Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 343 
in so doing neglect their own welfare and others will benefit by 
their ignorance. 
o 
Again, the farmer of to-dav differs from the farmer of half a cen¬ 
tury ago in another important particular. Then farm-machinery, 
as it now exists, was unknown. Now the western states have one 
dollar invested in machinery for every twenty-eight dollars in farms. 
It requires some intimate knowledge of machinery to keep in repair 
and manage these improved farm-implements economically and suc¬ 
cessfully. So that in addition to his knowledge of the principles of 
tillage, the farmer must be something of a machinist, and in so far 
as he masters his implements, he is a wiser man than were his an¬ 
cestors. 
Tlie cloud that overhangs the western farmer's firmament, to 
which I have alluded, is well recognized by them. They have en¬ 
deavored to ward off the threatening storm by organization for ad¬ 
vice, for improvement and for mutual protection. This is certainly 
a most worthy movement. There is nothing better adapted to ad¬ 
vance the welfare of any class of society having the same interests 
at stake, than wise and judicious association. All hail then to the 
rapid growth of those organizations through which so many thous¬ 
ands are seeking aid. But that they may be the source of good 
that they can, and should be throughout the land, they must be 
most wisely and carefully managed. The end for which they were 
created must never be lost sight of. To gain this end will require 
good judgment, careful, honest and deliberate action, intelligent 
and passionless discussion, a recognition of the equal rights of 
property however invested and a broad comprehension of all the 
causes at work for, as well as against the farmers’ true interest. 
These are rather words of caution than accusation; yet you can¬ 
not fail to have recognized during the past two years, a somewhat 
monotonous cry against railroads and commission men, while 
scarcely a word of counsel or advice, so far as my reading has ex¬ 
tended, has been uttered to prevent the constant violation of the 
law of supply and demand that has been undermining the founda¬ 
tions of a prosperous agriculture. 
As we are gathered here then, after reaping the year’s harvest, 
it behooves us as rational men to take our bearings anew, and to 
change our course if there are dangers ahead, rather than blindly close 
our eyes while the wind and the tide are carrying us on to certain 
