ly from the farmers, or from local organizations, 



The State Departments should labor together, 

 co-operating with each other and the National 

 Department, all reporting to the latter the re- 

 sults of their iavestijrations, and supplying an- 

 nually samples illustrative of the productive 

 capacity of the various sections of the country. 



A perpetual fair of the agricultural and horti- 

 cultural products of every section of the coun- 

 try should be on exhibition at the National De- 

 partment. 



When extraordinary results are attained in the 

 production of any staple article -by improved 

 methods of cultivation or feitilization, the means 

 by which they are attained should be published 

 for the information of the masses. 



The workings of the National Department 

 should be of a practical character, free from all 

 partiality of sectional bias. Its head should 

 labor with an eye single to the material develop- 

 ment of the whole country as the surest road to 

 individual and national prosperity. 



He should study well the productive forces of 

 the entire country, probe the secrets of success 

 in other nations and with eclectic skill appropri- 

 ate such advances in the science or the art of 

 agriculture as are adapted to our surroundings. 

 He should guard with jealous eye the rights and 

 interests of the producers of the country, and 

 as their representative head, defend them from 

 encroachments or infringements. 



Too long has the public mind been divided 

 from practical issues involving their vital inter- 

 ests to those of an ephemeral nature, born 

 only of a fanatical brain. While we have been 

 wrangling over questions either of a purely 

 political or sectional character, our practical 

 cousins over the waters have stolen our com- 

 merce, supplanted our monopoly of the cotton 

 supply, sought other sources for their supply of 

 breadstuffs, and now coolly demand millions of 

 gold in payment of her excess of exports over 

 imports. 



With the most magnificent country upon which 

 the sun ever shone, with every variety of soil 

 and climate, with a boast of our ability to feed 

 and clothe the world still vibrating in the air, 

 the balance of trade is against us. It is a vain 

 sin to speak of a resumption of specie payments 

 while we are shipping coin from our shores. It 

 is vain to hope for national prosperity while the 

 sources of wealth are languishing. 



It is vain to expect relief from mere political 

 reform. There must be reform in the field as 

 well as in the cabinet. Means must be devised 

 by which the farmer can pocket some of the 

 profits of his labor, nd these means must not 

 involve a return to the primitive habits of our 

 forefathers, but must involve the application of 

 science, superior skill and judgment, the appli- 

 cation of machinery to work now performed by 

 human muscle, the introduction of improved 

 methods of cultivation and feitilization, all re- 

 sulting in increased production at reduced cost. 



We must re-estatilish the balance of trade in 

 our favor before there can be substantial pros- 

 perity in our country. We must produce more 

 than we consume not only that, we must sell 

 more than we buy. 



While laboring t< r national development and 

 reform in agriculture, let us not forget her kin- 

 dred creative industries, mining and manufact- 

 ures. These should have a joint head in the 

 national government represented by a commis- 

 sioner of mining arid manufactures, charged 

 with the duty of collecting and also dissemi- 

 nating information relating to these great inter- 

 ests. At the capital should be two cabinets, one 

 of specimens illustrative of the rniueral resources 

 of the whole Union, for the instruction of our 

 own people, and that of those who may wish to 

 cast their lot with us and invest their money in 

 the productive development of our resources. 



The other should contain specimens of the 

 manufacturing skill of our country as well as 



those from other nationalities. 



I have thus thrown out a few thoughts, Mr. 

 President, in the hope that the ball already 

 started may be rolled on until the prosperity of 

 our people shall correspond with the grandeur 

 of our country in richness and variety of re- 

 sources. That our people are not blessed with 

 peace, plenty and contentment is not the fault 

 of the Creator who has bestowed upon us a 

 country vast in extent, varied in soil, climate 

 and material resources, and abounding in all the 

 elements which contribute to individual, state 

 or national prosperity. 



The fault seems to be more in the creative in- 

 dustries of our country which have failed to 

 utilize to the best advantage the talents which 

 the Master gave them, and in the state govern- 

 ments which have failed in their corporative 

 capacity to foster with encouraging care the 

 great fuadamental industries which sustain 

 them. 



Let those who own and till the soil unite in 

 one grand brotherhood, forgetting all that is 

 unpleasant in the memories of the past, forget- 

 ting section, forgetting all save that we are citi- 

 zens of a common country, engaged in a com- 

 mon cause, that we are stewards of the God of 

 Nature, charged with the duty of developing 

 and beautifying the land which He has given us. 

 that on us rests the responsibility of improving 

 and cheapening the methods by which man is 

 fed and clothed, that we owe it to posterity that 

 we not only preserve, but increase the product- 

 ive capacity of the heritage which we leave 

 them. 



Be it remembered that we are but the pio- 

 neers on the borders of a new era of agricultural 

 progress, in which science and art have joined 

 hands in a noble and determined effort to reju- 

 venate the Mother of all employments, and cause 

 her breasts to flow with abundant nourishment 

 for all of her toiling children. 



Mr. President, allow me to express the hope 

 that this Centennial year of our national exist- 

 ence shall mark an era not only of agricultural 

 reform, but of a return of fraternul feeling be- 

 tween all citizens of a common country; a senti- 

 ment based on the solid foundation of a common 

 origin, the love of a common country, a commu- 

 nity of interest and a common hope for a still 

 grander heritage for our children's children, 

 when the nations of the earth shall be again in- 

 vited to rejoice with us over the fulfillment of 

 another century's existence of our government 

 of Sister States. 



