each or al! of thc
heads of tho Fixccutivo Departments upon
any subject rotating to tho uatiea of their
respective offices. Tho Cabinet exists by
tho volition of thc J'resident, our iiiat
President having instiluluil thc practice of
convening the head? of departments in
council at stated periods.
Tho House will pardon mo if I trespass
for a few moments upon their patience by
giving them a succinct history of organiza
tion und growth of the Cabinet of the
President of tho United States.
In September, 1780, rix months after
tho inaugural iou of Washington, there were
orc&tcd by congressional enctmont three
Executive Deportments, to thc heads o."
which were assigned specific duties. To
tho Secretary of State was intrusted
tho keeping of tho Beal of tho
United Stuten, ?.ll offioiul correspondence
with public ministers abroad, und tho
supervision of everything pertaining to thc
Patent Omeo.
To thc Secretary of War was confided
tho control of the entiro lund and sea ser
vice; our army consisting at that time of
one buttalion each of infantry, cavalry, and
artillery, a provost guard, and u company
of engineers, and our navy oom prising a
few woodoo hulks scarcely worthy of recog
nition us ships of war.
And to tho Secretary of tho Treasury
was given tho control of the fiscal a?L?r.s of
tho Government, together with everything
portai ni og lo the Dmd O Iii co.
Subsequently, or ?ti 17?S, n navy depart
ment was organized by statute, and tho
Seoretury of tho navy was invited by the
President into his Cabinet.
An aol of the first Congress, 1780, desig
nated tho Attorney General as that officer
who shall conduct all suits in tito Supremo
Court in which tho United States is a parly
and requires him to give lo^ul advioo or
submit opinion!) upon questions of law when
requested by tho President or hoads of
Department?. In 1801 tho supervision of
tho district attorneys and United Suites
marshals was transferred to this officer, but
it was not until 1870 that tho Peparfmont
of ?Justice Waa by formal enactment made
jin Mxecutivo Department.
In 1810 thu Department of tho interior
was created by statute, und to ils control
wcro ansigncd the bureaus of Pensions,
Indian A Hairs, Public Lands and tho
Patent Offioc; and subsequently tho Census
Bureau, control of the mines of thc United
Statehood of tho diHtriot attorneys and tho
United States Marshals, though OH wo havo
seen thoso last woro nt u still later dale
transferred to the Dcpartnicnl of .Juptioo.
Ii) colonial times wo had n Post ma?; tor
General, for Benjamin Franklin was ap
pointed to that office by Great Britain, and
thc Gorjotitution uuthorizoa Congress "to
CRtablish post ofttoca and post roade;" hut
nowhere docs that instrument nor thc statu
tory low of our country olovato tho post
offloo into an oxooutivo dopartmont, That
oroution awaited tho dictum of Andrew
.1 ackson, who, in 1820, appointed John
MoBout), of Ohio, bia Postmaster General
ntl cl itivitod Itiuj ?uto his Cabinet. Thus,
Mr. Chairman, it will bo Boen that tho
Cubiuct, liko our country, has grown in
??zo ns it udvauocd in years, uutil to day it
is moro than twioo as largo os it was when
wo wcro at tho other cud of our centennial
cxislciioc; und tho demands of tho country
remind us that this iimroaso has not yet
reached its maximum. A3 our population
increase? our cultivated urea is expanded,
our towns sud cities ure multiplied, our
commerco is extended, our industries aro
developed, and our civilization heroines
more enlightened, tho responsibilities of our
Executive become moro grave, und wisdom
of a multitude of counselors moto necessary.
Whcnco aro to come these additional coun
selors, from what walk'3 of life they aro to
bc taken, or what interest they ure to repre
sent, will ho left to ?he behests of tho
people in future. At present tho agricul
turalists demand that they and their
interests shall ho represented at tho national
capital by an oiiioer who shall receive tho
same pay and who shall bc thc peer of
those who nit around that oouneil board,
whore lhere aro neither graduation of char
acter nor importance, but equality in rank
and authority.
Appreciating, Mr. Chairman, how very
dissimilar our Government is in its con
struction and administration from all thc
other governments iu Christendom, it is
with Jicsitution that 1 cito for the informa
tion ol'this House ti e exalted consideration
some of tho greatest nut ions in tho world
have bestowed upon agriculture.
