The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-10-03
AGRICULTURE AND RAILROAD
TRANSPORTATIOS. ~
An Address Delivered at the Lyon
County Fair on Friday. Septem-
Der 10, 1873.
EY JOHN DAVIS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: I an
well pleased to see in operation
your very successful county fair
1 am pleased with your beau
tiful grounds, substantial inclos
ures and nicely graded track
Your exhibition Of horses, cattle
swine, implements and works o.
art viii compare well with the best
county exhibitions in much Older
States. But am better pleased
to see so large an attendance Of
intelligent people, from all the
walks and avocations of life, met
together for mutual entertainment
and improvement. 1t is n pleas
ant sight to witness your myriad
bright and expectant faces, as
they all turn, toward me from this
large and crowded amphitheater;
and l can only wish that / had
the power OF thought and voice to
satisfy both myself and yourselves
on the present occasion. In ac-
cordance with long established
custom my theme is agriculture
and connected subjects. Now ]
propose to speak very little on
agriculture proper and q good
dea! on the connected subjects.
Agriculture is as old as the
world, and as universal as man.
II IL the foundation OF life and
civilization. Without agriculture
human society and government Is
impossible. 1t is the basis of
commerce, finance, and civil and
military power. Prosperity in
agriculture quickens the life and
energy OF every other avocation.
It nerves the muscles OF mechan-
ism, gives life to trade, and re-
pletes every channel OF society
with the requisites Of existence
and progress.
Agriculture Is double. It has n
department OF production, and it
has, or should have, department
of realization. For the promo
lion of production agricultural
journals are published and books
are written. Agricultural socie-
ties are formed, and fairs are held
for the comparison OF products,
and invention is taxed to its ut
most in the production OF labor
saving agricultural implements.
So successful have all our efforts
been in these particulars that lit
tie remains TO be done except
what may be accomplished in the
ordinary channels and paths now
marked out. In the perfection
and production OF live stock the
highest order of mind is engaged,
aud emulation exerts its most po-
tent and benign influences.
American Breeders have ransacked
the fiocks and herds of Canada
and Europe, and have made such
use OF their acquisitions for the
Improvement OF cattle, sheep and
swine that our enterprising breed
ers are sending animals to the
great Emperor of Japan, and
short-horn cattle are bought at
the highest rates for shipment to
Old England. AS grain growers
our western soils and western
farmers have shown themselves
capable OF the finest and fattest
results. Under ordinary circum,
stances of climate and season it is
no longer difficult for the western
farmer to fill his bins and cribs
and fatten his stock.
Surely, then, it is time that We
turn our attention to that Other
department OF agriculture, viz.
the department of realization
This brings us at once to consider
the very important subject o
markets and the means of reach
ing them. And it becomes thu
paramount duty OF every produces
aud consumer of the products o
the farms to rec to it that tn
great food markets of the country
are not unfairly manipulated; Il
see'to &c that the great laws o
supply and demand have fair play
and, especially, that the grea
channels and highways of Gem
nerce be kept free frem suspicion
Realization in agriculture involve
the sale OF products. This, o
course, il entirely dependent upoi
cheap and successful transports
tion to market. And, hence, til,
transportation question become
one OF the most important thu
has ever claimed the attention Q
the American people. The Sta:
OF Kansas is deeply interested i
this transportation question, ly
ing, as she does, far from the ses
board, and with few navigabl
streams fitted for commercial pul
poses. With q dry climate an
elevated soil, canals are not praC
ticable, and hence, being depend
ent upon the railroad and locomC
tive for prosperity and even exist
ence, this entire subject of railwa
transportation, in all its bearing
and details, should be candid
considered by the Kansas farme
Il. The people of America are
railroad building people. The
build them in populous regions
= obedience to the public necess
ties, and in unsettled States an
Territories to induce populatio
Railroads are built by immeni
subsidies from the general go
eminent, by State aid, and
county, city and township su
scfiptions. They are large
built, also. by wealthy corpor
tons, without help from publ
sources.
And yet in spite of all o
rrr great and wonderful accomplis
ments in this line, the means
the transportation of the produ,
of industry from producer to &C
sumer falls far short of the &C
tinually increasing demand. 3
In proof of this statement
would point to the overflow
bins and fields OF the farmers
the West, and to the crowd
warehouses OF the importers &
manufacturer OF the East, es