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to buy goods and sell produce thousands of miles away, establish factories and produce 
the one and sell the other right here at home. 
Logan, Ohio.—It may be said that the raising of grain, whether it paid or not, has 
been the one steady, unvarying feature of our farm arrangements. Notwithstanding 
the extra labor incurred, the expense of seed, and above all the impoverishing of the 
land, we still adhere tenaciously to those productions which, although they may not 
pay, always find a ready market at some figure. And there may be the secret of our 
persistent adherence to the practice. The old saying, that a home market is the best 
market, would, if it were possible to carry it out in practice, obviate most of the dif- 
ficulties against which our farmers have to contend. The remedy is not to disconnect 
ourselves from manufacturing countries by ceasing to use their manufactures, but, 
by encouraging such industries in our midst, establish home markets for our own pro- 
ductions. 
Martin, Iowa.—This county is underlaid with iron and coal; it has large forests of 
valuable timber, and immense deposits of valuable stone, freestone, limestone, and 
grit, together with soft, clean sandstone, suitable for glassware, and, in addition to 
these, about thirty miles of the finest water-power in the western country. If these 
now almost neglected sources of wealth were properly developed our discouraged 
farmers would reap their share of the general advantage. There has been considera- 
ble machinery erected in the county during the last few years, several mills, stave 
factories, hub, handle, and shingle factories, and one blast-furnace, and the produce 
market has thereby been materially improved. 
Douglas, Kans.—Increased facilities for shipping West is near at hand, and also 
South, to the sea-board, at Galveston, Texas. With this commences a beginning of 
manufactures in Kansas. A dam is in process of construction across the Kansas River, © 
in Lawrence, for cotton-mills, and woolen factories, and flour-mills, so that the cotton 
of Texas and the New Mexico wool may soon be made into cloth at our own doors. 
Newton, Mo.—Last fal] a good pair of heavy winter-boots, suitable for a farmer, 
was worth $6; oats were worth from 15 to 20 cents per bushel: hence, to get a good 
pair of boots, a farmer had to give from 30 to 40 bushels of oats. I think it would be 
better for farmers here if the county produced at home more of the articles we con- 
sume. Last fall we sold a fat beef for 2 cents per pound, gross; the hide was shipped, 
perhaps, to Boston to be converted into boots and shoes, and then shipped back to us to 
be sold at an enormous profit to all whose hands it passed through. 
Orange, Ind.—The remedies are simple and certain. Let the farms rest, and the 
farm laborers go to work in the manufacturing establishments. 
Caldwell, Mo.—In my opinion the want of a home market for the products of our 
farms is the base of all the difficulties. Any form of co-operation that will give us 
manufactures, vary our industries, and prevent the sending of our money out of the 
county, or any combination that will improve our stock and improve our methods, 
will be beneficial. 
GREATER VARIETY OF PRODUCTS. 
A few extracts from the suggestions under this head must suffice: 
Putnam, Ga.—Every one seems to understand that it would be better for all to plant 
less cotton and more small grain, but none are willing to practice it themselves. 
Titus, Tex.—The great cause of discouragement is the almost universal direction of 
labor into the corn and cotton channel, making us dependent on other people for every- 
thing except our corn-bread. The remedy is patent—diversity of labor and product. 
Our soil and climate are congenial to all sorts of products, and we shall bless the man 
or means that can bring our people to a sense of their own best interests on this point. 
There can be no reason why we should be slaves to other people for the supply of our 
wants when we have the means at our own doors; but “ cotton is king,” and until he 
is dethroned we must be his sutfering subjects. 
Queen Anne, Md.—While corn continues at so low a price as to cause much to be 
used as fuel, and while the grain we export does not pay for the sugar we import, I 
can see but little hope for improvement. It is absolutely necessary that a considerable 
portion of the labor and capital now employed in growing grain, to still further de- 
press a glutted market, should be diverted to the production of beet-sugar. The state- 
ments and arguments of your annual report for 1871 (page 298) are enough to con- 
vince any reflecting man of this fact. If private enterprise cannot effect this, let Gov- 
ernment aid be granted; not, however, upon exorbitant tariff duties upon an article 
of prime necessity, which has become so essential to the comfort of every working- 
man’s family, but in the shape of abonus to the successful producer. I think thatsuch 
a system would, in a few years, render beet-sugar factories self-sustaining. Thus, by 
retaining in the country $75,000,000, now sent away for sugar, and also by diminishing 
the production of our great staple, Indian corn, relieve our markets of that constant. 
glut which now causes its production to be only profitable to railroad companies and 
commission merchants. , 