In tho German 10mpiro, us a federation,
(hero uro no head? of department, but cuoh
state has its own officer devoted to this
branch of the publicfcovvico. For instance,
in Prussia tho minister of agricultura is
one of the eight secretaries of stole, and hus
charge of everything that pertains to
tho advancement of thc acionoe of agricul
ture.
in tim Austro-Huogartau monarohy thc
mil,ister of ogrioulturo is ooo of tho seven
secretaries forming tho council of in in ?ot ors,
lu Italy thc minister of agriculture is
one of tho nine heads of departments.
In Spain the minister of agriculture und
com m croo is ouo of the couucil of ministers
of whom there uro eight.
In Kussiu tho ministry of tho domain,
presided over hy one of tho ten secretaries
of state, has in its charge agriculture, for? s
try, mines, utook breeding and surveying.
In France tho miuistryot ij ?culturo and
commerco is ono of t ho niuo dcpartmonU
of the government, tho minister being thc
seoretary of stuto having charge of every
thing that relates to tho ttgri NllturnI inte
rests of the emp's'.c, even to tho drafting ol
all law;1 rel ti ti Hg to thia science.
In Great J?r?taih, agriculture is a subor
dinate iutcrest. it hes no tcorctury, uoi
mintittor, nor department in that realm,
The statistics of agriculture are under G.?.
control of thc board of trade, which reports
only the annual acreage of cr. ?,s. Mr
Chairman, who eau gainsay tho fact thal
tho distressed condition of Ireland to-daj
is attributable to this subordination ol
agriculture tn other interests, and th?
absence of ti secretary of agriculture fron
tho privy council of thc Queen of tho Brit
ish Isles?
'lint, Mr. Chairman, upou thc verj
ihr ! old ol' this discussion I may bc askc(
Kow < 1 an increased pay cf ino Commt3
. Agriculture, ol' even uu colargol
otiou of tho department, boueGt lin
icrioan former? 1 reply, in no wis?
directly, font will not diminish hts burdon
individually, neither will it lighten hi
labors, nor iucrenso the productivo capacity
of his farm. Dut us a member of (ha
great majority class of our entire populatioi
who create tho WCulth O? this country hi
vG!l be greatly benefited, Increase of pa;
mcan.t increase of authority und power, um
a judicious exercise of both by an 1. flieht
j ol' the Government redounds to tho udvuu
tage of thc people individually and collec
tively.
lt is not asked thal Government assist
ance should bo nnbstitntcd for individ
ual exertion in developing tho agricultura
resources of our country; but the farmer
demand that tim Government ?hull scour
hy wdrquoto salaries such talent in th
Agricultural Department officiais an can am
will guido and direct them when gropio]
in tho ci Jtic after scientific truths; for bc ?
rc m om bored, Mt'. Chairmen, agriculture i
a ficionoo, und it would he no panegyric t
call it tho mother of Bcionocfl. We kuo\
it is tho souroo of all our national wealth
j and tho very bcd rock of out national pron
polity. Sonic may stylo this tho pouti
phaso of the question, but not so with m<
J. speak for those who feed tho cotton gi
and tho grain thresher and walk bolwoc
tho plow handles, and not for I h OSO \vh
writO rural poetry and chant georgi?.1? an
bueol''"*, when I assort (hut agriculture is
scienoc, the successful evolution of who.s
truths, not only requires u consumption (
time und expenditure of labor, hut disburst
mont of money far iu excels of the nooi
mulated Wealth Of private individual.
