Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-01-11

ery. indoors and out. by the process OF
| invention, and we seem only TO have
sampled the future.
FREQUENT AND CHEAP IETER-CoMaU'
NICATIoNS.
All things seem TO be workisg togeth-
er for good 10 the farmer. The railroads
| have made hundreds of thousands OF
farms in this country mere suburbs tS
the cities. 1t is neither troublesome moi
expensive for the city to visit the eouu-
try or the country the city. and both are
greatly benefited by this increasing in
| timacy OF intercourse. We have now
| about $4,000 miles OF railroad in this
country. The trunk lines are lsrgely
completed The rage is now for lateral
feeders. like the Bellaire and southwest
ern-the 81. Clairsville aud Quincy-the
| St. Clairsville and bridgeport lines. In
| twenty years from now there will hardly
be county in the United States that
will not be more or less gridirOned by
these local lines. They will ultimately
be built for one-half the money which
| they cost to-day, and will carry paxsen-
gers and freight at rate that will prac-
| tically realize Horace Greeley's great
| idea of annihilating space and cost be-
| tween the producer and consumer. Men
who do business in the cities will live in
| the country to an extent Row unknown.
| The social life Of the country will no
longer represent one extreme and city
life another extreme.
A SUMMARY OF THE ADDRESS.
These, gentlemen, are some Of the
thonghts that have occurred to me in
connection with the subject assigned to
me for discussion.
l have endeavored in a brief and un-
finished way to lay before you a glance
at the European situation. present and
prospective, as an important element
affecting your interests. At present the
European situation seems to be wholly
in your favor. Until the rentals of land
in the European countries approximate
a standard that will equalize your ad
vantages plus tho cost of tran sportation
you will continue to hold these markets
as you do to-day. This is likely TO be
the case for years TO come.
Next, l lave endeavOred to show you
that we have great and increasing
home market, and thkt this market as
labor diversIies is likely to grow in
numbers and vealth-that is,purchasing
and consuming capacity. l have pointed
out to you that this assures you a market
for those perishable products that will
not bear long transportation, but are
| none the less valuable to you on that ac-
count as matter of money.
In the third place, have suggested to
you the present and future Importance
L m sf re NJ RI fufi # OF al
highways. and the widening and deepen
ing Of canals and rivers, all Of which
appear to be concsrting together through
their competitive relations and the nat
ural reduction Of cost, to not only thor
oughly distribute your products, but to
almost annihilate intermediaryship, of
all kinds between the producer and the
consumer.
have also attempted to snow you how
the forces of science and the ingenuity
of invention were at work to cheaper
the cost of production, increase your
yield and tighten your burden of toll.
have assumed that the future has
great compensations for the past in store
for you, in the shape Of more ease. more
leisure, closer contact with educational
and social advantages, and that these
would make farm life more attractive
to yourselves and others. Farm life is
the natural and the best life of the world
in all essential respects, and should have
all the advantages that will enhance its
value.
The American farmer, as it seems to
me, has everything to expect and nothing
to fear from the future. Secure and In
dependent in his selid position, he ought
to be the model citizen Of the Repub lic
What the country homes of England
have been to the fortunate few-where
every attraction of outdoor life is said
to blend harmoniously with every grace
of indoor life-the country homes of
America should be and will be to a
countless multitude of educated, refined
and exemplary men and women.