Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 159 
ings. It is begotten of superficial sentiment, or of the arts of the 
demagogue. Farming is a rugged, in some aspects of it, a coarse 
calling. Hard hands, severe exposure and dirty work are staples 
with it. Its difficulties are not to be removed by a sprinkling of 
rose-water. Yet in spite of all, it gives better conditions of health, 
more play to thought, more delight to the eye, a larger perception 
of natural beauties, and more favorable opportunities for generous 
living, primitive hospitality and cordial, social intercourse than most 
pursuits. Let the farmer* be intelligent and all other essentials will 
follow in due order. 
I have flattered you to night by telling you in a plain way the 
plain truth as it presents itself to me. There are many farmers to 
whom my criticisms do not apply, many to whom they only partially 
apply, but these know as I know that there are many to whom they 
do most emphatically apply. This land, our goodly land, in all its 
physical comforts, its social privileges and political powers, will fall 
to farmers, if only they will go wisely up to possess it, with toil of 
hand and toil of head and generosity of heart. It is not flocks that 
are wanted,—men gathered into fraternities, and bell-wethers to 
lead them leaping into somebody’s else field—but individual strength 
that achieves its first victories over and on its own acres, and, standing 
there, claims what rights belong to it % and must fall to it. I believe 
in farmers, let them believe in themselves, and when they have won 
the intelligence which is the key to the store-houses of nature, they 
will stand as Joseph stood in Egypt at the door of his granaries, 
able to buy up the entire nation. 
Mr. Anderson - . I think I never have listened to an address on 
this subject that I could take less exceptions to. It appears to 
strike the question right in the face. I think President Bascom 
must certainly have lived on a farm in his life-time, or he could not 
have photographed the farmer as he is, in the masterly manner he has 
in that adddress. I am only sorry that we have not a larger number of 
farmers here to listen to that address; but I hope it will be placed 
wh)re we can all read it, for it certainly should be read by all the 
farmers in Wisconsin, and read in every farmers club and grange. 
Mr. Grant. I feel, for one, that if the address could be placed 
in the hands of every farmer in the state of Wisconsin, it would do 
him good. I am satisfied that it contains the best things ever told 
to farmers. I learned from the address some things that I did not 