An appropriation is asked for in this hi
to continuo tho recent experiments mad
by tho Agricultural Department in th
manufacture tgar. .Sicco tho dayn <
John Adams it has been known to th
American farmers 1 lint both molasses un
rum could ho made from tho juice of ttl
cornstalk; and twenty y OS rn ugo bundi ce
ol' uuKuecoBsful efforts were made io matu
faoturo sugar from sorghum. Gut foilui
attonded every effort until tho Govornmon
by oft repeated and costly Ox pori mont
CBtahlished, beyond a porud von turo, tin
there is hut littlo IOH8 otystalizable sugar i
the juico of sorghum than there is in iii
juioo of sugar cano of tho West Indie
and ofter/ carefully conducted experiment
in the laboratory of tho Doparlniont tl
computation has boen modo that Ices thu
ono fifth tho cultivated area of Illinois, if
grown in sorghum, could bo made to produce
annually more sugar than wo import. Nay
more, sir, tho unquestioned conclusion has
been ur rived at, from sucoessful experiment
and legitimate computation, that Illinois
might produce and crib her millions of
bushels of corn, and from tho stalles manu
faoturo annually moro sugar than wo havo
over importe] in a singlo yow. To my
mind, sir, this is one of tho grandest dis
coveries of thc nineteocntlt century, und
should immortalize tho parties who made it.
Last year we imponed 1,700,000,000
pounds of sugar, worth 870,000,000, but
costing thc consumers over 8110,000,000,
by reason of tho exocssivo import duty
levied for tho protection of less than o scoro
of sugar refineries in two or tinco of our
large cities.
Ponder well these facts, yo farmers of thc
Northwest, whoso landa, though they bo
ns Tortile as the delta of thc Nile, have,
within tho past fifteen years, decreased in
produetivonoss20 percent, llcfloot upon
your own extravagance, when it is a well
ascertained fact that by properly utilizing
tho stubble of the corn fields of ono of your
States, tho tux-pu\crs of thc country might
bo relieved annually of n burden of forty
millions of dollars.
Mr. Speaker, tho countries whence wo
import this vast amount of sugar arc nearly
oil slave holding. Tho recent abolition of
slavery in come of them, und tho gradual
emancipation of tho slaves iu tho other?,
will ttl all probability, in tho uear futuro,
reduce our sources of supply, and for this
reason, if for no other, this discovery of
thc Agricultural Department is meut op
por tu no.
Au appropriation is also askod for to sid
tho Agricultural Dopartment in encourag
ing tho growth of thc tea plant and manu
facturing the commercial urliclo, so that
WO may become the produoors and no
longer remain, an wo ure, tho purchasers of
twenty millions o? dollars' worth of lea
? annually. Thirty yean1 cxporicuoo lins
satisfied individuals iu more States than
ouo in tho South thut tea eau bo grown
successfully, but it has been left to the
Agricultural Department to prove that any
State South of tho latitude of Wu3uiugton,
by devoting tho samo attention to tho
culturo ol tea that is now given to its
staple orops, might obviate tho necessity
of our importing a bingle caddy of foreign
tea.
Hut, Mr. Chairman, thoso who discou
rage tho idea ol' increasing thc appropriation
for tho Agricultural Department are tho
first to theorize about tho independence
of tho farmer. Aye, sir, they can read
pastoral or rural poetry in tho skipping
lambs, tho toweling heros, tho golden grain,
tho Hooey staple, tho shining plows li aro,
the well laid furrow, and perhaps tho
pretty milkmaid; but tiley oun sea no
connection betweon tho duty of the govern
mont uud tho wanto of the farmer iu this
respect. Sir, thc farmers of thia country
want nothing from tho Government that ic
ia not thu duty of the Govornmont to bestow.
Thoj ask its fostering ero only to thc
extent thal ii is given lo the other pursuits
of life. Manufactures aro fostered by tarif!
oxnetons. Our internal commerce has
become immeasurably great by reason ol
Government subsidios, und our foreign
commerce, relieved of our odious naviga
tion laws, would to-day whiten every sea
with Ils unfurled sails. Dui agriculture,
tho very life-blood of commerce and the
paient of manufactures, hus never, from
tito inception of our Government, received
a proportionale shuro even ol' thc crumb?
that full from tho Government table.
