EXHIBITION—ANNUAL ADDRESSES. 
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ses, mules, and oxen in the county, and I sat on the fence and 
threw my socks at them to make them go. Now when I look 
at this beautiful machinery on exhibition, I envy the farmers 
here. But I got terribly disgusted with farming in one sum¬ 
mer and left it forever and amen. I believe I would have 
been a farmer to-day, if we had had the facilities for farming 
and gathering crops when I was engaged in the business, such 
as farmers enjoy now. 
Of all the students in the educational institutions in the 
state, not one in twenty-five ever intends to till the soil. The 
very moment you send a young man to college, (I wish to God 
every young man could go to college), that very moment his 
mind turns toward the city. 
I heard a few days ago at Madison a very interesting paper 
read by a Dane county farmer, upon the subject of cheese 
making, as discussed by Governor Seymour yesterday. Every 
person in the room said who is that? What farmer is that? 
Well, he proved to be a man past the middle of life, who was a 
graduate of one of our eastern colleges. There was surprise 
expressed all over the room that a man with his power of 
speech, and power of presenting the subject in such a brilliant 
manner should be a farmer. But it is a disgrace to the 
American people to be surprised at such a thing. I will tell 
you how T I think we can remedy it somewhat. By lifting up 
the profession of agriculture above its present level. By 
making the agriculture of our state the very foundation of our 
political power in the state. Then as Governor Seymour, or 
he who ought to be Governor Seymour, said, we will have less 
gab from politicians. 
For a great many years I have traveled from town to town 
in the state and often have to ride on a wagon through the 
country for miles and miles, and when I go along past a farm¬ 
er’s house I find that in many cases the thresher, or mower, or 
reaper and drills and plows, are scattered all over the fields. 
Did any of you ever see it done ? [A voice, yes.] 
Did you ever know a farmer of that kind to thrive much? 
[A voice, No.] 
