The Press., 1883-10-18
Issued Every Thursday Evening.

Mark now the growth of this industry Tn 8 decade during which 1t has made a great contribution. In 1870 the amount of Iu dian corn raised in this country was 7O8,- 944, 549 bushels in 1880 1.754, ,449, ,OOO b1l- shels. In 1870 the wheat crop amounted to 287, 745, ,626 bushels in 1880, 459, ,667,- 643 bushels. In 1870 the oat crop amount ed to 282, 1O7, 157 bushels in 1880 to 4O7,- 859,O33 bushels. In 1870 the tobacco crop amounted to 262, 735.341 pounds in 1880 to 473, ,107, ,573 pounds. The increase of agricultural products was large and univer sal, amounting Ill many instances to hun dred per cent. And in the last year of this decade, from 1879 to 1880, out of this vast increase of products our cattle exports rose from $13, ,00O, ,00O to $14, GOO, ,OOO corn from $43, 100000 to $5O,OOO,OOO; wheat from $167, 100000 to 19O,OOO,O0O; flour from $35, ,O0O, ,000 to $45, GOO, ,0OO cotton from $2O9, ,852, ,0O0 to $2O5, ,531 ,53O,; beef from $7. .O0O, ,OO0 to $13, 100000 lard from $2O,- 100000 to $35, ,266, ,0O0 and pork from $5, 900, ,OOO to $8,OOO,OOO.
 This unusual and extraordinary prosper lty Is due undoubtedly to many causes. nat ural and artificial, the natural causes being our diversity of soil and climate, and the variety of our crops, and the economy With which our new and fertile lands can be cultivated !; the artificial causes being the advantages of local and general mar kets and the relations established between the farmer and the soil he cultivated by the independent ownership of land under the laws of our country. To this last cause may be attributed much of that elasticity and energy which the American farmer mal1ifests in occupying new land, and tn. cultivation of crops adapted to the market which they can reach.
 1t were not easy to tell the strength and stimulus which came through the owner ship of the soil, to him who occupies it, has fixed his home upon it, and looks to 1t as his means of subsistence. It is to the division and subdivision of the land, al- most as much as to their devotion to the institutions of learning and their deter m1nat1on to secure all social and civil rights, that our fathers owe their success in establishing free government on this continent. They had the Anglo Saxon love of individual independence, and land mono olies, entail and primogeniture were especially odious to them. They establish ed in the earliest colonial days system of land-holdlng so simple, so exact, so easily managed that 1t has become the example which all republican governments follow. They established public registry of deed, and provided for an easy and recorded transfer of landed estates from hand to hand, as easy as the transfer of personal property. The state which they formed became not only the home of civil and re- hglous freedom, but of small landed pro- prietors also. When they struck for free dom they struck for the sacred right of their own homes, which had become scat tered throughout the length and breadth of the land, and were the nurseries of hardy, independent, sturdy race of pu1i tans in religion and roundheads in politics. They were indeed the lords of the soil. and were as unconquerable in their defense of their little farms as the great landed pro- prietors of their old homes were in pro- tectlng their immense estates from inva- sion or popular revolution. The feudal tenure of England never gained foothold here. But the commercial tenure which took its place gave every prosperous mem Der of the community an opportunity to cultivate his own little kingdom, and to dispose of or exchange it at his pleasure. The temptation to secure land under these becomes irresistible, The mechanic labored to secure his homestead; the merchant was never satisfied until he
  profit of his commercial adventures. The professional men of the day-the lawyers, the clergymen, the physicians-all owned and cultivated their land, which they were proud to occupy. And with the American system, as it has been called, a system which the English reformers have advo cated, and promised the English people, went multitude of civil rights, and privi- leges, and opportunities, which were never lost sight of by those who made up and supported and organized the community. The occupants and owners of the farms were the pillars of the church they filled the town offices they took their places in the legislature, and made laws for the :; they took part in the town meeting with its stormy debate and it's free ballot; they aspired to high offices and exercised the right of beating. and be- ing beaten, at the polls. The school house. the library, the lecture room they entered for their mental culture the church for their moral and religious culture. They ounded system of state and society here | which required of them and requires of IS also, liberal expenditure both of pub- 1c and private necessities and luxuries In community founded as they founded 1 'helrs, taxes must necessarily be somewhat leavy personal expenses must be some what large; the advancement of home must be provided for; the public enter ailments will be enjoyed the children must be well clad, provided with books, md supplied with good education. And his Is the American system of land-hold- all its duties, privileges and op- system which the states nen of the Old World study with profound interest and great care. It may be attend d by great deal of careless and unprofit- lble and unskillful farming, as every sys- em IS, but 1t produces great results, and 5 the foundation of great public and pri vate prosperity.
 The agricultural law which governs the of farms like these is the SUD- 'ly of the home, and if possible, neigh boring market. For the great grain grow ng sections of our more populous and lder states, with their commercial and cities, furnish the great 'ulk of the market, consuming 90 per cent # all the agricultural produce of this vast ountry For the smaller farms these anne great centers of population furnish a
 market for all local crops, and encourage areful and systematic farming. As our population increases, and the manufactur- ng and mechanical industries extend. this alter system of agriculture with all its rotits, and it's independence of long and xpenslve transportation will prevail. While, therefore, the foreign market pre- ents great temptation, fair profits and the