When tho various departments of thc
Govornmont wero organized, opcoilio dutiot
weroassigned (o oaoh, and fr?quent ly thc
supervision of u minglo but eau has beet!
transtVrrod from ene Department to smother
Tho Datent O Otoo and Land Office, foi
instance, havo each been subject to thc
supervision of two different departments
i and every oi.o of tho Departments to daj
hus a much moro widely extended juris
diction lhan could have boen untioipatec
when limy woro established. Who could hav<
conceived in 17b(.) that tho Treasury De
portment would today control tho Lifo .saving
Service, tho Coast Survey Service, th<
Marino Hospita) Service, tho Durouu ol
Printing and Engraving, .und thc man;
minor bureaus so numerous and no multi
farious that it is far easier to say what ii
not than what is under thc supervision o
that Dopartment? Why, sir, toomnifarioui
tro itt* special ties that n cargo of live stool
cannot bo exported, nor even imported fo
brood purposes, exoopt by permission ol
thc Secretary of the Treasury, after beiiifj
subjected lo inspection by Treasury officials
Enlarge tho jurisdiction of tho Agricul
tural Department, and many duties whijl
legitimately belong to it would bo transfer
red thither from other Departments whiol
they aro now assigned and to which the;
nvc tot a f 1 y irrelevant,
In 1380, 81,000 wero appropriated nm
placed in tho hands of tho Commissiono
of Putouts to bo expended in collecting
agricultural st.nimios. In 1851, this an
nual appropriation had grown lo 85,000
In 1802, tho Agricultural Duroau wa
taken hom tho Patent Ollioo, and b;
statute onaoted hilo u Dapurtmcut of Ag
riouilui'O, rcooiviug nt tho samo time ni
appropri?t iou of 800,000 for its supper
during (not fiscal year. From that du
until the present timo no annual appropri
ation for tho Agricultural Department lin
ever rouchel $200,000, nu 1 until quit
recently tho bulk of each annual appropri
ation was expelled in purchasing un
distributing promiscuously immense quin?
lilies of seeds, Oftentimes inferior lo tims
to bo hod from tho most ordinary seo
sloro. Dut, Mr. Chairman, let us not b
too hasty iu attaching culpability to th
Department for this iuoflioiouoy. Tho law I
establishing tlio Agricultural Department
required thc Commissioner lo purchase raro
and vuluablo seeds and distribute them
nurong agriculturists. But uo sooner did
tho law becomo effective than every Con
gressman became a genuino uuimuted seed
distributor, and "bulldozing" tho suecoasivo
Commissioners into submmdon, without a
vestige of right assumed tho prerogative of
scattering those coeds broadcast over tho
land. For twenty five years ibis system
prevailed, converting tho Department into
a wholesale seed etoro conducted upou a
co operative priuciplc at euee political and
eleemosynary. Thanks to tho energy uud
persistence of thc present Commissioner,
this abuse no longer cxiits, uud seeds uro
now distributed with judgment, ?iid gener
ally to parties lo whom thiy will benefit,
frequently to those who will improve tho
seeds.
lt has doubtless seldom occurred to
gentlemen upon this floor whist it is to
purchuso rare and valuable seeds and op
proprintely distribute them over an area as
cxtousivo as tho United States. Seeds
that aro rare in one section may bo oominou
and vuluelcss in another. Aud when wo
remember that there aro not two consecu
tivo mouths in the year in which there is
uot both seed limo and harvest within thc
ooufines of our i ni momio territory, it be
come.* manifest that tho nicest judgment is
necessary both in tho pinchase and in thc
distribution of these needs, lt must be
remen.i>ercd, too, that seeds of thc tame
speoies, though they germinate and grow
luxuriantly, do liol become equally prolific
in nil latitudes. Po illustrate: One kind
of wheat may yiold abundantly in 'Minne
sota, but provo a total failurooin tho South.
And this sumo grain (wheat) imported from
a foreign country will frequently fail to
fructify upou thc samo degreo of latitudo
in Amer ice. And these results can only
bo proven by experimeut. Hut, sh; lifo is
too short, results loo precarious, and losses
frequently too heavy to rely solely upon
tho clim ts of private individuals to develop
by experimental tests tho agricultural iotor
esl? of so great A country as our.i. This
labor must he performed hy thc Govern
ment, and then if losses occur thu injury
is not perceived; but if on thu other hand
success attends thc tflori, tho Government
is provided will? thc moans of distributing
minutely among its citizens tho result at
tained, whether that result be tn the shape
of acquired iufonuution or of sumo im
proved agricultural product, and who, Mr.
