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��HISTORY OF OHIO.
��mankind. That a small part of the wilderness of 1776 should be more populous than the whole Union was then, and that it should have made a social and moral advance greater than that of any nation in the same time, must be regarded as one of the most startling and instructive facts which attend this year of commemoration. If such has been the social growth of Ohio, let us look at its physical development ; this is best expressed by the aggregate productions of the labor and arts of a people applied to the earth. In the census statistics of the United States these are expressed in the aggregate results of agriculture, mining, manufact- ures, and commerce. Let us simplify these statis- tics, by comparing the aggregate and ratios as between several States, and between Ohio and some countries of Europe.
The aggregate amount of grain and potatoes — farinaceous food, produced in Ohio in 1870 was 134,938,413 bushels, and in 1874, there were 157,- 323,597 bushels, being the largest aggregate amount raised in any State but one, Illinois, and larger per square mile than Illinois or any other State in the country. The promises of nature were thus vindicated by the labor of man ; and the industry of Ohio has fulfilled its whole duty to the sustenance of the country and the world. She has raised more grain than ten of the old States together, and more than half raised by Great Britain or by France. I have not the recent statistics of Europe, but McGregor, in his statistics of nations for 1832 — a period of pro- found peace — gives the following ratios for the leading countries of Europe : Great Britain, area 120,324 miles; amount of grain, 262,500,000 bushels; rate per square mile, 2,190 to 1; Austria — area 258,603 miles ; amount of grain, 366,800,000 bushels ; rate per square mile, 1 ,422 to 1; France — area 215,858 miles ; amount of grain, 233,847,300 bushels ; rate per square mile, 1,080 to 1. The State of Ohio — area per square miles, 40,000 ; amount of grain, 150,000,000 bushels ; rate per sfjuare mile, 3,750. Combining the great countries of Great Britain, Austria, and France, we find that they had 594,785 square miles and produced 863,147,300 bushels of grain, which was, at the time these .statistics were taken, 1 ,450 bushels per square mile, and ten bushels to each one of the population. Ohio, on the other hand, had 3,750 bushels per square mile, and fifty bushels to each one of the population ; that is, there was five times as much grain raised in Ohio, in proportion to the people, as in these great countries of Europe.
��As letters make words, and words express ideas, so these dry figures of statistics express facts, and these facts make the whole history of civilization.
Let us now look at the statistics of domestic animals. These are always indicative of the state of society in regard to the physical comforts. The horse must furnish domestic conveyances ; the cattle must furnish the products of the dairy, as well as meat, and the sheep must furnish wool.
Let us see how Ohio compares with other States and with Europe : In 1870, Ohio had 8,818,000 domestic animals ; Illinois, 6,925,000 ; New York, 5,283,000; Pennsylvania, 4,493,000; and other States less. Tlie proportion to population in these States was, in Ohio, to each person, 3.3 ; Illinois, 2.7; New York, 1.2; Pennsylvania, 1.2.
Let us now see the proportion of domestic ani- mals in Europe. The results given by McGregor's statistics are : In Great Britain, to each j^erson, 2.44; Russia, 2.00; France, 1.50 ; Prussia, 1.02; Austria, 1.00. It will be seen that the proportion in Great Britain is only two-thirds that of Ohio ; in France, only one-half; and in Austria and Prussia only one-third. It may be said that, in the course of civilization, the number of animals diminishes as the density of population increases ; and, therefore, this result might have been ex- pected in the old countries of Europe. But this does not apply to Russia or Germany, still less to other States in this country. Russia in Europe has not more than half the density of population now in Ohio. Austria and Prussia have less than 150 to the square mile. The whole of the north of Europe has not so dense a population as the State of Ohio, still less have the States of Illinois and Missouri, west of Ohio. Then, therefore, Ohio showing a larger proportion of domestic ani- mals than the north of Europe, or States west of her, with a population not so dense, we see at once there must be other causes to produce such a phenomenon.
Looking to some of the incidental results of this vast agricultural production, we see that the United States exports to Europe immense amounts of grain and provisions ; and that there is manufact- ured in this country an immense amount of woolen goods. Then, taking these statistics of the raw material, we find that Ohio produces one-fifth of all the wool ; one-seventh of all the cheese ; one- eighth of all the corn, and one-tenth of all the wheat ; and yet Ohio has but a fourteenth part of the population, and one-eightieth part of the sur- face of this country.
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