Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-04-02
NO @

J DEOQuCBAOna
| the survey, has been estimated at fifty
millions. A like increase in Ohio
would be equivalent to a reduction of
one quarter in the rate of taxation, be-
! sides the addition of the amount named
to the actual wealth of the State.
The question whether Ohio can af-
ford geological survey, has been
satisfactorily answered by the expert
ence of other States. Massachusetts
/ has been able to afford two or three.
! New Hampshire has been able to af-
| ford two. The young State of Iowa.
/ junior of Ohio by fOrty-three years, is
now making her second survey, and
| has spent fifteen thousand dollars more
in the work than the entire expendi-
ture proposed in this BILL New York
commenced her survey many years
ago and has expended upon it $500, 600
Illinois has just completed a very fine
survey, the results of which she has
/ published in three large and handsome
volumes. Pennsylvania kept a geologist
employed ten years in making her
! survey, and at the end of that time
could afford to give his aai9olS to the
world, compiled with Che utmost care
and published with the most beautiful
and expensive embei 3ishFnents. Ver-
mont, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, New Jersey, Virginia, North
Caroilna, Caroii 1, .Mlchigaa, Wisconsin, Mis-
Alabama and Tennessee have all had
| surveys more or less complete. The
Lower House of Indiana has just pass
ed Dill to atlbaorize new and more
thorough survey of that State.
And must i6 be said that Ohio, sur
passing nearly all these in wealth and
the abundabce and variety of her re-
sources, eaAnot have a survey because
forsOoths she cannot afford it? Are
we soapooF that we cannot keep pace
with the enterprise of our sistem States
in q 9lsStter so vitalIy affecting our
greBt public interests?
Or State is not poor. Compared with
HstFst other States her financial condi-
tie7s is indeed fiattering. With prop
e9$S amounting to over two thousand
lsatllions we have but ten millions Of
debt, and that melting away at the
rate of half a million a year. At the
same time the expenses of govern
ment must constantly diminish as we
advance farther and farther from the
period of war, while before US 1iesnot
the slightest shadow of any great
emergency creating extraordinary de-
mands upon the treasury.
There could not be a more auspicious
time for inaugurating this benefcient
enterprise than now. We are about to
establish an Agricultural and Mechan-
ical College for the purpose of induct-
ing our young men into the myster-
les of scientific and practical farming
But how shall the agricultural student
be thoroughly educated in his profess
sion until he shall have the means To
acquire knowledge of the geology
and agronOmy of his own State ; With
out such knowledge his education must
be literally superficial, the informa-
t1on he acquires going no deeper than
the surface Of the soil he is expected
to cultivate. The geology of the State,
with all its intimate relations and ap-
pl1cat1Ons to agriculture, is to him, as
ourselves, a sealed book To unlock
this mysterious volume and spread
its open pages before our young far
mers as textbook for their careful
study, is one ~ the best things the
State can do for the cause of agriculture |
al education. 1t would not only add |
TO the advantages of the Farmers |
School, but be in itself a school for /
farmers throughout the State. Every
one would oe furnished an important |
addition to his stock of information
supplying new themes for profitable
study, and giving new relish to agri- 4
cultural pursuits.
The agricultural school would, also. |
realize an important advantage in the |
collection of a geological museum, /
fronn which every student of FARMING |
could gather in a glance the ueolouioal
and agricultural character of the whole
State and of different section. In con-
neCtfoR with the survey. of Illinois
such q museum is now being establish
ed at the Capitol of that State, and the
is to be arranged according
to the geographical position of the coun-
ties, so as to display the mineral re- |
sources of feYeEycounty in theirnatural 1
order ..... ---IE
In the future of this country. that
State viii be greatest, which, other
things being equal, makes the best use
Of its advantages. Most of ours are
now unused, some are partly used and
others misused. It is our plain duty
TO correct the abuse, to cure the neg
lect and to bestir laggard enterprise bv
exploring the vast resources not vet
fathomed. Golden opportunities are
1T hand, which, if seized and rightly
improved, will insure this great COM
mon wealth of ours, already so power
III and lllustrious, grander destiny
han any of which her boldest seer has
ever dreamed.