The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-20
Address of Gov. Seymour to the Saratoga
County Agricultural Society.


much thought to the subject of agriculture. 1t is
a broad subject and one which touches every In
terest of society. More than any other, 1t bears
upon the wealth, the social condition, and the leg
slation Of our country. There are many OF its
phases which, under other circumstances, would
gladly discuss but they are 30 related to the poit
ical questions of the day that II would be unit 10
speak of them here. II Is fortunate that In the
midst of our partisan conflicts, we are now and
then called together as citizens 70 discuss, without
regard 10 political differences great questions OF
common interest. They are breathing spells in
our cOmbats when we recall the fact that we are L
sellow-c ountrymeD, alike concerned in anything |
which advances the welfare Of our land. Each /
year. at this season, the question is anXlously put,
are our crops good, and will there be foreign de;
mapd? The merchant and mechanic, in good /
degree regulate their plans by the answer which |
is given. There is a struggle ever going on be-
tween American and European agriculture. Inc /
latter has the advantage of cheap labor, low /
taxes ard the possession Of the ground upon |
which the products are to be sold. On the other
hand, their lands are costly, and are worn by long
tillage. In cur favor we have cheap and fertile |
land, and q wonderful skill in making and using |
agricultural machinery. Our drawbacks are heavy
taxes, high rates of interest long and costly
transportation. Leaving out Of view the contro.
verted points as to the best modes OF
reason to hope that much may be done 10
behalf of American agriculture by improved
machinery and by chespening transportation.
| One of the best results from gatherings like
this is that they bring to the notice OF the public
| the Inventions of our mechanics. These have
become the chief features of our fairs. II IS IN
| farm machinery that we 20 beyond all other peo-
RE in any period of the worlds history. do not
| think we are any more wise about fertilizers or
| foliage than the ancients were. They made as
| good, and in some cases better crops than we
| DO, il is hsrd for to understand how they
| were able to feed the dense population Of Rome
| and other great cities with their inferior tools,
| without railroads or steamboats,, or even OF
SHIPS that compare with those of this day. The
of he m
| of the American mechanic. This alone has saved
us from national ruin and bankruptcy. This ma.
chinery, in a large degree, took the place OF hu-
| man toll in the late civil war, and fed our
| armies and kept alive the springs Of industry
| and commerce. To the same skill and inven-
| tive power must we look for help IN our strug-
| gle for a foothOld in European markets for
| American products. The greatest hindranee IN
our efforts 10 get into foreign markets Is the cost
| of transportation and system in buying aud
selling. These are most hurtful nStates more re.
mote from the seaboerd, but they are severely felt
! In the AuaBtic States. We frequently complain
of the high cost of bread and other articles OF food
and we feel that the farmers of the West are get
ting Iich at our expense. II we enalyze the
price OF a barrel of -four, we lind IN many cases
that the farmers who bought the land and titled II
| and fitted the wheat for market, gets only about
| one half Of the sum pay for the -four made from
| his grain. Between the producer and the consumer
there is a long list OF charges which ha i
both classes Now the miller, the carrier, and the
| merchant must all have their Just rewards for
| their labor and enterprises. But II we look closely
into all the transfers, commissions, prohts, taxes
| on sales and the interest accounts, we shall see
that we have reason TO hope that some better
methods of getting the products OF the farm into
| the hands of the consumer VIII be devised by tue
| skill Of our people. To-day the best commercial
| paper made in this and perhaps any country pays
the highest interest. Those who buy wheat OF the
farmers of the West pay an interest ranging from
| ten to twelve per cent The wheat goes from the
hands OF one class OF buyers into that OF another
| oh oraC ms m
| buyer is paying heavy interest accounts which
| overlap more or less in time. Each one pays
taxes on bis transactions each one gets his pro-
| fits or commissions. All these charges come out
| of the producer and consumer: Can any mode be
devised which will wipe out or lessen the heavy
charges made upon farm products between the
| producer and consumer? This is to day the
| greatest need of American agriculture. | co not
suppose the middle men can be dispensed with
entirely, but there are too many OF them. me
great change which has been made in the mode OF
that some system may be devised to relieve other
| farm products. Formerly, cheese made IN this
State was sold to the near by merchant and by
him sold 10 others, so thai when 1t reached the
| English market, If il ever reached there, II
was loaded down with numerous commits
| siOns. interest accounts, taxes, and pro
!. cts. Under the present s!stem OF selnng
. | the cheese made in a neighborhOod throug b
} | the common factory agent TO the New York OF
| London merchant, all intermediate charges are
t cut out and the gain is divided between the
/ | maker and the consumer. In my own nelghbor
| hood | frequently see London buyer dealing
r directly with the cheese makers. believe this Il
the only farm product of our country which goe,
into the foreign market free from this loss anC
cost OF numerous transfers. Can no system D'
? | devised by which other farm products can De
| saved from the numerous costs of multiplied com
| missions AID profits? | see the difficulties IN TIT
; | way, but trust some change can be made 10 oui
a and consumers. Beyond the need of improved
, machinery, and the necessity Of relief from
heavy in crest and burdensOme taxation, Their
Z must be something mere TO give prosperity U
4 agriculture. In some respects the tastes anC
3 habits Of our people must be changed. No pur
suit can, 10 the long run, do wei unless u Is helC
in high honor by the public aud is cherished Wit
8 pride aud affection by those engaged 10 IT. Tner
Il ia certainly enough Of laudatiOn of the farmer
4 pursuit but we cannot shut our eyes to the fac
# that there is growing dislike fOr country life
/. our land, and an increasing desire TO crowd lnt
towns and cities. The comparative increase 0
!, city and town population Is much greater tha
that of the rural districts. This does not gr0l
e out of any sound business considerations. w
find that men who have gained moderate fortune
by their skill and industry as farmers are prom
4 to sell their PROPERTY and go into neigbborin
| villages In this State the people seem {
4 have their backs turned TO the country an
o their faces set towards town life. The end c
e social ambition is to live in tpe large cities
l. and of late this has been carried 80 FAR that "a
r, | great towns of Europe are swarming with Amer
IS cans Many millions of gold are spent each yea
a | by absentees. The sum thus spent ABROAD MAKE
a A'large item 10 our increasing Indebtedness
a, Europe. To what is this dislike Of country Int
e due 10 is not natural one. II is not held else
a where TO be a social advancement to lose ~
Y position of an owner of land to become dWe
Il Ter in town. In Great Britain it is the reverse
}. this Men seek to gain fortunes that they ma
"a become the owners OF country homes. IL ado
ID 20 their dignity to be landed proprletors; IN
% tastes for rural life are there cultivated an
10 fused This has given to its farmers great 5;
D. cial end political consideration. They have Their
Te a weight in shaping the policy Of governmen
nv | which they do not have elsewhere. For SON
ID reason the love Of country life seems TO be tadn
60 cut with us. This is attended with great evil
al When & man who has gained q competency
re his skill and Industry gives up his farm al
be | moves into a town he not only goes where b
Ell social position is lowered, his knowledge al
b. | experience made useless, but he throws gioo
ht over the neighb0rhoOd be leaves, and by his e.
be | ample unsetiles the purposes and modes OF III
ed of those around him. Their influences are hur
e. ful in many ways. They have deprived Us
I -. 90 e~-4or fura lahu