Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-09-12


The great New England Fair opened at
Mystic Park on Tuesday. The weather was
perfect and the attendance unprecedented
over eight thousand persons entering the
gates. Mystic Park Is especially wei
chosen for holding this agricultural gather
ing, its race-course having the reputation
Of being the best mile track in the coun-
try. while the region round about Is one
great level plain. The park, Whion !
situated on the Medford turnpike, Is prinel-
pally devoted to the equine department oil
the fair, and the adjoining lot OF something
like six acre, lying to the north of the park
has been leased. Here, in the centre oil an
Immense parallelogram of $50 cattle pens
are three great Yale tents, the largest de-
voted to the display Of machinery and mis-
eellaneous articles, the next to the manu-
featured goods of the Ames Plow Company,
and the third for the show of poultry. At
the left Of the entrance has been erected a
building 40 feet square, which Is used Tor
the Offices Of the superintendent, treasurer
and secretaries. The seating capacity OF
the grand stand has heen increased so that
il Will now accommodate ), 600 persons AT
the Judges stand the telegraphic instru-
ments have been placed. Near by are the press
headquarters, and marques for the presl-
dent and other officers Of the society The
sheds accommodate 255 horses, there being
that number Of stalls. The first stalls facing
the tracks are occupied by the horses of Mr.
Tacgart. the owner of Abdallah, and by
those Of the Rev. ". II. Il. Murray.
Thearrangements for reaching the grounds
are admirable, trains running almost hour
" over I'll Boston and Lowell and Boston
and Maine railroads. and there are convey
gnce- If all kinds from the railroad stations
to the grounds. Round trip tickets from
Boston and return. including admission 10
the lair, are sold for seventy-fve cents.
The opening address was delivered by the
President Of the Association, Dr.. George B.
Loring. which Is 50 full of good sense, and
50 interesting to our farmers, that We glad
" transfer it to our columns
DR.. LoRING's ADDRESS
Il gave him profourd pleasure, he said TO
welcome the farmers of New England at 80
au-piciou> a time ard in 50 auspiclous a
place. After making the circuit Of the
States and uniting agreeably and success
fully with two of the local societies OF Mas
sachusetts. they had established themselves
within the shadow Of the great metropolis.
IN spot in the vicinity Of which the rela-
ti0ns Of various industries and arts OF lie
We're established in most important man
uer For nearly rwo centuries AID hall
tie generations Of men occupying the lands
within a circuit of the visible horizon had
been engaged in developing a free and pros
porous community. in which material pros
perity alone cannot elevate nor material ad-
versitv degrade. The work of education
had there been carried on here commerce
found its earliest patrons All around
manufactures and the mechanic arts had
risen from small and feeble beginnings 10
vast proportions. The system OF agriculture
there developed was almost unequa.led ID
it, careful and systematic management. il
it, application TO small and well-cultiyated
LANDS. and in it, prosperity a a branch OF
business. "a well a. in it, intimate cOnnec-
ZION with horticultural and landscape gar
deuing. Everything here established on the
best foundation an intelligent possession 81
land the best personal relation between
the farmer and the land he titled. And
while a casual observer might possibly CON
slider that spot. surrounded by every other
industry besides farming, somewhat map
propriate for such a gathering, they who
would search for that system of agriculture
which was peculiarly American would ind
1t there. where the highest skill would re-
ceiye it. reward. where science must enter
into the work. where the fluctuations of the
great markets were untelt and the trial OF
transportation unknown.
lie was reluctant TO refer TO the ad-
vantage attending the American y 5em
OF landholdng, be had dwelt upon
it 50 often. He was aware that social
elevation and individ ual thrift did not
always attend small l. .ndholding, and re
ferTed to the condit ION of the French
pesssntry TO refute slch theory. He was
also aware that large landholding was not
Away attended by privileged class on the
one hand and dope ndency on the Others.
The social relations existing among the IN
habitants Of the West and Pacific slopes
would retute that theory. But II wa,
among the small farms conveniently located
to market, 81 perior in every respect, the
highest agric altural prosperity would be
found, where the producer met the con
samer face 20 face The most intelligent
rural population would be where every far
mer was the owner Of the land be cultlva-
ted. and the pos SCISSOR Of certain social and
civil rights. which il was his duty TO de-
velop and protect. In tndeavOrlng TO solve
some OF the most difficult questions which
surround the agricultural industry OF the
country, he was reminded that the product,
do not CON mand largely remuneratye pm
ces at the point Of production. THIS wa
because of their universal consumption. and
the lOrg and expensive transportation
which alone would bring them into market
The carrier. the Spectator, the manlpula-
tor, either IN the mill or in the st0reh0use
must be paid. In no way, thus far, had The
producer been able TO overcome IL any de-
gree this law of trade, except by resortlne
to cheap labor. or 10 cheap lands, 50 cheap
as to require but little capital and 50 new
and productive a. 10 require no fertilizers
Aided by these two agencies the producers
Of staples prospered. The great landholder:
Of Russia have received for their crops OF
hemp and grain, raised either by serts, o.
by halt-staryed tenantry, ample income,
from their estates. France has paid great
subsidies from the industry Of an impOyer-
ished and groyelling throng Of lab0rers on
the land. The great cotton estates Of Ameri-
ca once made large returns TO then
owners FROM the products of slave
labor The pioneers of Western CIV
ilization have always settled in their own
minds, before starting on their pilgrimage,
how great an advantage the producer Of
low-priced crops on low-prieed lands could
possibly enjoy over the producer Of high
priced crops on high-priced landslide
price Tabor in both localities beng about
equal But neither the owner Of plania-
lions cultivated by cheap labor. nor III,
owner of bounty lands cultivated by tn,
owners own hands or BY well-paid labor
las ever Yet expected 10 receive the SAINT
proportion Of the market value Of his crops
as l. received by him who cultivares tn,
lands lying near market, and bearing q
high value. A. near an approximation t.
them as possible Is the great demand Of the
day in America. How shall ii be secured
The selection OF the problem l. by no mean,
easy. Il presents Itself in a difficult way to
begin with The consumer Of corn at a
dollar a bushei j. startled TO learn that corn
l. used a. ,uel ON the very farms where that
Which be has purchased was raised The
producer OF corn grows more and more in
dignnut a. he SIS before his fire and reads
that the fuel with which he Is warming
himself i worth a dollar bushel in the
eastern market. Such inequalities, we
thing, may exist in India or on the shores
Of the Black Sea; but they ought not TO
fall on him who Is in all things equal 10 and
perhaps works harder than his eastern
neighb1r. The problem has. therefore. an
ugly look at both ends. The producer
complains that he j. starved and must have
reilei-the consumer complains that be i
robbed already, and that an increase of
prices will work his ruin. The problem Is
indeed hard
That the burthen Of solution should be
thrown upon the system Of intermediate
trade and transportation Is not SURPRISING
That this system needs regulating there can
be no doubt. But while remind YOU of the
troubles and difficulties which belong natt,r-
ally to the business of producing the staples
OF trade, and would JOIN you in simplifying