88 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



But State legislation is weak and this subject must be dealt witli by 

 Congress. 



Then, too, in this State, our present constitution is constantly in the way. 



Even when the House i-euched ihe point of doing something, the Senate 

 was not pledged to the farmer and stood in the way. 



As to the patent riglit swindle. Congress should take hold of this, and 

 hold the consumer harmless. Tlic manufacturer should be dealt with. 



^Ir. Weatherwax: We would like to hear from President AVillits as to 

 legi.^^lation on mortgage taxation, railroads and ]nitcnt rights. 



President Will its: As to mortgage taxation, I am free to say I don't know 

 what to do. One of the chief evils of taxation is the escape of large blocks 

 of personal property from taxation. Jn Adrian were two men in similar 

 houses, who paid similar tax. Both died near together. One was worth 

 $1,000, personally, the other was worth !&'.>0,000, bonds of other cities. Mr. li. 

 says a moi'tgage owned by a man in New York can be taxed here. The tiouble 

 is, it can be taxed there, too. lie is there, and they would not recognize the 

 fact that he may have been taxed on it here. You farmers who owe $1,000 

 on a $5,000 farm, jiay tax on one thousand more than you have. 1 

 bel'.eve this dilhuilty can be met. Some intelligent people say, put all tax 

 on real estate, and they point to New Jersey, which did so, to the enhance- 

 ment of value to real estate. But there are ditliculties. 



As to railroad discrimiiuition, the evil exists, and it will be solved some 

 time and way. There is no reason for charging more from B.ittle Creek to 

 New York, than from Chicago to New York. In many cases there are con- 

 stitutional dilliculties in the way, e. (j.,cis to butterine. Suppose we prevent 

 it being made here. They may make it in Ohio and sell it here, and we can't 

 prevent it, under the U. S. Constitution. 



As to patent rights. The consumer can no more take the right to use a 

 patented article than he can take a horse, but we can say that, unless judg- 

 ment for $-t-) or more is given, complainant must pay costs. But while legis- 

 lation will do some things, it will not put brains in a man's head, nor pro- 

 tect a foolish man from the oily tongue of a beguiling swindler. The 

 American must learn to do somethiug to take care of himself. 



SUCCESS ON THE FAEM. 



BY HON. WM. BALL, OF HAMBURG. 

 [Read before the Farmers' Institutes at Rochester and Grass Lake.] 



How shall we manage our farms that they may be made more productive, 

 and at the same time })ay for their increased fertility and yield an income to 

 the hnsbandman? what varieties of grain shall we grow, and how many? 

 what kind of stock shall we breed, and what kind of care shall they receive? 

 are all questions of practical importance and none can safely be ignored, but 

 all should bj wjU cjusidjred bf every thoughtful, intelligent farmar, for 

 upon the correct solution depends very much the success or failure of farm- 

 ing operations. To answer our first question with anything like certainty, 

 we should know a good deal about the nature of the soils we cultivate. I 



