EXHIBITION OF 1868. 
477 
up here to the Capital City of the State, to witness such a Fair as this. You 
need not be at all astonished ; you need not be at all surprised, my fellow- 
citizens, if you do go away with a good deal less money, for this is a magni¬ 
ficent place to spend money in. [Laughter.] There are a good many people 
here who have a great faculty for spending money, and a small talent for get- 
tiug it. That is my case. [Laughter.] 
Twenty five years ago, I came to the State of Wisconsin a mere boy. 
There were then only about half as many people in the whole state as you 
saw upon these grounds yesterday. Then but few cultivated fields were to 
be seen, and a few rude houses were constructed, where now you see eviden¬ 
ces of wealth ond civilization. Then our women wore calico dresses ; and 
yesterday, together with Ex-Governor Farwell, I stopped upon yonder 
hill, so thickly covered with people, for half an hour, and tried to find 
a calico dress but could not find one. [Laughter.] The ladies now are bet¬ 
ter dressed, but I don’t know as they look any better than they used to in 
those primitive times to which I have referred. The men and boys are also 
better dressed. The women always behaved well, but the men behave vastly 
better now than they used to. And that is because, my fellow citizens, you 
have come together from year to year, to compare notes with each other, and 
to learn from each other. There is nothing like men coming together and 
consulting and counseling together for improvement. This is why lawyers 
know more ot their profession; and this is why doctors know more of theirs ; 
and this is why statesmen know more of puplic affairs then we do, because 
they are at the capital of the nation, together and organized and working for 
the public welfare in a body. [Cheers.] 
Now, as with them so it is with you. The farmer comes here and exam¬ 
ines the various machines which are adapted to farm purposes. Some are 
interested in one department and some in another. One brings his horses ; 
another his cattle ; another his potatoes. One man, who has a fine orchard, 
and who has spent a great deal of time in the selection and growing of his 
fruit, when he leaves home, thinks he has got the biggest apple that ever 
grew. When he gets up here he finds that some seven-by-nine chap, who 
hasn’t got more than three trees, has got a better apple than he has. It is 
well for him to find it out. We may find out that we do not know all that is 
to be known in our own line. So thus we become more wise and better in¬ 
formed upon the material branches of industry. So a man may think he has 
the best horse. He brings him up here ; it is his opinion that his is the best 
animal in the State. He puts him on this track here, and in a little while he 
is away behind. He feels exceedingly cheap to think he has been beaten. 
Now, it is worth a great deal to that man to find out that he does not know 
quite so much as he supposed. 
So it is about machinery; you see something here vastly better than any 
thing you have used. As you go about seeking for information, you meet 
with exhibitors who show you their machinery, and point out its advantages 
and show you the best points, and after seeing them all, it is for you to deter- 
