The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-11
SARATOGA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL FAIR.
Commencement of the Fair-Openiug Address
Of Ex-Governor Seymour.

SARATOGA. Sept. 10, 1863.
The agricultural fair of this county began to-day.
great many people were present and much interest
was manifested In regard to the proceedings. The
surrounding districts all well represented both
In the attendance OF farmers and the agricultural
products which were brought for exhibition. The
proceedings were naugurated by the following ad-
dress, delivered by Ex-Governor HOratio Seymour
EX-GOVERNOR sEYMOUR's ADDRESS.
three years. | have given Agriculture great
deal OF thought. 1t Is broad subject and
one which touches every interest Of society.
Each year. at this season. the question is anxiousy
puar our crops good and will there be foreign de-
mand The merchant and mechanic in q good de-
gree res Tsre men n plans by the answer which Is
American and European agriculture. The latter has
the advantage OF cheap labor, low taxes and the
are to be Sold On the other hand their lands are
costly and are worn by long tila0e. In our favor
we nave cheap ard fertile land and wonderful skill
drawbacks are heavy taxes, high rates Of interest,
long and costly transportation. One Of the best
results from gatherings like this that they bring
to the notice OF the public the inventions
OF hef our mechancs they have become the
that we 90 beyond ali other neope in any nerioH Of
the worlds history. dol not think any more
wise about fertilizers or tillage than the ancients
were. They maze as good and in some cases better
crops than we DE- The best reliance Of the Amer-
can farmer Is pe skill Of the American mechanic
This alone has saved US from national ruin and
bankruptcy. This machinery, In a large degree,
took the place Of human toll in the late civil and
fed our armies and kept alive the springs OF indus
try and commerce. To the same skill and inventive
power we mustlOok for help In our struggle for a
foothod In European markets for American pro-
ducts.
foreign markets is the cost OF transportation and our
system OF buyIg and selling These are most hurt
full In States more remote from the seaboard but
they are severely felt in the Atlantic States. We fire.
quenty complain OF the high cost OF bread and other
articles OF food and we feel that the farmers of the
West are getting rich at our expense. II we analyze
the price of barrel OF Hour we find IN many cases
that the farmers who bought the land and TILED IL
and n!ted the wheat for market gets only about one
half OF the sun we pay for the Hour made from MS
grain. Between the producer ana the consumer
there Is a long list OF charges which harm ooth
classes. Now the miller, the carrier and the merch-
ant must all haze their just rewards for their labor
and enterprises; but If we look closely into all the
transfers. commissions profits, taxes on sales ana
the interest accounts, shall see that we have
reason to hope that some better methods OF geItng
the products Of the farmers into the hands OF the
consumer Will be devised by the skill OF our people,
This is to-day the greatest need Of American agricu
ture do not suppose the middlemen can be DIS
pensed with entirely, but there are TOO many OF
them.
Beyond the need of improved machinery and the
necessity OF relief from the heavy interest ana our
densome taxtion there must DC me
tastes and habits of our people must De chaneea.
No pursuit can, in the long run DO Wen unless u Is
held in high honor by the public and Is cherished
with pride and affection by those engaged IN IL.
There Is certainly enough OF laudation OF the
pursuit. but we camnot ,sp p S or 70 e
crowd Su' into a'O towns and cities. The Compare.
tive increase OF CITY ana owA population ura Is
Districts T This does not Sfow out of any sound
business considerations We find that men who
nave Gained moderate fortunes by their skill and
Industry as farmers are prone to sell their property
and go into neghbOring villages. In this State the
people seem to have their backs turned to the coun.
OF social ambition s to live In the largest Cities ana
OF late this mas been carried so far that the great
towns OF Europe are swarmng with Amer leans
tees. The sum thus spent abroad makes large
item in our increasing Indebtedness to Europe.
To what is this dislike OF country life dueS 1t Ii
not natural one. 1t is not held elsewhere to be
social advancement to lose the position OF an owner
of land to become dwe;ler In town. In Great Br-
tain it is the reverse OF this Men seek to gain for
tunes that they may become the owners OF country
homes. 1t adds TO their dignity to be landed pro-
va,ed and difTused. This has given to Its farmers
great social ana political consideration They have
which they 10 not have elsewhere. For some rea-
son the love OF country life seems to be fading out
with u.s. TINS s Is % Wn gy
| the hurtful practice2 DO they spring from the
monotony OF country life or from our own want Of
the right kind OF education2 IL Is certain that In
the earlier periods OF our history those who had
gained fortune or fame were In the habit OF making
their homes I'm the country This was true OF all the
great men Of the revolutionary period and OF all the
Presidents
The letters and biographies of Washington, Jeirer-
son, Madison and most OF our great men show the
same love Of rural pursuits.
Yhe great truth Is that all do not live in the
same world outwardly they do, but when we look
into their tastes, their intelligence and their modes
OF thought find that the world around them bears
to each different aspect. The man who allows him
sell to live In ignorance looks up into the heavens
and sees waste. studded indeed with glittering
STARE at night or lighted up by the midday sun. He
notes the changes OF the weather and sees with but
objects that have lost their novelty.
The man OF education. looking IN the same direc-
ton, sees numberless worlds swinging through the
vast ream of space. II cannot then he said that the
educated and the ignorant man look upon the same
heavens.
The beauties OF nature its flowers its fresh and
green foliage, its varied forms are dlnly seen by all
but IL only those who have cultivated their tastes
and those VINO have studied the laws OF vegetable
life who and feel the full beauty OF their structure
and the endless variety OF their forms, their modes
OF growth or the methods by which they perpetuate
their eysiences. might follow out this comparison
between the condition Of the educated aud the ignO
rant. and to show how different are the worlds ia
which they live.
and full OF pleasure to another. We can see why we
have not put the farmer upon the highest grounds
when we have merely taught him The skill OF nus.
bandman or the art Of making money. These do not
meet the demands OF nature when our vital powers
begin to give way They do not meet the call for
mental interest when time Shall have laid Its hand
upon us and disabled Us for physical toll To lift up
agriculture TO its best and highest estate those who
follow It must have a measure OF taste and OF educa-
through all periods Of their lives. II these are
wanting men will abandon the country for the
elements OF towns. We now why the great men to
whom alluded sought homes amid the remote
scenes OF nature. We also see whence springs this
hurtful and unhealthy passion for city life. But IL
may be said that all men cannot become learned In
the mysteries Of nature. Nor are these things
sary The Almighty has been 100 kind to demand Of
any one for his happiness that which Is beyond
his reach IL needs no more knowledge than every
man can gain who will look and think to make rural
life full OF enjoyments. lie who will not do this
cheats and wrongs himself. In the order Of nature
love OF the country Is natural enjoyment In our
declining years. All men should bear I'm mind that
their tastes outve their intellectual powers. They
should therefore cultivate those tastes which can be
easily Qratihed, that are not inconsistent with the
weakness OF age which make no heavy demands
upon our powers, or which we hold by an uncertain
tenure The teachings OF nature, next to the teach
Ings OF religion, do most to make wise and
tented here and happy hereafter.
The practice which prevails among our successful
farmers OF selling their lands and moving into cities
and villages does double mischief. The double
drain OF the Young and active, rs well the old and
weathy il hurtfn to the moral tone "a well az To