FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 59 



EOCKFORD INSTITUTE. 



This Institute was held, commenciug on the evening of Januar}' 13th, in 

 Grange hall, which was well filled throughout the meeting. The first evening 

 session was opened with prayer and music, after which the President, Mr. R. 

 Dockeray, gave the opening address as follows: 



Having been chosen by my brother farmers to preside at this — so far as I 

 am aware — the first Farmer's Institute ever held in Kent county, I shall 

 endeavor to perform the duties of the position to the best of my ability, and 

 shall detain you but a short time with my opening remarks, as I am well aware 

 that there are others here who will occupy the time much more profitably than 

 I can. 



These Institutes are designed to bring farmers and their families together in 

 closer social relationship, thereby enabling them to receive and impart infor- 

 mation by the discussion of topics interesting and useful to all which may be 

 brought before the meeting. J^'armers as a class live too much isolated, do 

 not meet together, consult together, and act together, and the consequence is 

 that while those engaged in every other business, occupation or profession have 

 their associations and their unions, and are thereby enabled to act in concert 

 and make their influence felt, the farmers by their lack of organization are 

 deprived of that influence to which their numbers justly entitle them. For 

 while the farmers outnumber all other classes and possess nearly, if not quite, 

 half of all the wealth of the nation, and are possessed of as much intelligence, 

 yet they exert less influence in the affairs of state and nation than any other 

 class. Wiiat is the remedy for this state of affairs? Simply this : the farmers 

 must learn to attend to their own business and not intrust it to others. They 

 must see to it that they are represented in the councils of the state and nation 

 by men of their own class whose interests are identical with theirs, men of 

 their own choosing. When this is done, and not till then, may they expect to 

 derive a fair share of benefit from the money they so largely contribute in the 

 way of taxes to carry on the government. To illustrate my meaning I will 

 quote from the report of Wm. G. Leduc, Commissioner of Agriculture, made 

 in November, 1878. Many examples migiit be furnished to prove this part, 

 but I must not take the time. But the world moves and all over the land the 

 people are being aroused and agricultural papers are being established and 

 well patronized. The Grange is doing its work, farmers' clubs are being organ- 

 ized, the public schools and agricultural colleges lending their aid, and farm- 

 ing is being conducted on more scientific principles and the prospect looks 

 brighter for the future. But time is required to accomplish all this. "Large 

 bodies move slowly, but when once in motion their force is irresistible." 



The agricultural is, in some respects at least, of more importance than all 

 interests, for of the entire value of all exports of every kind and description 

 for the year 1878— $739,971,739— agiiculture contributed $536,038,951. 



[Mr. Dockery quoted from the report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1878, 

 showing that a very smnll amount of the public money was espcuded in the interest 

 of aji^rioulture as compared with some otlier interests. 



It is a dufect of this kind of reasoning that the facts deduced generally prove too 

 much, and are really worthless as a part of the argument or worse than that, for they 

 frequently misrepresent and mislead. For example: what is expendcnl for the ad- 

 vancement of commerce is often no less directly beneficial to agrictdture. What is 

 expended for the army and navy is as much for the protection of agriculture as any 

 other interest. — Sec] 



