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States. This sum of $700,000,000 exceeds the gross income of all the 
railroad and transportation companies in the United States, and, if we 
leave out New York and Pennsylvania, it would suffice to pay the pub- 
lic indebtedness of all the other States in the Union, including that of 
all the counties, townships, school districts, and cities within those 
States. Ina word, we have to do here with an interest ranking third 
in the line of importance, even from the mere view of dollars and cents, 
counting manufacturing of all kinds first and agriculture second. 
If forests, therefore, were of no more consequence than as the source 
of the wealth which their annual yield represents, they would be worthy 
of special attention and care on the part of every community which 
would be considered thrifty and far-sighted. 
From the very inception of government on this continent down tothe 
present time our towns, counties, cities, States, and, since its establish- 
ment, the National Government, have devoted much attention and put 
forth great efforts in various forms to promote the et of ag- 
ricultural and manufacturing industry. 
By offering lands on easy terms, by giving premiums for excellence 
of products, by encouraging the importation of improved breeds of live 
stock, by promoting the use of fertilizers, by free distribution of seed, 
by the establishment of experimental stations, of model farms, of agri- 
cultural schools, and of fairs, by exempting land from taxation for a 
certain length of time, and by many other means, the endeavor has 
been made to enlarge and improve agriculture. 
By the establishment of a so-called protective tariff, by bounties, 
by exemption from taxation, by direct grants from the public treasury 
or by subscriptions of private parties, by a system of patent rights, 
by premiums, by expositions and exhibitions, and by the establish- 
ment of technical schools and similar means in many directions, we 
have labored to diversify and enlarge our manufacturing industry. 
More especially have we tried to secure that fundamental condition 
of a highly civilized state, general and rapid means of transportation 
and communication. We have expended untold sums in the improve- 
ment of our highways and water-ways. Country roads, turnpikes of 
many ditterent kinds, railroads, canals, we have practically constructed 
at the expense of the public Treasury. We have laid out large sums in 
the improvement of our rivers and harbors in order to faciliate our com- 
merce. We have established and maintained at a large cost to the 
general Treasury a Federal post-office, which performs many of the fune- 
tions of an express company. 
But not only for transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing has 
the Government actively engaged in a promoting and fostering way. It 
has passed laws for the preservation and increase of various forms of our 
natural wealth. Most, if not all, of the States have undertaken to pro- 
tect game and fish from the ravages of private individuals. They have 
enacted laws which have for their object the limitation of what was un- 
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