Year: 1879

New activity is discernible il


every department of business. Fac


tories that have been idle for years


are now working on full time


Commerce was never more active
| Merchants were never buster


There is an upward tendency il


real estate. People are again look
ing hopeful. The cloud of despail


which has been hanging over, the


people is fast disappearing, and the


sun of prosperity is shedding his


rays over the broad land for the


first time in many long years.


But we very much doubt if one


in hundred has asked himself the


cause of this great change. To


whom do we owe the increased


prosperity which is making itself so


manifest in this country? We an


swer, TO the farmer. To his strong
arm and productive soil are we in


debted for this wonderful change.


His cereal crops, his cotton, tobac-
co, beef, pork, mutton, cheese, but
ter and other products, are bringing
to this country from the old world
weekly millions upon millions of
dollars, making money plentier,
business brisker and the skies
brighter. Yes, to the farmer is all
of this due. Yet how few there are
who give him the credit for it.


Many will ask if this foreign de-
mand for our products will con-
tinue. We think. there can be no
doubt of it. Our reasons therefor
are: that our lands are cheap as
well as productive; that they are
worked by their real owners, and
not by tenants, as in all of Great
Britain; that on account of the
wide range of latitude, are far more
varied than in any other nation;
that the shipping of our products
has been reduced to a science; that
many of them are put in highly
form. making the
freight very low; that refrigerating
vessels are used for carrying our
fresh meats, and by their use they
are landed in the old world, where
they are in great demand and can
be sold, at a profit, cheaper than
they can be raised on the expensive
lands and the rigorous climate of
Great Britain. All of the advanta-
ges we have gained we shall Ger
tainly hold, and they will be yearly
This will not be pleas
ant for the farmers of Great Britain
to contemplate, but they evidently
see the handwriting on the wall. |


With an average crop, England |
only produces enough food to sup
port half of her population. Her
prospects are now deplorable. Her
people are consuming many goods
low manufactured in this country.
We can manufacture nearly all arti
lies now cheaper than she can, for
,he has to bring food from this
country to feed her operatives, and
llso much of the raw material for
manufacturing purposes besides.
That Great Britain IS on the de-
.line, is evident to every one who
ooks at her real situation. America
must shoot rapidly to the front of
ii the nations on the earth. Her
asst agricultural resources Will carry
Ter there and keep her there. 1t is
Ter agriculture that has brought her
out of the slough of despond,"
espIte of her politicians, despite of
ad laws. 1t has raised her finan-
ial standing and given new hope
o all classes of our people. All
onor, then, to the farmer. May he I
onor his noble calling by qualify
lg himself to so cultivate mother
arth as not to rob her of her treas
res, but leave her to posterity as
lch as he finds her. An intelligent
of the soil will enable
i'm to do this.