216 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
couragement of the right class of settlers 
is one that calls loudly at our doors 'for 
solution. 
The agitation for uniform rates from 
our railroad company is another live is¬ 
sue that could be taken up and properly 
settled, and a score more of abuses that 
exist to keep the agricultural industry in 
a backward condition. And not the least 
of these is the subject of compulsory edu¬ 
cation, for until we compel careless 
parents to keep their children at school 
we cannot expect a first-class citizenship 
from the rising generation. 
In recommending the consideration of 
these very important questions that con¬ 
front us as citizens and agriculturists, we 
must by all means steer clear of giving 
any of them a political aspect, for the 
history of the past goes to show that 
politics has been the rock on which the 
most of agricultural organizations have 
been wrecked in the past. So by all means 
let us keep away from giving any ques¬ 
tion under consideration a political color¬ 
ing. 
And now, ladies and gentlemen, I 
leave the subject with you for your criti¬ 
cism and discussion. My remarks have 
been made with a view of bringing out 
the best point in the subject under con¬ 
sideration by the after-discussion which 
I hope it will bring on in a lively manner. 
