Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1891 — THE FARMERS’ INSTITTTE. [ARTICLE]

THE FARMERS’ INSTITTTE.

Pursuant *to call, met at the Opera House, Friday and Saturday last, and carried out the programme prepared for consideration, and we doubt not much good will result from the interchange of views and muoh valuable information elicited during its deliberations. The absence of B. W. Marshall devolved upon S. P. Thopson the welcoming address which was responded to by President Smart, of Purdue University, in which he insisted that in proper management ahd care, making more and saving more, “laming paid,” and the farmers who followed this rule, sticking to the farm and keeping their boys with them were the veritable lords of creation. Prof. Latta, of Purdue, gave an interesting and instructive essay on Wheat Culture and Eolation. He was followed in the same line by F. W. Bedford and W. E, Moore, farmers. Friday afternoon President Smart discussed “Industrial Education, “ and was followed by D. B. Nowels in brief and appropriate remarks on the Bame subject* “Public highways" was considered by S. T. Virden, of White county. O. M. Vickery followed in advocacy of good roads. Friday evening 8. P. Thompson discussed the “Mutual Interests of Town and Country," and Mrs. M. T. Didlake. of Monticello, read an essay, “Women’s Place and Influence in the Farmer’s Home.” Saturday morning Lee E. Glazebrook read an interesting paper on the "Evil Propensities and Proolivity to Increase in Geometrical Progression of the English Sparrows. ” J. E. Bowles, of Montgomery county, presented his views on “Earning and Selling of Horses,” followed by O. M. Viokin the same line. S. T. Virden read a paper on the subject of “Drainage", followed by J. E. Alter, G. W. Burk, W. B. Nowels, O. M. Vickery, Prof. Latta and S. P. T omyson in advocacy of a liberal system of drainage. Saturday afternoon Mrs. Addie A. Stearns, of Eemington, read a paper on “The Farm andUHome.” “Breeding, Feeding ahd Care of Dairy Stock,” was discussed by W. G. Schwegler, of Tippecanoe county. Thejcommittee on resolutions submitted the following: Whereas The interests of Farmers as a class are identical and that they stand in urgent need of practical organization and intelligent co-operation for mutual protection and advancement, Therefore be it Besolved,

1. That the present system of Farmers’ Institutes, as provided for by law, meets with our unqualified approval and we recognize them as an essential factor in the intelligent advancement of our interests. 2. That we favor a permanent organization for the purpose of holding such Institutes at least twice duriLg each year. 3. That we recognize the necessity of the higher practical education of the farmer to fit him for the exigencies of the progressive age in which he lives and to this end we should encourage all proper means leading upward to this desirable accomplishment. 4. We favor the passage of an act which will afford adequate protection to our native insectivorous birds of this state and request of the legislature an act for such Protection, with suitable penalty attached or the violation of the 6ame; also, which will provide for the extermination of the so-called English sparrow; and further, provide for the scientific investigation of birds, especially with teference to their economic relations to agriculture. 5. That we are in favor of a fixed salary for state and county officials, and that all fees collected by them shall be paid into the treasury, and that said officials shall be required under heavy penalties to colleot the same. 6. That the present road law is inadequate for the proper construction and repair of our roads, hence we favor the receal of tbe same and the enactment of a law that will give a better system. 7. That we are opposed to all combinations of whatever character organized for the purpose of abnormally controlling or nullifying the operation of the natural law of supply and demand, and we favor all legislation looking to tbe suppression or oontrol of snob combinations. 8. That we tender our thanks to those from abroad who have given ns such valuable assistance in this our first Institute. We also return our thanks for the hearty co-operation which we have received from the business and professional men of this David B. Nowbls, ) L. Strong, V Com. Lee E. Glazebrook, ) Unanimously adopted, as was also the following: Be.olved, That we are in favor of dredging the Iroquois River and i amoving the ledge of rock at Rensselaer, and to do this over two hundred thousand acres of land ought to be assessed for benefits of drainage on a large scale, also in favor of draining the Kankakee Valley wherein many hundred thousands of acres would be redeemed to agriculture, and our present statute makes the work impracticable for the reason that full payment in cash makes practical confiscation of the un mproved lands assessed; and we, the farmers and land owners of Jasper county here assembled, respectfully ask the General Assembly of the State of Indiana to pass a drainage law which will enable I open drains to be constructed with money

realized by the sale of bonds issued and endorsed by a county or drainage district, the payment of said bonds with inteiest in installments to be secured by assessments on the lands benofitted.