Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-03-12


In 1855 there were received from Europe
in exchange for American publications,
l445 packages of books. And, Dir. Chair
man, how msny of these suppose you were
directed to the great Safe of Ohio, "the
third State in the Union,' as we often hear
remarked. Why, sir. il is enough to make
US hang our heads for shame. The State of
Ohio received only t,co packages, and doubt
full " whether 81 received E'ore in 1856, while
the infant State of Wisconsin received
twenty-six, and the proportion of Ohio in
accordance with our population should have
been over l40.
But what have we to exchanged Really
nothing cut our State Agricultural Reports,
and they are so meager. and so miserably
printed, and of such miserable IN terial as
to disgrace the State by sending them
abroad. Had we thorough scientific, ag-
ricultaral, and geological turvey, it would
be a work that would be source of pride
to our State. In exchange for it, We would
receive similar surveys of all the States, as
well as packages of monographs from Eu-
rope. twenty years in advance of the text
books, and worth their weight in god to the
diligen, student of sciense.
A nations prosperity, power and great
ness, depends upon the cultivation and DIFF
lu, ion ol scientific ow!edge. And that
s ate or nation excels others in all these
eiemeu,s. whirh succeeds iG d: :ffnsing among
the masses the most science, and in raising
$ inh4biiants 10 the h;ghes, degree of
ienrifc development.
The time was when national greatness
was determined by the number, OF va r;ors
thai could be marshaled into the 6eId-when
military exploits were the true cri-erion Of
national strength. But that era has past,
or is fist fading away. and new era is be-
ing usbered in. A new order OF things is at
hand, in which national wealth and Strength
is to be dec ided, not by brute force, as in
the days of the Cesars, but by far more
potent and enduring power-that of science
And the State CT nation that is lacking or
tails behind in the Developments cf this, is
sure to find the bpmiliating position of a
secondary place aR-srg the powers of the
earth. Money espeaeed in the cultivation
of science, like "bread upon the waters" is
sure @. reaping an hundred fold.
Many repel any proposition for govern
mental interference in such an enterprise,
ON the ground that the dissemination OF
scientific or literary knowledge should be
left entirely with individual enterprise: and
On this ground, a propos tion for the estab-
shment of an Agricultural College, on the
most advantageous terms easily conceived
of, at CT ivelund, was defeated the other
day, in the other branch of this Assembly.
Now it seems to me tha: whatever be the
enterprise, necessary for national prosperity,
| that individual effort is unable to accomplish,
becomes prnper subject for the in:erposi-
tion and aid of the government. And this
inciple has been recognized as correct BY
al the most civilized nations of Europe, and
in the greater number of the States of this
Coniederacy. Our own State has estab-
lished prect dents of The same kind. by aid
ing the establishment of State Universities,
and Agricultural Societies; ard 10 me It is
passing strange that that science upon
which The prosperity of the Stale more than
all others, depends, viz: Agriculture, should
not need the further fostering care of gov
ernment.
There is contracted view OF this SUBJ
jrct, which fear operates upon the minds
of seine OF those composing this G, ne al
Assembly. 1t finds its expression in this
language, "that unless the constituency ]
represent are to derive their lull benefit
from it, my vole will be withheld from it,
4 moments consideration it seems to me,
should dissipate such a conclusion, and in
duce every individual to act on all questions
of general Importance for the good of the
common veal, without reference to any par
ticuar village, city or county.
Our mining and manufacturing interests
have reached stage in their career OF
competition with the like interests of other
States, as to demsnd all the aid Of scien, e
and art to enable us to maintain the race
Tue States of Kentucky and Penns, lvsnia
are doing III in their power to call the at
tention OF capitalists to the improvement OF
their mineral resources.
Already is Kentucky, in consequ nee OF
her survey, supplanting US aud Pennsylvania
in the St. Louis market for cual, and to this
element, mt re than to all OILERS is depend
ent peoples progress in the useful arts
Hencetorth. TO all future time, in all prcba-
bilty the whole industrial destiny of every
people vii be shaped by the degrees to
which ih"y can severally possess themselves
of this obedient slave 10 the human will
and these lands iha, possess this, the mt ST
concentrated form of fuel, and the cnly form
in " hich it is extensively available in tn
arts, are the countries to which the sceptre
OF all industrial strength and material pow ell
must inevitab y pass. And WHO can fail II
see that The busy mechanical popu ation o.
the globe are becoming more concentrated
| in the neighborhoods of the accessible Goa
fie ds OF the earth! 1t is impossible to speak
in TOO extravagant terms ct the beneficia
influence of coal in conducting to nationa
power and greatness. By it he produces
an agent more potent than the water power
of the continents or the W inds of the ocean
| by means of which he can force the larges
vessel in the teeth of the iercest tempes,
with . power cbedien, 10 his every wish
| and suoservient to the gent est toich.
We little think of the benefit accruing tc
State from the discovery OF wh1; we oteI
cons ider an unimportant mineral Deposit
The State OF Maine was amply remuneratet
for the expenditure OF her geological surve,
by the discovery of her geological corps o
several beds of water lime cement; thus
saving to that State many thousands Of dol
lars, as well as furnishing an article OF ex
port. And should a survey of our State be
fortunate enough to point out such deposit
| If hydraulic lime or an Inexhaus:ible bed o
gy rsum, such discovery, though compare
lively unimportant, would be an annual sa
wing TO the State of many thousands of dol
lars-as we now obtain our cement fIun
the State of New York, or Kentucky, ant
vet have within our own State the same for
nation that produces it in those States
| Scientific mon throuUhf Mt The TIuion ar,