New-York daily tribune., 1843-09-27
Agriculture and the Tariff.


Agricultural Society at Roch, q, from winch
they may form some judgement oI the spirit winch
distinguished that great occasion. 1T was, IN
avery respect, an occasion Of marker importance
According to the most moderate estimates, not
Less than twenty thousand persons from the
country round about Rochester were in attend
ance. The gathering, large as II was, was one
almost exclusively OF practical Farmers. The
Exhibition, to be sure, was in the midst OF an
Agricultural section; but we were not prepared
to behold an enthusiasm at once so intense and
50 intelligent, upon the subject of Agriculture.
Until within few years past, comparatively
slight attention has been given to the scientific
cultivation Of the soil in the western portion OF
the State; and farmers nave been content with
the natural products Of the earth under the old
fashioned and ordinary culture. Western New
York owed, therefore, rather TO It's rich soil and
exceleot natural advantages, than to any highly
perfected system of culture, its great reputation
as farming section. Great crops Of Wheat and
of Corn, and great number OF acres devoted 10
them, were the chief objects with the best farmers.
little notice, and scarcely any attention was
given 10 the renovation of soils, to the raising of
cattle or the production of fruits beyond the de-
mands of ordinary farming
But the late Fair evinced most clearly that all
this has greatly changed. The deepest interest
is now every where felt in carrying to perfection
in ell its parts the science Of Agriculture. Books
have been diligently studied, chemical analyses
have been extensively made, experiments in every
branch have been very generally performed, and
the utmost diligence has been used in acquiring
knowledge of the best methods Of land cutiva-
ton in all departments. The evidence and effect
of this were manifest at Rochester 1t would
have been difficult ten years ago to collect thou
sand farmers for the discussion Of this subject, or
to excite among them the slightest enthusiasm
concerning such an exhibition. But here were
gathered 10000 farmers, bringing into competi-
ton the products of their labor with spirit and
ardor seldom witnessed even in the excitement Of
politics, and listening with the closest attention
to the varied and thorough discussions which the
subject received The Fair furnished the most
gratifying proof of the increasing interest In this
great and fundamental branch Of American In
dustry. The practical benefits which will flow
from it will secure It's permanence and progress
and we sec no reason why Western New York
should not, ere many years, be subjected to as
thorough and scientific culture as the best farms
of England
The affair throughout was completely separa-
ted from every thing like party politics; but it
fforded indications connected with prominent
and Important questions OF national policy, which
eonld not escape attention. Judging solely from
the scenes of this exhibition no one could doubt
.hot The great Agricultural Interest of this great
PROTECTIVE TARIFF. The Farmers of the West
scorn and despise the current slang Of Loco-Fo-
coism that the Tariff is designed exclusively for
the benefit Of the Manufacturing Integest,---that
It fsTors q small knot of Manufacturers, and
builds them up at the expense OF the Farmers Of
the land. The truths and arguments 50 power
fully urged by Mr.. WEBSTER, demanding Ia
riff for the Protection of Agriculture, Tariff
which, by building up all over the land commu-
mites engaged in manufactures, should thus Gre
ale market, q home market .rge market,
Tor the products of the farm, met with q most
:...rty and enthusiastic response from She great
body Of the farmers who heard them. Aad when
tho President Of the Society, in his prieniI;g Ad
dress, made very ill.tmed effort t.; Willy the
trainers of the existing Tariff at the asd session
OF Congress, as having favored aIanufEt.ures to
the neglect of Agriculture, his siandegtiwas re-
ceived in manner which will warn him 10 choose
q less intelligent audience before he ventures to
indulge IN its repetition,
The whole spirit of the Far lnms5asurably
strengthened the conviction we have often ex.
pressed that If the question of a Tariff can he
fairly placed before the great agricultural classes
of the country it Will be sustained BY an over.
whelming majority against The most powerful as
saults of It's malignant foes. If the Loco. Foco
party dare to maintain The ground upon which
they stand and adhere to the anti Tarlf doctrines
to which they are now committed, their defeat is
absolutely certain Their leaders may auibble
and cvcde the question as they choose: they can.
no, blind the people-ieast of all the iarmers--tc
it's importance, draw their attention from it by
their stale abuse of National Bank or their insult
ing srecrs at the election of 1910. The battle Tor
Tariff is again to be fought; and the people de
mand to know beyond dispute precisely the issues
that are to be made. The Wings are open ant
mcompron,ising in their support of q Protective
Tariff, while of those who are opposed to them al
arc n; heart its deadly foes, though Van Burcn
their leader. attempts as usual TO deceive them by
words which admit OF one Interpretation as well
as another.
Though we arc not disposedto turn to pohti