Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-05-14

While conceding to agriculture this
fundamental position among industries, it
should be remembered that a foundation
is little worth without n superstructure.
If all men were producers, whence would
come the consumption? If ALL like all,
Cain, were tillers of the earth, whence
would these tillers get their hats, their
coats, their shoes, their jack-knives, and
their newspapers? and their wives and
daughters get their bonnets, their silk
dresses, their iewelry, their sewing ma
chimes, and their pianos? The northern
farmer may be n little more independent
than the southern planter, us he raises IL
greater variety of products, but if the
farmer will look over his wellfurnished
house he may be surprised to see how
dependent he is upon manufacturers and
mechanics for his multiplied blessings.
Scarcely an article of furnature, even of
the most necessary kind, is homemade
His tables, chairs, bureaus, stoves, clocks,
carpets, lamps, hardware, crockery, beds
and bedding, in short, almost everything
in the house, show the handiwork of the
manufacturers and mechanics. Let US
look ut the table Il moment and see if this
still holds true. To say nothing of the
table cloth, the china, and glass and silver
ware, the first thing we are offered is II
cup of tea that comes from China, sweet
ened by sugar that comes from the West
Indies. The beef, pork and potatoes we
will take for granted are home products,
but they are seasoned with salt that comes
from Turks Island and with pepper that
xvhi1a tho In ~
OF most dishes comes from distant quarters
of the globe. Were a new colony to be
started on one of our western prairies, it
would be miserably defective if it were
made up solely of farmers. These should
constitute majority Of the settlement, but
in every well-orgrnized society there must
be ministers lawyers, doctors, teachers,
merchants and mechanics In the early
settlements of New England it was quite
common for the farmer to have II work
shop in which he mended and sometimes
made his wagons and tools. Some went
so far in this spirit of independence us to
keep shoemaker's bench and tools and a
blacksmith's forge, but this state of things,
though perhaps convenient for the early
settlers, is not adapted to the present con-
uiliou Vi SoClcIy III lio oluel ottlcS
Every man to his trade is IL good
maxim. The farmer who makes his own
shoes may be cobbler, but seldom if
ever, will attain to the skill of a shoemak-
er. He had better give his attention TO
raising potatoes and buy his shoes Of a
regular manufacturer just so with his
blacksmithing, wagonmaking, tailoring,
and all other trades, and we may add with
all the professions.
The truth is, man was never made to be
independent of his fellow-man. All trades
professions, manufactures, commerce-in
short, all industries, and all men-are
mutually interested in each other, and
stand or fall together.
The unity of interests between all indus
tries and all men of every nation and
every land is truth which men have
been slow to learn. Local, family, indus
trial and national jealousies have filled the
earth with discord, violence and blood
shed. Culture, aided by railroads, steam
boats, telegraphs and telephones, is slowly
opening the eyes of intelligent men to
the community of interests among all
industeris and races. Agriculture is
doubtless, the leading industry, us more
than half the population of the globe are
engaged in it. 1t is, also, as we have said,
a fundamental industry, rs it supplies the
material for others, but even agriculture
unaided can do but little TO supply the
wants of advanced modern civilization.
Manufactures, commerce, all the profess
sions, and all the mechanical arts are her
landmarks. The body polite is like the
human body, made up of many members,
but all constituting one body, and having
a common interest.-GoU. Hyde, in NeW
York Tunes.