Chairman, cun estimate tho value of ouc
such fiiiccc?iful ex peri m en!? Tho impor
tation ol' u few bushels of wheat or othoi
grain so particularly ndnpicd to our soil and
climate that it would in a few years by
proper distribution add a single bushel tc
thc average yield per aero, would bo fi
revenue to the country only to ho estimated
by millions of dollars. 1 am almost war
ranted in saying thia has already been dont
by tho Agricultural Department, crippled
and restrained though it has hoon from it;
infancy by n hick o?' appropriations.
There is another phase to this question
Commercial men tell us that fiinco 1S74 tin
balance of trade has been in our favor,
wilie.? bi Ul ply means that for tho post ICM
years our exports have exceeded our import:
arid that tho gold and eil vcr of other coun
tries have been brought to America to pa}
for that excess. During tho year oodioi.
tho Slit of December, 1370, our export)
amounted to 3754,050,755 and our import)
3513,745,743, leaving a balance of trudi
in our favor of 3210,911,007. What wa;
it, Mr. Chairman, that aggregated this un
paralleled amount of exports, und brough
this vost sum of money into our country
Let the farmers of America nnswor th ii
question. Hear them for their cause, nm
bo silent that you may hear. Deof, 33,
583,407; butter, 33,171,772; pork 35,330,
310; live block, $11,460,984; cheese, 311
219,782; lard, $23,823,297; bacon, 313
431,513; flour, 333,811,505; corn and mea
344,012,205; tobacco, 310,448,208; wheal
3170,134,120, and cotton, ?3180,519,430
or a total of 3500,378,509. And these oi
only the leading articles, all of which wei
of less vniuo per pound, busko
or bar roi thou than thoy have bec
at r.ny timo since tho war, or thu
they aro to d:iy. If to theso st-ipl
ar liol cs wo ndd hides, tallow, other Rina
grain, naval stores, lamber, and tho hun
drcds of other articles of export produce
Ly the farm ors, our ogrieultural produo
will ooualituto 85 per cent, of our cnlii
exports, and aggregate an amount 8100,
000,000 in CX0O9S of our annual import
This mighty surplus would indicate su
sluntial prosperity, And indeed, M
Speaker, that class of our fol low oitizei
known as "business roon," tell us that i
turu!pg prosperity is now upon us and th
tho "good limo u coming" to long y oar Ol
for b at our doors. To my mind, sir, th
14 not now apparent, Truo, our far
brod not S ure immense and of incalculnb
value, but if there aro net earnings fro
thc salo of theso products lliey uro tiena]
divided bctweeii tho speculators, middh
mon, and transportation companies.
Tlioro is in all of our cities a el a as
mon who oro noithor Shorthorns nor Jo
soys; noithor grizzly nor black, and y
limy arc known hy tho euphonious tillo
"Dulls" und "boara." It is thoso olega
gentlemen, who frequently stock tho our
on each oilier and who never con defend
play with the farmer any game but "boa
I win tails you loose," that toll us t
times aro prosperous. Thoy deal nltogetli
in "futures," that imaginary produ
whioh was ?over plnntod, grown, nor ht
vested, hut whioh establishes tho marl
price of ull other agricultural produc
it is they who by organizing a "ayndioat
purchase all of any produot-wheat, :
ioaUnoo-io any Western city, aud j
more t lui ti thc market price; thus, io their
technical language, creating a "cornor;"
and then, hy colluding with tho "cvencrs,"
(another technicality,) trausport it to tho
Atlantio seaboard, Boll it for less thau tho
market price, thus destroying all competi
tion from regular mciohauts, and utill tnuke
u handsome prolit by tho speculation. Ao
loug ns such ??hylocks uro recognized us
tho best and controlling representatives of
their respectivo ocmuiunitics thero can bo
no rrcneral prosperity among thc pooplo.
Wo aro told our rolling mills und pud
d?ng furnaces oro in full blust. ?kit, sir,
docs it indicate prosperity to find a thou
?und men struggling day by day to support
their fannies, while every dollar et* mod bo
youd their daily wages filia into tho coffers
of n sinplc capitalist? liut, says another,
our public securities aro at a premium,
und, therefore, we must bo prosperous.
