Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-10-13


sacrifices, by the pomp and splendor of
high festival. And ought not we to be
proud that we live i'm this country of
churches and school houses, and that we
are able to worship aud thank the only
true and living God for the great bene-
fits which have resulted TO this nation and
country from agriculture! Sacred history
informs Us that nearly nineteen hundred
wears ago Christ was born in Bethlehem
amidst the surroundings of home farm,
and the shepherds were the first to he
present and greet Joseph and Mary the
mother of the Redeemer of the World.
And it was the Star of Bethlehem that
guided the shepherds to the spot where
the Redeemer was born, and il was TO
the Representatives of the humble farmers
of that country of India that were given
the message and the honor to give to the
world the iOvful information that the
Redeemer of the Osld was born. And
as we come down later in modern times
we find that the farmer has always stood
at the front on every great occasion. The
pilgrim father who migrated from The
other country came as farmer, and for
the very purpose of founding a country
here i'm the great interests of agriculture.
And coming down to a later period we
notice in this land of ours that the sons
of the farmer have, in important periods
been the distinguished patriots and states
men of this nation. Washington was a
farmer. and when he died he was
the richest farmer in the United
States. Clay and Webster and Van
Buren, were farmers. Jackson, Lincoln,
and Garfield were sons of toll, and Van
Buren, in early life sold cabbages from
his farm i'm kinderhook. And while |
am spo aking of Daniel Webster let me
quote substantially one of his eloquent
passages He said: II was not born in a
log cabin, but my brothers and sisters
were, and at period when the smoke
curled up from the chimney Of that log
cabin over the snOw-clad mountains of
New Hampshire, it was the only indica-
ton of civilization that existed between il
and the habitations on the rivers of Cana
da. | visit that place yearly. l carry my
children there to show them the hard
ships and the privations of our early
settlers. And | love to dwell upon the
incidents and the history and the priva-
tons of that primitive abode" Daniel
Webster was great man, good type
of New England character. He was the
SUI VI ldI lllcl anu ulCu vi Ills wv ii
farm. A short time before he died, his
biographer tells us, he directed three
yokes of Hungarian cattle to be brought
to his window, and looking at their size
and beauty, he directed what they should
do the next day. And amidst the sur
roundings of his farm, looking upon the
beauties of nature and the ocean, he died.
The ocean chants its music to his men,
Orv. Such men never die.
was peculiarly struck with passage
in an address recently delivered in Mass
achusetts at an agricultural gathering,
which fOrcibly represents the inspiration
and influence of home. 1t is familiar
incident. The two great armies of the
recent war were encamped upon opposite
banks of a Southern river after the labOrs
of the day had ended. The Northern
bands rendered that beautiful and soul
stirring piece of music so familiar to us
all, The Star Spangled Banner" and
its strains went floating over the river to
the camps of the opposing party. But
instead of responding with "The Star
Spanged Banner ''Dixie" came back
on the air as response. Our bands then
struck up ''Hail Columbia" but the re-
spouse of Dixie again came back. They
tried yankee DOODLE" familiar to all,
a tune which has stirred not only the
Northern heart, but the whole nation
but back came the air of Dixie. The
Northern bands then struck up ''Ilome
Sweet Home," then came swelling on the
air back from the opposing camp, "Home
Sweet Home" and soon the voices of
those two opposing armies joined in tine
joyful chorus, ''IlOme Sweet Home
This sentiment of home is implanted
deeply in the hearts of the whole people
1t bowers round the good home farm
with peculiar JUNCTION. There are sixty.
four thousand home farms in the State
of Maine.
My friends, perhaps it is proper that
should say word for the good old State
of Maine. We are all proud of it. 1t is
a large state, larger than all the rest of
New England. 1900 square miles are
yet uninhabited. But we have great
advantages and all the prospects of great
growth in wealth and in other material
interests. We have long line of sea
coast. Thousand of islands spring up in
their beauty to guard the most extensive
and best harbors in the world. Our
commerce is large. We are rated as one
Union, and we have every advantage of
it. One-third of the tonnage of the
wooden ships of our country were built
in Maine, and they are commanded by
our own men, and largely owned by our
own capitalists. Our rivers flow onward
to the sea, and they give us great advan-
tages. For in their downward course are
large opportunities for manufacturing
and we are already the fifteenth state in
the Union in that respect. And when all
this immense water power is utilized
there is no reason why we may not be the
first manufacturing state in this country.
We are also standing well in agriculture.
The productions of northern climate
are as well obtained here as any where
in the country. Ourpeople are intelli-
gent. There is less illiteracy in this
state than in any state in this Union, and
this is due to our good and substantial
system of education. Our people are
growing wealthy. just look at the re-
turns from our savings banks. | notice
that in 1860 there was but one million
of dollars of assets in our savings banks
but to day we have over thirty-one mil.
lions. | do not know how large an
amount is deposited by farmers. but
this fact | do know that nv own TOWN il