The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-09-09
MINNESOTA STATE FAIR.


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E,ouuent Address Of Col. Villas. the "SiI-
vcr 1ongucd" Orator OF Wisconsin.
His Glowing Tribute to the Farming
Community.
Col. Villas, of Madison, Wis.,, de-
livcrcd the address at the State Fair
held at Rochester, and among the
many exceedingly interesting things
he spoke, was the following tribute to
the farmers Of America:
The farmer of America is II vastly
different being from the kind who has
for ages fretted the soil Of the old world.
Various and multiplied are those differ
cnces, but the chief of all, perhaps the
producer of most of them, is the trans
formation which has come Over his
follow men. lie stands forth, first, in
sharp contrast with his class in other
lands, in the origin of his title TO, and
the nature of his possession OF. the soil
no cultivatcs. He entered upon his
fields, not AS the tenant or vassal Of
some icudal lord, wearing the collar Of
servitude and yielding all the better
portion of his produce in return for
protection to him rs Il wcakling labOrer.
lie strobe ut the outset beyond the pale
Of ancient and arbitrary usages. He
bore in his hands the arms Of a lord of
the forest, the rifle and the AK. Self
reliant and self independent, he took
from nature the lease OF his estate, rent
free and bondage free. Not, however,
free of cost and without price; but the
price he paid was the price manhood
loves to render for the gains which do
it honor. 1t was ut the cost of that
labor which builds up the man; with
privations which strengthen rather than
e%nervate; and facing pcrils which cxalt
tho soul. = = = =
There il no lord nor master above him.
There is no rank or grade of social
life which is his superior. ! speak it
with the full meaning of the words
employed. And affirm again that the
farmer there is no business, no avoca-
ton, no grade of social life, and no
higher class OF mel in the States Of
America.
1t is not meant that all farmers reach
that full plane of their class. In the
providence of God, there has been Or
daincd an infinite variety Of intellect,
character and capability among men.
''One star diffcrcth from another star
in glory" Farmers are precisely rs
other men. They are not and cannot
all he equal; neither in strength OF
muscle or fibre of brain. Among them,
with others, the gradations OF intel
lect and power are almost infinite.
Their achievements must vary accord
ingly. No laws of men, no institutions
of society, can alter this ordination
of heaven. All that laws and constitu-
tons, all that social opinions and
usages can do, is TO open the road, with
equal access to all. This the farmers
of America have accomplished for their
class. The way is open. Many have
already travelled it. They are ex-
amples to the race.
DO any doubt their social rank
Look about you here in Minnesota!
Cannot you, any n here present,
name at once, within your borders,
numerous farmers, the social equals of
the best in your commonwealth ! l am
but a stranger, yet am confident to chal-
lengc the test. On the fields OF your
neighboring Wisconsin, I claim the
honor of friendship with scores who
are the social and intellectual equals of
the highest of the other classes. In
some, I know a pride of manhood and
Il degree Of power, riches Of intellect
and integrity OF character. which are
the honor and adornment of humanity.
MOI is the farmers place less, or less
importance in political circles. His
voice has ever been potcnt-his lnflu
ence commanding in all the affairs Of
State and nation. 1t could not be
otherwise under the constitution of our
political society. Where the majority
of votes appoints the holders of every
public trust, the wielders of that
scepter of power must hold a sovereign
influence. The farmers class outnum-
bers any other /; and when you add
those Immediately Independent on it, and
perhaps all others. 1t is the great sub
stratum and foundation rank of the Re-
public.