Docs it indicate prosperity when tho debt
of a toxburdeuod people is thc only tempt
ing investment fer surplus capital? This
may evinoo faith in tho stability of tho
Government, but ic by no uicaus C3tubKshos
tho prosperity of a people.
No, Mr. Chairman, permanent prosperity
has not yet visited our country, nor will it
until tho masses are mado moro content
und h-'ppy. Moneyed men cnn nlwnyn bo
prosperous. The millionaire prospers while
he Biceps; and ho hus only to invest und
interest decs tho balance, working for its
master seven days in thc week tho year
round. Not BO with tho farmer, tho me
chanics or tho artisan. His subsistence
muBt bc camed byan expenditure ot mus
cle, by the sweat of his face. And until
tho working classes of every description,
bo they operatives iu our factories, puddlers
in our rolling mills, mechanics iu our ma
chine shops, or laborers on oar farms
until they oro taught to practice that pun-*
ciplo of truo oo operation which entitles
tho laborer to n just and equitable nh aro of
thc net profits of his labor, thcro can never
bo permanent and general prosperity in our
country.
]?ut, Mr. Chairman, tilts is a sordid idea
of tho whole subject, because purely com
mercial, which moans to buy uud sell and
pet gain. Let us view it from a more clo
vated stand point. In appropriating moro
money for and in extending lite jurisdiction
of tho Agricultural Department, I would
not tor nu in&tuuoo onoourge tho thought
that tho purpose was to utilizo un F.xccu
live department iu developing sonto method
by or through which farmers might bo
taught new ?ind perhaps smoother roads to
ease, comfort, or wealth. National instincts
will stimulate all energetic men lo such
aspirations. Dut, sir, ? would utilize it
further, by encouraging fanners in every
possible manner in their pursuit of linf.pi
ness, educating them to the conviction that
on improved farm engenders looul attach
ment, which is only ono phase cf true
patriotism, ir?ir, us thc American soldier
loves his country because he feels that its
honor ia in his custody, und ns tho American
seaman when he ti cads thc deck even in
foreign waters symbolizes his love of country
by his udorotion of thc llig that floats at
hi? mast head, s< sir, I would have the
patriotism of thc American farmer reflected
through his beautified home, und intensified
by the knowledge that nt this capital his
Government had endowed a Department
qualified and empowered to disseminate for
his benefit, even though ho lived upon its
most distant confines, practical und
experimental instruction uowhero else to bc
obtained. [Applause]
PROHIBITION DOES PROHIBIT.-It is
nor? twenty nine years since tho prohibitory
liquor law was adopted in tho Stato of
Maine, and with tho exception of 185G and
1357, when the license plan wos tried, more
or loss stringent laws on tho subject of thc
liquor trafiio have been in force. These
laws havo been exceedingly beneficial: they
have so moulded public opinion that no
political party daren adv?calo their repeal,
that the manufacture of liquor in thc State
has becu entirely suspended, and, except in
a few of tho larger cities, its sale, even iu
tho most coorct way, is unknown. Fifty
years ago, nearly every molo drunk, while
ut the present timo threo fourths of tho
population uro tolnl abstinence people.
The New York Herald says, in n recent
ovtiolo, that these aro exceedingly satisfac
tory results, and if the figures upon which
they aro bused ure correct it is not surpris
ing that prohibition lias so strong n hold
upon thc majority of the people of Maine,
lu regard to thc Surreptitious sale of liquor
in thc Stato, tho opponents of prohibition'
who would naturally bo inclined to exag
geration in tho matter, do not plaoo the
quantity disposed of in this way nt moro
than n million and a quarter dallara worth.
It is difficult to oblttin reliable statistics on
tho .-rbject, hut supposing that these figures
aro curred tho showing in favor of prohi
bition is very sutisfaotory. They givo two
dollars ns tho nvorugo expenditure in this
direction for each oitizon, whereas tho
nverngo throughout tho oilier States is
eight timos 111 lit sum. From the abovo
figures it will bo seen that prohibition ruully
docs prohibit in Maine.
