No. 4.] THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION. 65 



THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION. 



BY EX-GOVERNOR W. D. HOARD OF WISCONSIN. 



Ladies and Gentlemen, Fellow Laborers in the 

 Agricultural Vineyard : — Repeating the words of your 

 honored chairman, I would say it gives me great pleasure to 

 once more appear before you, and to find that I am alive. 

 A year ago when I met with you I did not know that I 

 should live another year; now I am sure of it. I am corre- 

 spondingly glad for my own sake ; for your sake, you have 

 my sympathy. 



I am to say something to you on the agricultural situation. 

 Your worthy secretary wrote me and said that I was to 

 "encompass the situation." You have all heard of the 

 Irishman who captured three British soldiers by surround- 

 ing them. I have always thought that the situations were 

 needlessly surrendered in that case. I cannot surround the 

 agricultural situation in this country to-day. The moment I 

 commenced to write about it, I discovered that it was a very 

 large subject, and I have not finished my voyage of discov- 

 ery yet. 



There are in the United States about eight million farm- 

 ers. Can any man hope to comprehend their necessities, 

 deficiencies and possibilities ? These three conditions make 

 up the life of the farmer ; and what the farmer is as a whole, 

 so is agriculture. Who is there that has judgment wide 

 enough or analysis deep enough to encompass the situation of 

 these eight millions of food manufacturers, and deal wisely 

 and justly with all their relations to themselves and the 

 body politic ? Right here let me say that I prefer to call 

 the farmer a food manufacturer, and not a producer. The 



