No. 151.1 189 



engine, lies at the foundation of great national wealth, and is destin- 

 ed to make this country the greatest manufacturing country in the 

 world; and if she becomes the greatest manufacturing country, as 

 sure as effect follows legitimate cause, she is destined to become the 

 richest and most powerful nation upon the face of the earth. 



And we farther remark, that in this remarkable progress in im- 

 provements in machines generally, the American Institute has contri- 

 buted during the period of its existence, very largely for the encour- 

 agement of labor saving machinery. 



The number of new machines, and improvement on machines, 

 exhibited at its fairs, have been variously from fifty to two hundred 

 per annum; and it may be said, without the fear of contradiction, 

 that the amount of good which that institution is like to accomplish 

 by such encouragement, is beyond the power of man to estimate. 



And finally we remark, that inasmuch as it is necessary that a 

 large amount of manufacturing must be done in this country, to con- 

 sume and dispose of our vast agricultural products, and if done at all 

 must be done cheaply, with the aid of machinery. The farmer and 

 land owner of all others, have the deepest interest in the advance- 

 ment and progress of machinery; that in proportion to their advance, 

 by which the competition of cheap labor in Europe is overcome, 

 will be the advance in value of land property; and therefore this in- 

 timate and mutual relation between agriculture and mechanic arts 

 should be well understood by the law makers of our National and 

 State governments, that the meritorious inventors of machines and 

 other improvements, may be properly and strongly encouraged by 

 fostering, and just laws. 



