EXHIBITION OP 1868. 
473 
ANNUAL ADDRESSES. 
Delivered on the Grounds, at the Wisconsin State Fair, October 2, 1868. 
BY HON. TIM. O. HOWE AND GEN. GEO. B. SMITH. 
[Of the several distinguished gentlemen invited to address the people of 
Wisconsin on the last day of the Exhibition of 1868, Senator Howe and Gen. 
Geo. B. Smith, of Madison, alone were present. Both of the speeches of 
these gentlemen, as printed from stenographic reports by Frank E. Nevins, 
of Madison, are found in the following pages: 
SPEECH OF SENATOR HOWE. 
Mr. Chairman^ Ladies and Gentlemen :—If one of these farmers were known 
to have caught a couple of zebras, and to have hitched them to one of your 
reapers, you would have thought that rather an irrational proceeding; but I 
think that would be reasonable, compared with catching a couple of wild 
politicians and expecting them to talk to an assemblage of farmers and me¬ 
chanics. However, I should not have complained of that, if they had not 
lighted upon me as one of the politicians. [Laughter.] I would be willing 
to have any other pair of politicians I ever knew of talk. And yet, my em- 
barassment does not arise from any want of interest in this great occupation 
of yours, and of the State, and of the country ; for it is my deliberate belief 
that agriculture is the one great interest of the United States, I do not say 
so—I profess I do not say so—because I am talking to an assemblage of farm¬ 
ers. I said this when I was talking to politicians, pure and simple—if there 
are any politicians, pure as well as simple. [Laughter]. I said this when I 
was talking to manufacturers, and I believe it. It is an idea which I wish 
both farmers and manufacturers would realize and act upon, as steadily and 
constantly as I do. I think agriculture is the one great interest, the one 
great business of this country. This country was made to feed not only the 
people who live in it, but to contribute largely to the support of the world, 
[Cheers.] The great question then, I suppose, is, how you can the most and 
best contribute to the material support of the world. Of course it is not dif¬ 
ficult to understand that you can best do so by reducing the most acres to a 
state of cultivation that you can make yield the largest profit. 
