586 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



"He is enumerated in the tables of population, but ex- 

 punged from the statistical lists of the nation's representa- 

 tives. He is enrolled on the tax list, but cancelled in the 

 catalogue of those who levy taxes. He is registered in the 

 poll book, but disfranchised of the privileges and immunities 

 of a citizen. 



"Until the organization of the Farmers' National Con- 

 gress and its kindred institutions, a few years ago, he was 

 as isolated as Robinson Crusoe upon his island. 



"The benefits which these organizations have conferred 

 on agricultural communities cannot be estimated in dollars 

 and cents. They have taught the wisdom of systematic or- 

 ganization for the greatest good of the greatest number. 

 Their special mission is to prepare the seed, plough, plant 

 and foster a harvest of intelligent votes ; not to propose im- 

 posing theories, but to apply more judicious and efl'ective 

 measures. 



" History teaches that a government that will not protect 

 the masses of its people deserves not to become permanent. 

 Those engaged in agricultural pursuits are a majority of all 

 the people ; yet we cannot, if we would, close our eyes to 

 the fact that this majority is practically without voice in 

 shaping public affairs. 



' ' A review of the present Congress and the occupation of 

 its members reveals the fact that the farming element is in no 

 way responsible for disastrous legislation, real or apparent. 

 A sketch of the members of Congress discloses the fact that, 

 out of a membership of four hundred and forty-four in the 

 Senate and House of Representatives, the farming class, 

 representing over thirty millions of people, have thirty-five 

 members in the House and but one in the Senate. 



" The chairman of the ao;ricultural committee of the Senate 

 records himself an attorney, and the only farmer on that 

 committee is at the tail end. Ten of the eighteen members 

 of that committee are lawyers by profession. 



"The great States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, 

 Wisconsin and Missouri have each one farmer to represent 

 them, but Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, the heart and centre of 

 agriculture, have no representative in either branch. The 

 only chairmanship) held by a farmer is on the committee of 



