Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-09-14
Aat1rcss T,v Governor Seymour.

estimated at 5000 persons, attended, end list
cned to the address, which IN substance was as
follows:
Having Tweed upon farm during the past
three years | have given agriculture q great
deal of thought. One Of the best results from
gatherings like this is, that they bring to the
notice Of the public the inventions Of our ne,
chanics. These have become the chief features
of our fairs It is IN farm machinery that We
90 beyond all other people III any period OF the
Worlds history. The great hindrance in our
efforts to get into foreign markets is the cost OF
TRANSPORTATION and our system OF buying ard
selling. These ore most hurtul in States more
remote from the scaboard, but they are severe
" felt in the Atlantic States. We frequently
complain CT the high cost Of bread and other
articles of food, aud we feel that the farmers OF
the West are getting rich at our expense. 1t
we analyze the price Of q barrel OF Hour Wc lad
in many cases that the farmers who bought the
land and titled it and fitted the wheat for mar
ket get only about one half OF the sum we pay
for the flour made from BIS grain. Between
the producer and the consumer there Is long
list of charges which harm both G. asses -
Nov the miller, the carrier, and the mef-
chant must all have their just rewards Tor
their labor aud enterprise. But IT. We look
closely into all the transfers, commissions, pro-
fits, taxes on sales, and the interest accounts,
We shall see that we have reason to nope that
some batter methods Of getting the products
Of the farmers into the hands OF the consumer
will be devised by the skill of our people. Can
anv mode be devised which will wipe out or
lessen the heavy charges made upon farm pro
ducts between the producer and cousumcr?-
This is to day the greatest need OF American
agriculture. | do not suppose the middle men
can be dispensed with entirely, hut there are
too many of them The great change which
has been made in the mode Of selling lh2
dairies of this State leads Us to hope thac
some system may be devised To relieve Other
farm products formerly, cheese made IN the
State vas sold to the nearby merchant, ana
by him sold to others, so that when 1t reached
the English market if ii ever reached there,
It was loaded dovn With numerous comms'
sons, interest accounts taxes, aud profits Under
tue present system Of selling the cheese made IL
q neighb0Tho0l through the common factory
agent to the New York or London merchant,
all intermediate charges are cut out aud the
gain is divided between the MAKER ana the
consumer. In my own neIghborhooa, | ire
uuentIy sec London buyer de4ilng cirectty
with the cheese makers. l believe THIS Is the
onIy farm product OF the country Hnch goes
| into the foreign morkct free from this loss and
enormous cost Of Eumcy0u5 transfers. Cal 10
system re devised by which other iarm pro
ducts can be saved tron the numerous
costs of N ultpjied commissions and prchtS!-
see The 1 aicuIties IN the way, bat l. trust
some change can be made III our present SyS,
tenn which IS 50 hurtful to producers and
( inn 20,
machinery. and the necessity OF relief from the
heavy interest and burJcn5Omc taxation, there
must r something more TO give prosperity to
| agriculture. In some respects the tastes and
habits Of our people must be changed. No
] aursuit can. in the long run DO we'll unless it is
| held in high honor by the public, and IS cher
ished With pride and affection. There is
certainly enough Of laudation Of the farmer :
! nursuit but ne csubot shut our eyes to the
I feet that there is growing dislike for country
! life 10 our land, and en- increasing desire to
crowd into towns and cities. The comparative
ncreeca Of city and town population IS much
greater than that Of the rural districts. Ihls
does not grow out Of pny sound business con-
siderations. We fEd that men who have
gained moderate fortunes by their eklll and IN
dustrg as farmers are prone to sell their prop
erty and 20 into neighb0ring villages. In this
State the people seem to have their backs
turacd 90 the county and their faces SCH to-
ward town Hfe The end Of social ambition IS
to live in the largest cities, and OF late has been
ca, lied 60 far that the grcat towns OF Europe
arc swarrning With Americans. Many millions
of gold are spent each year by absontccs. The
sum thus spent abroad makes large item
in our increasing indebtedness to Europe
TO what is this dislike Of country lie
due? Its not natural one, 1t is not held
elsewhere to be social advancement to lose the
position of an owner Of land to become dwell
err in town. In Great Britain it is the reverse
Of this. Men seek to gain fortunes that they
may become the owners Of country homes. 1t
adds to their dignity to be landed pr0pretors
The tastes for rural life are there cultivated and
difused This has given to its tarL2crs great
social and political consideration. They have
there a weight in shaping the 20 icy OF govern
ment which they do not have 81 Sewhcre.-
! For some reason the love OF country lie seems
to be fading out with US. This Is attended
with great evils, When man who has gained
| competency by his skill and industry gives
| UP his farm and moves into town. he DOT only
goes where his social position Is lowered, his
knowledge and experience made useless, but he
throws gloom over the neighb0rhool lie leaves
ana Dy HIS CAdul VIZ Ptii bOSt SNNt
modes of lie of those around him. 10 lit up
agriculture to its best and highest estate, those
who follow it must have measure of taste and
of education, which will make them happy
upon their farms through all periods OF their
lives If these are wanting, men vii! abandon
the country for the excitement OF towns. We
now sec whence springs this hurtuI and IN
healthy passion for city life. But it may be
said that all men cannot become learned in The
mysteries of nature. 1t would indeed be a
mockory, to tell the man who begins life in the
humb,est positions, withoutth aid oicarIy eGu
cation and who is toing on, to wiring out q
support by bis farm labor, for himself and his
family, that he must become either al astrono
mer, or q geo!oelst: or botani5t to be happy
in his home. Nor ere these things nece8-
sary. The Almighty has been too kind to de-
mand of any for their happiness that which Is
beyond their reach. But lie dCc3 require them,
if they would enjoy the beauties OF His world,