Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1868-03-13
sv JOSEPH l. BupD.


uow BEST ESCousAGED. I #
Upon 6rst coming here, is is . matter Of
wonder to al intelligent foreigners that such
apparent apathy exists in regard to timber
culture. We notice, however, as rule, that
they quietly settle down among us, assuming
~ Indifference in regard 70 this vital inter-
est, more perfect, Il possible, than that Of
our pative-born citizens. 1t may be well to
inquire Why this is 20. In seeking for csns.
e., we end the peculiar manner in which he
ssttling up Of the Western prairies has pso-
gressed, and our proximity TO the pineiss
At the north, are the leading ones.
This will be best understood BY referring
to the rapid development Of the prAiries q
Illinois within the last twssty yeaFs. Yeers
ago, when Chicago Was mere muddy wills
lage, the prairies bordering on the Des
PLANES, the DuPage, the Fox, the Illinois,
and Rock rivers, bad their pioneer settlers,
Not loug Afterwards Tie saoks from settlers'
huts went up from he margins Of every y.
land grove with which The State Is dussed.
From these outline pioneer settlements as .
bese, new comcrs coutidvedso creep out and
still out, until in many cases, fuel and rail
timber was hauled distance CT twenty-five
miles. So far of course, the reliance OF far
mers was entirely upon the native timber
for every supply. Then came the rapid
checkering Of the State with . network Of
railways. To work out lumber in those days
at the pineries, Was cheap and easy task,
and the railroads soon placed millions Of
feet 1t the disposal of Illinois settlers at
cheap rates. Coal too, Of good qualify, was
placed within the settlers reach q rAtes
hardly equal to the cost Of preparing fuel
from the f0fese logs for the stove. With
thess supplies q hsnd, Of course every eser-
gy Of the thoasands Of new comsrs vas giv>
en- 20 crops, 70 thsir animals, and to the eea.
eral fitting up and development Of home.
True, some tfees were put out BY the road.
sides for osoa0ent end shelter, and in many
cases seEeens Of deciduous and eyergreen
trees were planted to the windward Of their
homestead buildings. But hardly thought
has been given in these great grain districts
to the extesded and metAodic culture oftrees
fpr timber. Almost - - entirs people
they have become estahlishsa in ~ rut ef
producing fox a4istant nAiket sending the
very cream Of their soil at huge tariff rates
- NJ ssaApoel' mafts, and expending the
psocesdss for manufactured asticles, rpon
which they also pAy IN exhorbiaAat tariff
back. True, the price Of lumber has ad>
vauced, bat their farm products ars also ap-
preciated in valne, and hundreds Of Illinois
farmers ~ rsasos tbat they are well provi-
dsd for. a Bot their thinking farmers 81 ths
hundreds AZ, nov alive to the Importance Of
an immsdiate change in the programne.
They cay, - W. r. Dodge, of our Govstn<
mett Dspegeneas of Agriculture lately said
Of thsns !" AAspsndsnce spsa kraia grow
ing for expectation has ever bsan . kllaey
in this country, and ever will be; has ever
proved ard ever Win prove Z curse 10 oar
agsicaltnrss We want more grain, and Ne
vAak Is ~ sa1ea in this country. We vans
the kheak eetegs smoag Ne wheat growsess /
We want in the West, ten>fold greater vsrie-
y In agricultutal, mechanical and manufac>
tsripg industFy.a Tho twenty-five bss1els
90 aese e ShGnk will bring two dollars -
bushsl, and the ssilroads WI b noss psOi-
is.bly emPloyed thau 10 shipping gain . !
distant nafket.~
That Iosa kas been koink somsvhas in
~ sans 1ay, + too evidsus; bss wsas 90
20 mach past. redemp psioa = ILiaeis. We
or' q az S IL: eons shsS - IL s choice G % s;ssss
tiess (ifsss lasds ssess III tiabef border
may BE- so called, which isldeshafal) ass III
oceupisa, aaa shs s,seechieg est homs Ahs
knber foe many nlsa. = also realised. =
was dcas IN Ilanois. Ihs network Of rail
s6ads, giving ready aeesn 70 he greas n
laaA psdisies, i bsine psshsd rapidly Il
compilation. Yet oar millions. Of acsss el
grand prairie are being passed BY By ihsD.
sands Of home'seekers, Who 70 west and I'll
west in Quest Of " the better land" ss
Had We ths millions Of feet C cheap lum
bar - hsd lllinois 6nesp years ago, would
this be the case? But : It not i blessing
" us that We have NOT Better have ou
virgin acres remain u they lrs, than to hay,
their cpsnm extracted y On tke csSvine maj
Qf he xanulSnturinG Eat Until = sr
leady fos settling them, let the prairies alone
Let the interest Of The wheat eaters a,
the What srowsrsF grow up side BY ride
l~6od has favored - wilh every faoility fos /
kyHsied indasisy. Nov ard & esse. beisr
We become eaAAblishcd in tie ruta Of prodn
cling Tor export the right bias should Be- Il,
en- 70 or induasfy. Never people neede
: .eoaesas+stins. ccselliing iaaeenee, Il
eidsea. Of Iowa nsed y pe1 II >Ais plAtt1
of providing fes the imusdiase tvtpys.a Tn
orr legislature should assume thia eontro,
| ing, influencing power. 4 beyond dopb
Itns, State authority may do nothing pv,
uSally towards ths aetaal pod duction q foI
4 ests, aais done apee ~ Ctssu Aaas hy Y
Goyernnsats OF EasQps, Yet ; potpl
mode Of action on the part Of our State :,
thorities, 10 easy 10 suggest. Flrst, speti
eacoayagemsat seould y given 10 sesppss
bodies and landed pTopsietors Who won
: plant largely. to poys ia this mattce. r
instance. il i said tbe pailroad lands Of Il
| Stats are equal IN. afes 70 The .1hoh Sts
of connecticat. Theae companies stt I
! very psfiie. tp taxa The !n.s.a.ory steps