The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-02-05
9eGisce11amentIs.
A SEYMOUR ADDRESS.
Ex-GOV. HORATIO SEYMOUR TO
THE FARMERS OF NEW YORK.
The Existing Agricultural Conflict Between this
Country and Europe,

m06UlUR VI buo ANOW AOAA O'"VS @AbAA""A
tural Society, marked by the superior in
telligence and breadth of view which he
always brings to such discussions.
THE ADDRESS,
Mr.. Seymour commenced by saying
that agricultural rises above all other OF
our pursuits in interest and importance.
Ever benehcent, it carries life and COM
fort into the homes of man. 1t usually
bears the aspect Of an humble servitor,
and is sometimes overlooked when the
public mind is filled with more exciting
topics. In the end it asserts its value and
brings the world back to sense of the
truth that all wealth and prosperity are
based upon the soil and the labor which
bring forth its products. "We can," he
said, "fnd in history no instance when
this fact has been brought home to mems
minds in way more striking or on
scale so broad, or with influences 80 far
reaching, as by the present condition of
agriculture on the continent and in Eu'
rope. Here it displays it's bountiea.
There nature withholds its accustomed
products and want and suffering creep
into the homes of labor On this CONT
nent it has given life and energy to all
other pursuits and industries 1t has
lifted the burdens Of debt from our coun-
try, given it credit with the world and
honor in the eyes of all nations. In
Europe TIE want Of food has hindered
industry and embarrassed its govern
ments In this country it has solved
problems in finances which perplexed |
our legislators. While they doubted |
and disputed the craftsmanship neCessa.
ry to solve our difficulties, the plough |
found the remedies for our troubles
The tillers OF the soil have done the |
work. They followed Gods fat and not |
that of men. The sweat of the brow and |
not the schemes of the brain have res.
Cued us from our perplexities. In Eu-
rope the condition of agriculture makes
suffering which threatens great social
and political changes" After briefly
adverting to the possible significance of
those portents and the difficulties to be
encountered in trying to forecast the fu'
ture, Mr.. Seymour said:
"The immediate cause Of our prosperity
has been the abundance of the crops
and the failure of those in Europe. We
cannot count upon these in our plans for
the future. The next summer may re-
verse the fact, and Europe may produce
an abundance and we may lose from unfa-
vorable influences upon our fields. Will
they pass away with the year just closed,
or has there been developed underlying
conditions which have been gradually
forming, and which are now to show
themselves with great power and great
proportions? This is, for US, the over
shadowing question of the day, and it
will lead US into many inquiries and in
vestigations before it issolyed. It is the
most important that can be pressed on
the minds of the people. 1t concerns ev-
cry citizen, every family, every pursuit.
If we push on blindly and presume the
coming years are to make plenty here
and want elsewhere, we may be speedily
overwhelmed by disaster"
He believed, however, that our coun-
try had entered upon new era in its re- :
lationship with Europe, and while it was
not probable that our exports of food
next year will equal those of the past,
still the channels of commerce which
have been opened will gradually grow
wider and deeper.
RESULTS OF MODERN APPLIANCES.
While dwelling on the results of steam.
ships and electric cables, as all import
ant factors in the growth of trade and
commerce, Mr.. Seymour said that when !
America was discovered it was 30 remote
from Europe, in view of the difficulty of
reaching it, that it was called a aew !
world. Measuring distance by time it
was years journey from Europe. Art {
and science, however, have as to time [
and intercourse, drawn the continents 9
together until they are 30 closely moored !
that it is easier to pass from one to the !
other than it is to traverse their respec. a
tive territories. The fact that North 8
America, with its vast extent of fertile Q
lands, now almost touches Europe, with
It's oVercrowded population, is one which =
excites the most varied specuations /
with regard to the results which must !
follow, bearing upon all phases of civil.
zation, politics and power. History, he ?
Jaid, tells of no event more striking or =
significant. There ia how what proper
y may be called a conflict between our +
agriculture and theirs. While the abund. g
ant food sent from here to Europe last n
year may relieve famine it also excites v
alarm in many quarters by its effects, not ?
,nly upon their agriculture, but also up 7
IN social and political organization. 1t n
las become contest between American 9
arTers and European landowners. In b
the power and resources OF a
he combatants, Mr. Seymour contrasted v
he excess, in extent and fertility, of n
North America with those of Europe, the v
particular adaptation OF our soil and cli- II
nate to abundance and variety of food, c.
md variety of our farm products, as a a
protection against disasters from unfa. !;
Torable seasons. n
THE GROWTH OF OUR POPULATION. Z
In regard to the growth of our popu. " =,
alton he said that while the number of q
people in the United States 100 years II
Igo was 100000, we have now 5O,OOO,. a
700, and less than the usual ratio will n
i've us so, 100000 in 1890. He said: IF Il
he rulers Of Europe continue their poll q
les of ambition and wars, If their inhab. a
tants continue to fly from their homes, 81
Z 80. ....AsI...l. - hi