Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-10-03

and longitudes OF society, and here
as elsewhere the nearer YOU bring
the nourishment to the person or
thing to be uourished the less is the
loss and the greater the force.
Hence the prosperity of one is the
prosperity of all, and calamities are
not confined to the individuals. or
classes, or occupations upon which
they first implnge.
it in no way initiates against the
absolute verify of these statements
to urge that one branch of business.
pr one calling, or trade, or profession
may be followed or developed to ex
less and thereby prove unproftabI,
20 the community or state Indee,
such argument but serves to confirm
the correctness Of the law of inter
dependence, and imposes upon US
the duty of recognizing its existence
and complying with It's mandates.
Wherefore [ affirm that without ag-
riculture-and | may add-without
enlightened and progressive agricul-
ture. without farmers who recognize
that farming is both science and
an art, and who are willing to study
and investigate, and apply the laws
which govern the growing Of crops
and the raising Of stock, it is idle to
expect to have the highest type of
civilization or permanent prosperity.
1t is doubtless true that CONNER
cial and manufacturing states may
sometimes seem to prosper and ac-
cumuIate wealth more rapidly than
their agricultural neighbors; they
''may build more costly habitations,
fill their rooms with soul pture and
with paintings" but uni ess largely
recruited from the farm, the people
decay; the elegant buildings crum-
BILE into ruin, the works Of art move
into auction stores, and "trada and
commerce" seek new homes. His
tory is filled with examples testify
ing to the truth Of these statements.
While therefore, ! esteem it fortu-
nate for Wisconsin that she has with
in her borders mines rich in lead and
zince and iron, and copper, magniG
cent and practically inexhaustible
forests of valuable timber, streams
that invite the manufacturer to cs-
tablish mills and factories, yet with
all these, and without soil and eli
mate adapted to the successful cult
walton Of grains and grasses, her
past would have been less brilliant,
and her future less promising. Have
you once thought of it, my friends,
| mean have you considered careful
ly the fact that forty-two years ago
when the first census of Wiscon-
sin was taken, the entire population
of the country now embraced with
in the limits of the state was only
1853.
We appreciate statistics of this
character best by comparison. Let
me say then, Wood county to- day,
contains almost as many people as
all Wisconsin did in 1886. At the
election held in the fall of that year
only 1862 votes were polled $500
less than were given to Senator
Scott two years ago. Crawford
county, then embracing all the coun-
try north and west OF the Wisconsin
river, as we'll as some east of it,
poIled in ali just IS votes.
Forty-two years is not long time.
Many of the men and women before
me to-day are much older than that,
and not few of them were men and
women grown at the time to which
] refer. What marvellous changes
these forty-two years have wrought!
Although this is denominated an
Agricultural Fair, | know very well
that you do not expect me to enter
upon any discussion Of the many in
teresting questions connected with
practical farming, and yet may be
permitted to state. parenthetically,
that it has fallen under my observation
that some farmers prosper while others,
their neighbors, with equal advantages
in the way of soil and situation and
climate. find it extremely difficult to
keep pace with the demands and ne
cessities Of the times. Probably every
one here present has some theory as to
what occasions this difference. For
my part do not think it is altogether
or mainly question Of deep or shall
low blowing of blooded or native
cattle Il; of heavy or light horses; Of
raising grain or dairying, of selling
coarse grains OF feeding them. These
questions may enter into and modify
the problem. but behind these and
controlling them is the question of
tact and adaptability, of patience,
perseverance and contentment, of char.
acter and ability, of business habits
and attention to details-in five words
of less drudgery and more thought.
[ believe as a rule that farmers work
too many days in the year, and too
many hours in the days. believe,
paradoxal as it may seem, that they
would accomplish more if they worked
less. In short, believe that farming
! is business to be watched and con-
Quoted upon business principles, and
that when so conducted it is always
successful.--In the aggregate it is sue
cessful.
| cannot believe that you expect me
upon this occasion to do otherwise
than express my own views and opin-
ions, whether they accord with yours
or not. | do not present them as
panacea, much less as cure for all
! the social and nOlitical ills to which wn