SEVENTH DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 655 



nature has bestowed upon us, we do not stand where we should in the 

 ranks of counties. Why? Because our people, like Micawber, arc waiting 

 for something to turn up. But Micawber remained poor all his life and so 

 shall we unless we make that something turn up. We must bring capital 

 and people to us. We must spread abroad our capacities and means for 

 investment. We must extend the right hand of fellowship to the outside)-. 



One of the ways of doing this is to make our fair thoroughly and com- 

 pletely successful. This is a better inducement to the stranger's eye than 

 anything else we can devise, for it shows to him what his industry and care 

 can achieve. To the furtherance of this end every person should use his 

 utmost endeavors. If he can bring nothing himself, he can at least spur 

 on his more fortunate neighbor. It is his interest to see that all our county's 

 products are brought out for exhibition, for every advance the county at 

 large makes, benefits each individual in due proportion. 



But ere the sunshine of prosperity can well and truly brighten up our 

 county, there is yet one further step to be taken. The numerous large 

 ranches owned by single individuals must be sliced up into smaller tracts. 



The time is not far distant when this will become absolutely necessary. 

 The proper development of the county will demand it. People must be 

 brought in and homes provided for them. Wholesale farming is far from 

 being the 'most profitable. The small farmer cultivates his land more 

 thoroughly, takes better care of his crop, and has every advantage over his 

 larger brother. And all the ranch owners will, before long, see as some 

 have already seen, that the partition of his ranch will yield him more 

 profit than can be obtained from large possessions. 



Then, ladies and gentlemen, when our lands are settled up and when all 

 our people strive to make our fairs successful in showing to the outside world 

 what we are and what we can do, then will our resources be fully developed ; 

 and then will we stand where our natural advantages of size, soil, and cli- 

 mate would rank us among the first counties of one of the first States in 

 the Union. I thank you very much for your kind attention. 



