CLUBS IN NEW YORK. 67 



ciety has grown in magnitude year by year, exercising a 

 powerful influence upon the growth of agricultural art in 

 the State. Clubs have multiplied, and the Legislature of 

 the State, being finally roused to action, principally through 

 the writings of Judge Buell and the efforts of his contem 

 poraries, many of whom are still living, has done its duty 

 toward agriculture. 



The result has been the introduction of a systematic cul 

 ture, under whose beneficent operations New York now 

 stands the first State in the Union in the diversity and 

 wealth of its products. Its agriculture has stimulated 

 manufactures, built large cities, opened avenues of trade 

 and commerce, and scattered all over it a population 

 that has made it the Empire State of our great Kepub- 

 lic. Its farmers have demonstrated that in a diversi 

 fied agriculture consists the true wealth of a community, 

 whether of a town, county, or State. 



While this has been the case, however, its great maritime 

 city, New York, has managed, through its vast aggrega 

 tion of wealth, chiefly in the hands of a few unscrupulous 

 individuals, to manipulate and get possession of the carry 

 ing trade to and from the West. It has bought legisla 

 tures and controlled the finances of the country. By a nod, 

 a few of its money kings can signify how much or how 

 little western farmers are to get for their produce. The 

 unconscionable exactions of its railroad potentates have 

 roused a bitter feeling of indignation, and just now it is 

 waking up to the fact that, though powerful, it is not om 

 nipotent. It begins to realize that, unless some change is 

 made, the traffic which once poured money into its coffers 

 will find other channels, and Montreal, Quebec, Boston, 

 Baltimore, and New Orleans reign, perchance, in its stead, 