Tlio number of cities in thc
United States having more than
30,000 inhabitants is greator than
in either Franco, Germany or
Austria. To thc 145 such cities?
in tlie United ?States, France hoe
but 101, Germany sevonty-ninc
and Austria thirty eight.
A negro in Sumter County whippod hit
child, three or four yoars old, to death, or
Saturday night, tho 29th ultimo. N<
arrost yet.
Circulai*.
Thc following circular has
been addressed to tho people of
South Carolina. We give it the
boniit of our circulation, and
trust that tho request of Colonel
Butler will be complied with:
COLUMBIA, S. C., May, 1880.
DJS AU Sm:-At the last regular
session of the .Legislature an Act
was passed creating an Agricul
tural Department? This is an
important recognition of tho
rights ot thc Planters, and I sin
cerely trust that I may have their
co-operation in the effort to de
velop thc resources of our State.
We will soon have in the rooms
of the commissioner, in Columbia,
cases or apartments for each
county, and it is our desire to ex
hibit the products of every coun
ty, and wo request that every
citizen will feel that this circular
is directed especially to him and
aid the department by all means
in his power. Thc commissioner
will neglect nothing that will ad
vance thc agricultural and me
chanical industries of tho State,
and bc confidently relics upon
the people to sustain bim.
Wo desire to have samples of
thc products of cvory county.
They will bc carefully arranged
in thc proper cases and plainly
marked with thc name of county
and contributor. Wo want speci
mens of wheat, corn, oats, peas,
rye, barley, rice, buckwheat, flax,
peanuts, tobacco, cotton, millet,
clover and grasses, dried fruit,
chulas, molasses, wines, woods,
minerals, stone, marble, any arti
cle used for agricultural or me
chanical purposes manufactured
in thc State, native birds, insects,
and, in short, anything and every
thing that will show the wealth of
the county, aid and encourage
home manufactures and provo
interesting to visitors.
The importance of having such
an exhibit at the capitol is appa
rent. It will bc our best adver
tisement in showing our wonder
ful resources, and more can bo
loamed in this way, by strangers
seeking information, in a day than
in a year's travel. It will be a
fine medium of exchange, pur
chase or sale of seeds to our own
people, and in learning more of
our capabilities. I earnestly ap
peal to you to aid me in this great
work hy sending any article for
exhibition that you think would
bc at all interesting. They should
bc plainly marked and addressed
to A. P. Butler, Commissioner of
Agriculture, Columbia South
Carolina. The department will
pay all expenses of shipping.
Very Respect fully,
A. P.BUTLER,
Commissioner of Agriculture.
The Great Columbia Canal.
Thompson nnd Naglo, of whom onr
Stnto hos heard 60 much within tim lost
six months, with two or thrco wealthy
capitalists accompanying thom, have finnlly
reached Columbia. On Friduy last in
company with Mayor O'Nculo nnd other
gentlemen, Mr. Thompson and his associates
made a thorough inspection of tho canal snd
rivers, and ut a meeting in tho afternoon
thc terms of tho net of December 2d, 1870,
wero formerly nccopted, nnd nn organiza
tion cflectcd under tho uamo of tho Colum
bia and Lexington Wntor Powor Company,
throe or moro being sufficient under the not
to prooced.
Tho following board of dircotor wero
elected: David M. Thompson, Robert
Knight, Ii. C. Dam, David Moulton, Lo
renzo Blackstone, Augustus F. Naglo and
John T. Undorhill. Mr. Thompson wa?
then ohoscn President and Mr. Undorhill
Scorctary, ond a committee of thrco ap
pointed to draft rules nnd regulations for
tho conduct of tho business. Toa
days notice will bo given before opening
tho books of subscription. Tho subscrip
tions will not bo binding until 8100,000
has been subsoribod. _
Tho party wore scrennded at tl-.cir hotel
on Friday night. Mr. Thompson responded,
giving assurances that tho work would bo
commenced nt tho earliest moment practi
cable. They wcro enlisted iu tho enterprise
and did not intend to fal).
Borong, a noted illicit distiller, his throo
'?ons and ten other parties engaged in illicit,
distilling in Northeast Goorgta, have boon
arrcstod.
--? --
Tho orops in Horry County oro reported
good. Tho aoroago in cotton is largor than
usual.
