90 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



now their great prosperity is due in large measure to the foster- 

 ing care of government. A few merchants, finding that Boston 

 would be benefited by a larger traffic with the West, at different 

 times determined to open new thoroughfares across the State, 

 and they asked for aid ; it has been freely granted. Most faith- 

 fully and zealously has the State watched and guarded the mer- 

 cantile and manufacturing interests. So far has legislation 

 sometimes been carried to advance these interests, that the 

 rights of farmers have been ignored. It would not be an act of 

 generosity if the helping hand of the State were now extended, 

 and an effort made to raise agriculture to the position it should 

 oocupy ; it would be simply justice, or the recognition of rights ; 

 for farmers have rights — by the virtue of the property they own, 

 taxes they pay, and votes they cast. When we consider how 

 cheerfully they have submitted to — nay, often cordially sup- 

 ported — measures for the advancement of our varied industry, 

 it is surprising they have not asked more for themselves ; and 

 when they see how these have advanced with rapid strides, while 

 they have been stationary or retrograde, what shall be said ? 

 Were the 46,904 owners of farms and their 68,636 employes 

 united upon any plan, their requests would certainly be heeded. 

 But the desired end may be secured without one class of citi- 

 zens arraying themselves against another ; the interests of all 

 classes are in the main identical ; every man, woman and child 

 in the Commonwealth, has an interest in any project which will 

 improve the quality and increase the quantity of food. Our 

 manufacturers, from their peculiar location, will think more of 

 this subject in future, for they soonVill meet with sharp compe- 

 tition from the rising establishments at the West and South, 

 and they will find it quite enough to transport coal and raw ma- 

 terial to this corner of the Union, and carry their goods or 

 wares to distant markets, without sending a thousand miles or 

 more for provision for their workmen. They must have some 

 material advantages in order to continue to make their profits ; 

 one of these should be cheap labor ; cheap labor depends upon 

 cheap food, and where shall they obtain the cheap food ? Shall 

 it be from our own fields, or from the West ? If from the West, 

 Western manufacturers will have it still cheaper. It has been 

 a pet theory with many of our leading men, that it is cheaper 

 to bring provisions from the West, than to raise them from our 



