miscellaneous addresses. 
23 1 
farming population here in Wisconsin is more population, more 
consumers, not engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
In other words, it is the best interest of our farmers to create 
and foster manufacturing industry of any and every kind. Every 
new farm that is opened here increases the number of competitors, 
thus tending to lower the value of the agricultural productions, 
whereas every individual employed in manufacturing pursuits 
increases the number of consumers, thus enlarging the market for 
the production of the farmer, and enhancing the value of his 
crops. The importance of a manufaturing town located directly 
in the midst of a farming community, will thus be seen to be 
inestimable to that community. The various perishable com¬ 
modities that do not permit of prolonged transportation—such as 
fruits and vegetables—must be consumed in the immediate vicinity 
of their production. It is, therefore, with no ordinary satisfaction 
that I witness the rapid multiplication of manufacturing towns 
and villages throughout our thriving state, hailing them as I do, 
as the greatest of blessings—next to good health and a clean 
conscience—to our deserving agriculturists. 
In raising productions to be consumed in a distant market, the 
question of transportation is one to be very carefully considered. 
To convey a bushel of wheat from Winnebago county to the con¬ 
sumer in New England, costs at least forty per cent, of its value, 
while to transport beef, pork, wool, butter and cheese to the same 
point, will absorb but from five to ten per cent, of their respective 
values. , If the destination be Great Britain, the proportion is even 
greater. Thus it will be seen that the famer must study how best 
to concentrate his ultimate production; it will be found more 
profitable to feed away a large portion of our surplus grain to 
stock, and ship the cattle or their butter and cheese, than to send 
forward the grain. 
The assured condition of the agricultural interest of Wisconsin 
is beyond all question, and we may look forward to the day when 
our fair young state shall take equally high rank as a manufac¬ 
turing state. The growth of the various mechanical industries 
has been continuous and without check or hindrance; in 1860, the 
census returns indicated a value of about $27,000,000, in manu¬ 
factured products of different kinds ; in 1870, this had increased 
