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BERKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



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2,837,483,514 bushels, at an estimated value of $1,369,615,918. 

 Who produces this vast sum? About 4,000,000 of farmers; but 

 produce-speculators, railroad men, with their vast elevators, through 

 whom most of the wheat must pass, leaving a very important toll, 

 get vastly the greatest amount of profit from the results of these 

 magnificent products of labor. Who then impart to the markets, 

 the banks, the vast syndicates, their life and their vast piles of 

 wealth, but these toilers of the land? Who are most important to 

 the financial prosperity of the nation, those that earn these vast 

 millions, or those who manipulate them and thereby make their 

 millions? 



But the vital importance of the laboring man may be illustrated 

 from another point of view. Our financial men did nobly in the 

 recent war. They d ; d grandly. They poured out money like 

 water; but for which they have been paid more than in full, and 

 we here do not complain. But I am bold to say that we owe not 

 so much to the financiers of the war, astute as they were, as we do 

 the boys in blue, the vast majority of whom were from the working 

 classes — farmers, mechanics and day laborers. These saved our 

 nation from bankruptcy. Our moneyed men did nobly, I say. But 

 at all times the main dependence was on the army in the field. If 

 the men at the front failed, government stocks went down, all 

 stocks went down. In our darkest times gold rose to 2.80. Now 

 as we were then situated I declare no power on earth could bring 

 gold down from that high figure but splendid fighting in the field. 

 Gold had to be fought down and greenbacks fought up. When 

 the boys in blue went down under the boys in gray, up went gold 

 and down went greenbacks. All the fore part of '63 gold ruled 

 high. But when the victory of Vicksburg and Gettysburg came 

 on the 4th of July, '63, gold went down and government stocks 

 went up. In precisely the same way confederate notes and secu- 

 rities were fought down. When the first confederate money was 

 issued it was at a slight premium. It then scaled down as follows: 



In June, 1861, it was worth 90 cents 



Dec. 1, iS6i, " " So " 



" 15. 75 " 



Feb, 1, " " " 60 " 



" 1,1863, " " 2 ° 



June 1, " " 8 



Jan, 1864, " " 2 



Nov. " " " 4^ " 



Jan. 1865, " " 2-J " 



April 1, 1865, '" " \\ " 



