The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-06-01
IH1HIGRA 7TON, 4ND THE FOOD SUPPLY OF
THE NORTH WEST,

THE NORTHWEST.
At the close of lecture on the "Clim-
ates Of the Northwest" delivered by Hon.
S. Garfelde, delegate in Congress from
Washington Territory, he remarks:
1t will be perceived from the foregoing statements
that the belt of country from the Mississippi the
Pacific ocean, having the best climate and consequent
greatest fertility lies between the 44th and 54th paral
iels of latitude Without being too cold develope
the highest activities, it is generously supplied
with moisture than any portion of the country south
of it. This is the great cereal producing belt of the
West, and experience has long since demonstrated
that human beings gather in greatest numbers where
food is abundant and cheapest. The future must
therefore witness the rapid settlement of the region
question: and its early occupancy by many millions of
Nothing is truer than Mr. Garfelde's
reasoning that the Northwest will be speed
lily settled, because population follows its
daily bread. The famine in Ireland a quar-
ter of century ago was great stimulant
to emigration from that unhappy land, and
indeed, has been ever since, as friends send
for friends, and the mail steamers going
east carry the glowing inducements, and
the ready money which influence thousands
to crowd the vessels bound for America,
the land of promise SO the scarcity which
has prevailed in Norway for some years
past, is fast driving the inhabitants of that
bleak land to America, where higher wages
and less frugal living will not only cause
them to stay, but to send for relatives and
neighbors.
As too many mouths bring precisely the
same results as too little food, relative
scarcity prevails in Germany and Great
Britain, as well as other European States,
and the consequence is seen In steadily
increasing stream of immigration to our
shores. But this tide strikes the Atlantic
coast only to move to the interior and the
west. New England, New York and Penn
sylvania, cannot produce enough to feed
additional myriads, as they are already im-
porting food from the west for their own
consumption. The mmi grant finding that
in the west not only is food cheaper, but
wages higher, is not long in deciding to
avail himself of the good opportunity for a
comfortable living offered him by the
change, and in the west he seeks home
The same argument prevails with the ma
tive Of the Atlantic states, and so there is a
vast current of native and foreign immigra-
ton, pouring with railway speed into the
broad, rich west.
The building of the Union Pacific Rail
road and it's branches, has projected this
living stream far out upon the treeess and
wind swept table land that forms the east
ern approach of the Rocky mountains, along
There in the face of many difficulties, the
arid plateau has been cultivated and made
to blossom with farms and gardens, villas
and towns, and all the pleasant appearances,
and appliances of modern civilization.
But the fertile belt of which Mr. Garfelde
speaks, has less altitude By nearly half q
male, and hence though further north, is
warmer. 1t is well watered, we'll clad with
forests and vegetation, and will be brought
into immediate availability, by the North
ern Pacific Railway now being constructed
its whole length. This fertile belt-an apt
name-is either a wheat field, or grazing
meadow, or both throughout it's entire
extent. 1t will raise the grain and the cat
tie that shall furnish bread and meat for
millions, and leave vast surplus to carry
on great commerce and export food that
shall support millions more.
The tide of incoming immigration Is al
ready turning toward the Northwest, and
the unparalleled endeavors of the great cor
poration now developing the country, and
inviting its settlement, will fill it up faster
than even the combined forces of the ostra-
cizing famnes, pestilences and wars of the
Old World.
The popuation of the globe that has new
er hitherto been properly equalized aud ad-
iusted to the memorable laws of food de-
mand and supply, may yet by the develop
ment of the food producing area of our
boundless west, SO provide its own checks
and balances, that the scarcities, plaques.
and conflicts sprung from overcrowding
populations shall be known no more.
~ THE V.4N OF THE ~ C. r. r.
MANY homesteads are being taken along the line of