166 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
tical men of the state, who I doubt not will interest themselves in 
the cause very cordially, we can place such organization upon a firm 
foundation, quicken agriculture and the kindred arts, establish so¬ 
cial unhand good feeling, raise the standard of social, moral and 
intellectual culture, and place the producers of the state upon a 
higher plane of usefulness and power, where they rightfully belong. 
I would not make this united and associated effort political, except 
to the extent that I would give legislators of all political shades— 
and they are numerous just now—and those who are candidates 
for state and national political preferment to understand that our 
interests must be specially cared for, fostered and encouraged by 
the enactment of wise and equitable laws, that the burdens of 
taxation must be equally distributed, that we must not be dis¬ 
criminated against by exemption of a certain class of property 
from taxation; in fact, that the industry of the country, which 
underlies and sustains all other interests, must be respected, 
for we have the numerical and mental strength to command 
and enforce it. Look over the list of occupations of men 
filling places of trust to-day, from the county up through the 
state, to the highest positions of responsibility and power in the 
nation, and what do you see? Do you find them filled by those 
whose constituency is larger than all other avocations and pur¬ 
suits combined ? By no manner of means. If you will take the 
trouble to look over the occupations of the members of the 42d 
Congress, you will, I think, infer that we are a nation of lawyers. 
Many of these gentlemen are, no doubt, high-minded, honorable 
men, and will well represent the views of their constituents, but, 
Mr. President, the point I desire to make is, that an agricultural 
constituency should demand as their right an agricultural repre¬ 
sentative ; not that I would have farmers occupy all places of respon¬ 
sibility and trust, but I would have them fill a majority of them, it 
being the great and leading interest of the country. We should 
bear this idea fully in mind, that no class of people, all other things 
being equal, can so well be represented as by those who are en¬ 
gaged in the same calling, avocation or pursuit. When we, as 
farmers, fully realize and appreciate our true position in society, 
and demand that these high representative trusts shall be con¬ 
ferred upon us, we shall obtain them, and we ought not to before. 
