The Portland daily press., 1880-09-29
City and Country.
Speech by General Garfield at an Ohio
County Fair.

The attendance at the Northern Ohio fair
Cleaveland asst week was the largest for years.
Among the guests were Gen. Garfield and ex-
Gov Bishop, who with others, made brief
after-dinDer speeches. Gen. Garfield said:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen:-While Gov.
Bishop was speaking of the exhibition of thrift
and prosperity represented in these grounds, /
was thinking of the forces at work in this
country which are silently but powerfully in
fuencing the actions between the two classes
of our population. All who have thoughtfully
considered the reports of the national census
during the last 30 years have observed the
great growth of our cities and comparatively
small growth of the population in our agricul-
tural districts. In fact many of the older agri-
cultural counties have actually decreased in
population. Let me ask you to reflect wheth-
er this is a good indication. / have time to
notice but one feature in the problem A
careful study of men who have won distinc-
tion in every field of activity, public and pri-
vate, professional and commercial, will show
that large majority of them were born and
bred in the country. Examine the names of
all our professions civil and military, recount
the men who have achieved distinction in the
fields OF manufactures and commerce, and you
will find that far the larger number were
country OOru boys, WHOSE early MANHOOD mad
touched the soil and drawn health and strength
and inspiration from the forces of nature
which play with freshness and freedom in the
green fields OF the country. (Applause). Gen.
tlemen, would you willingly see the
present tendency continued until the majority
of our people are inhabitants of the great cit
les. If this tendency must prevail, there is
one way to mitigate its evils, and that is by
bringing the city and country into closer bonds
OF sympathy. And this brings me to the chief
significance of this fact. This great and grow
ing city of the lake has opened her arms to the
country, and annually invites the people who
till our fields, dig in our mines and work in
the country to come amoug you and bring
with them the fruits of the land and the prod
ucts of their skill. In return you show them
an accumulation of city industry and culture.
This interchange is beneficial to both and let
me add. especially advantageous to residents
OF the city. l am sure that many of the lead
ers of commerce and trade of Cleveland, who
were reared in the country, are refreshed and
invigorated by the reminder of their youth
which this fair gives them. They remember
.hewn, the soil on which they grew, and are
better and stronger afor the remen-
brance. In this fair, city and country shake
hands in renewed friendship, recognize anew
their dependence upon each other. / see
around this table lawyers, bankers and mer-
chants whose eyes brighten at the remem-
brance of their country homes. One of the
foremost lawyers and jurists of this state an
honored citizen of your city, will not forget
his pioneer life in the woods Of Portage coun-
ty. L am sure that Judge Ranney does not re-
gret the hardships and inspiration which ceun-
try life gave to his boyhood.