AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 437 



the advantage of being free from imposts, and the merchants who 

 wished to be present at them enjoyed the special protection of the 

 government for their goods and persons. It seems that then, as now, 

 the government recognized the necessity of fairs, and the advantage 

 and benefit they were to the people. 



In many of the States appropriations are annually made by the 

 Legislatures for the promotion, encouragement, and assistance of 

 agricultural societies. Our own Legislature has recognized the pro- 

 priety of such a course, and has repeatedly made munificent appro- 

 priations to the State and other agricultural societies in California. 

 They very wisely consider that a portion of the public money can be 

 used in no better way for the common good of the whole people than 

 by using it in this manner; and we have yet to hear of any asserting 

 that in this respect they acted unwisely. Fairs for the sale of live 

 stock, agricultural products, and staple manufactures, have been 

 found entirely unnecessary in countries enjoying a free and flourish- 

 ing trade like ours; and when attempted here, they dwindle accord- 

 ingly into insignificance. On the other hand, as is the case with us, 

 fairs offer special opportunities for comparing different qualities of 

 home manufacture and produce, and thus are valuable as a means 

 of instruction, just as we see to-day. There is not an exhibitor here 

 at this time who has not a laudable desire that his or her exhibit, 

 whether of products of the soil, live stock, or specimen of mechan- 

 ical skill, shall be better than his neighbors, and that he shall receive 

 the prize offered by the Society for the particular class he may have 

 on exhibition. Thus we are instructed, as it is well known that by 

 ambition, pride, and a laudable desire to excel we always profit, and 

 .are accordiiigly educated, Another advantage attached to them is 

 that they bring communities which otherwise are slowly reached by 

 the progress of civilization into direct contact with it. The most cel- 

 ebrated fairs of large cities, in former times accordingly exhibit the 

 greatest degree of attendance, while the country fairs still retain 

 .much of their importance. 



Among the many pursuits of man none is more ennobling, more 

 honorable, more beneficial to mankind en masse, which should be 

 more respected and fostered, than agriculture. All nations have 

 paid due respect to this, the greatest of arts, recognizing that within 

 it lay prosperity and safety. They have fostered it in every conceiv- 

 able manner, and have encouraged it by all the means at their com- 

 mand. Our own nation has followed in the wake of its elders. 

 Among the retinue of its officers at Washington is the prominent 

 one of Commissioner of Agriculture. The office was established by 

 an Act of Congress, and all the incidental expenses of the office are 

 paid from the national treasury. Its attaches are sent to the agri- 

 cultural localities of Europe to gain information, which is reported 

 to the home office, and then, with the observations and learned essays 

 on the various branches of agriculture, written by those who have 

 made the various subjects treated a study, it is printed and sent 

 broadcast through the land at the expense of the government, for the 

 edification and instruction of the people. The reports of the Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture are common in the libraries of all our 

 farmers; and many of you doubtless, who are present here to-day 

 have read and profited by them. Experience has shown that the 

 country has profited by so doing, for it is admitted that nothing so 

 conduces to the welfare and prosperity of a people as the fostering 



