The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-09-16

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I0EszLsnsx o. Dss Mesnrs Couxrr:
/ We taks shis nstAoA 4 addrsasiag TO yp'
thia clrcalar, Aopiag that h nay receive :
your hands : moiety of attention at leasl.
n the Arss place Ne wish % enlist your koot
viii and your co-operasioa h the formation .
perfect organizasion o. socissy, and IN tht
second place 70 select and ist up Substantial and
convenient fair grounds that the Agriculture
Society Of Des Noines County may be placed
upon permanent and substantial basis. W.
think this County should not be behind any
other County in the State in Agricultural en-
terpsise, being one Of the Oldest counties
second in population, having the metropo-
lie Of trade for its common centre, equal
in fertility and wealth to any, second to
none in zeal and enterprise for public improve
ments, save this, our Agricultural Society
We ask Why not aspire TO our appropriate po-
sition, that position which seniority, enterprise
and wealth necessarily award to us! Echo
answers Why.
The FIRST thing We would speak OF is the OBJ
ject Of such an organization, as in every other
enterprise, so in this, in union there is strength
i is BY bringing our experience and i'm
proyements together that much Of our pro-
gress in the Arts and Manufactures, is obtained.
Man would accomplish but little in any
department of business, did he depend solely
on his own undivided, individual effort. But
let him take what he has learned and combine
it with what his neighbor knows, and a new idea
will be the result, an idea worth gold to both.
The FIRST great object then Of these associca-
tions is to get agricnlturists and artisans
together, to get their product and manufac.
lures together, TO get men to think and talk
and act together. Annual fairs, connected
with these associations, bring together the
various kinds and qualities Of articles and pro.
ducts in the several departments Of our business
and give an opportunity TO compare our
thought, experience and products together
Some of Daniel Webster's remarks At an Ag-
are apropos, and we well quote them:
"It has therefore become essential to the best
interests Of the farmers Of the Common wealth,
that these annual fairs should be established,
and that they should be universally attended,
And - His Excellency, the Governor, has re-
marked, it is not so much on ACCOUNT of what
is to be learned by the most eloquent discourse
in the public houses or ct these establishments,
as from the meeting of men together who have
the same general object, who wish for improve
ment in the same general pursuits of life that
they may converse with one another, that they
may compare with each other their experience,
and that they may keep up a constant commu-
nication. 1t is in this point of view, in this
greatly practical point Of view, that those an
nual fairs are Of importance.
"Why, gentlemen, every man obtains very
great portion of all that he knows in this world
by conversation. Conversation, intercourse with
other minds is the general source Of most Of
our knowledge. Books do something, but
every man has not the opportunity 10 read. 1t
ia conversation that improves. II any one of
US here to-day, learned or unlearned, should
deduct what he has learned by conversation
from what he knows, he would find but little
left, and that little not Of the most valuable
kind 1t is conversational is the meeting Of
men face to face, and talking over what
they have common in interests IL the inter-
course that makes men sharp, intelligent, ready
to communicate to Others and ready to receive
information from them and ready to act upon
those only which they receive by this oral COM
munication.
Therefore, if there were not thing exhibi-
ted-if there were not good pair Of steers,
nor a fine horse, or likely COW, in the whole
country, il there be society, if there be ladies,
wives and daughters, if there be those con-
nected with the tilage of the land, say that
Il lv tO
progress in the art to which they refer. Icame
here poor farmer, to meet with other better
farmers, ready to receive from them any inti-
nations their experience may have taught, and
desirous only Of suggesting something for their
reflection which was or hereafter may draw
their attention, and draw useiully, to something
in the Agricultural Arts.
The great benefit then of these Fairs does
not consist SO much in the amount Of money
the successful competitor may obtain in the
form of q premium. We admit "the money
king" holds wide and strong dominion; still
there underlies stratum of motives and in
terests Of public nature, (which, if well morked
will in the result bring back the entire invest
ment with hundred per cent. interest.
1t is attended with some trouble and expense
it is true, to attend those Fairs; it takes tim'
| and money. But you invest time and money
| and trouble and labor, and every thing, ever
principle and conscience sometimes in an enter
prise you think will pay.
But here is a man that has nothing to exhi
bit, and consequently thinks he has no interes
in the thing at all. Show yourself and you
| family them, and afford your neighbor the op
portunity and pleasure Of showing you what h
has produced; thus by seeing what others have
and have produced, you will be stimulated Il
action more than by any other means whicl
could be thrown in your way.
You but let one man get good and valuabl
article, be j: q pair Of horses, or good yoke Q
oxen, . good plough or wagon, . fine buggy Q
carriage, an excellent farm with, fine orchar
aud elegant buildings any thing you please, an
that mans neighbor win want another as goo
or better. But in order to wake him up 20
must get him to see and examine, those imprt
ved things for himself; he must know whenc
and how obtained, and very soon having tn
means be avails himself of one. There
nothing that will promote our prosperity q
farmers and mechanics 80 much as to hold in
tercourse with one another, to compare the r
suits of our experiments and products togethe
to talk about our common interest
Our annual Fairs are properly the farme
and mechanics Great Fsstisal, and they wou
be truly that If every man would but do
duty, do what he could do as well as not,
what his country and the community in whi'
he lives require him to do.
If you ignore the money consideration, the
act from sense Of duty, act from the princip
Of patriotism that you profess.
Ynn know that even in small matters . mi