The Question Box. 407 



Is a canning factory a benefit to the farmer? 



Mr. Cook. — I do not live near one; but, from what I have ob- 

 served, where they are well managed they have been a blessing 

 to the farmers. By this I mean a factory that is co-operative, not 

 one built by a " canning factory promoter." If your system is 

 that of the " promoter " I would let the thing everlastingly alone; 

 otherwise I would go ahead and establish one, provided the farm- 

 ers will agree to support it right along, so as to make it perma- 

 nent. 



Why are there so few farmers in the Legislature, each year? 



Mr. Hale. — I put that question in the box. We have a farmer 

 present w^ho is also a member of the Legislature — Mr. Litchard. 

 I would like to hear from him on the subject. 



Mr. Litchard. — Last year we had but 16 members that were 

 farmers, out of a total number of 150, in the Assembly. Although 

 agriculture is of more importance than is any other industry in the 

 State, it is represented but by few. The fault is with the farm- 

 ers themselves. They are almost wholly indifferent to their needs. 

 If they had been well posted in legislative and economic matters, 

 they would never have voted for that $9,000,000 canal enlarge- 

 ment, which has never benefited the State to the value of a cent. 

 We had 69 lawyers in the Legislature, many of them representing 

 farmers. It ought not to have been, and would not be, if we 

 would stand together and not underrate ourselves; and there will 

 never be any change for the better until we reform our methods, 

 learn to stand together and work for our own interest, and we 

 must do it at once if we are to accomplish anything. Within the 

 next five years more than one-half of the population of the State 

 will live in the cities, and the representatives from those cities will 

 be professional men, who will control legislation. So we must 

 first agree on a policy and then stand together and enforce our 

 rights. 



Mr. Hale.— I agree with Mr. Litchard fully. It is the indiffer- 

 ence amongr the farmers that is the main trouble. We ought to be 



