Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-01-15
AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION

AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION
TO the Editor Of the New Mexican.
SANTA FE, Jan. Is, lS89-Sir; The
proposed plan for storing the surplus
water of the territory for irrigating pur-
poses is an excellent one as lar as it goes,
but that is only one of the many ways for
utilizing this useful element. And it
should not be forgotten that no people
ever rose to the ranks OF great nation
who confined themselves tamerely agri-
cultural pursuits or to the production OF
what is known as raw material" My
mind was forcibly drawn to this subject
last fall, during an extended journey
through Vermont. That small, but beau
tiful and prosperous state is COM
posed OF mountains and valleys with a
very limited area of arabic land, and yet
it is one busy hive of industry; crime is
of rare occurrence, idleness and pauper-
ism are practically unknown; Inever saw
beggar in Vermont. During working
hours the streets of the towns are almost
deserted, but in tho evening they are
crowded by contented and intelligent peo-
pie. Long ago the shrewd Yankees who
inhabited the lovely Green mountains
saw that agriculture could form but small
part of the occupation Of their thrifty popu-
lation, and like eminently, sensible men
they turned their attention to manu-
features. They raised sheep, but instead
OF sending their wool to distant markets,
they spun and wove it themselves. They
found marble, and at once they proceeded
to carve it into articles Of beauty and
utility wherewith to construct or adorn
our homes. They had an abundant sup
ply of water, but instead of permitting it
to run idly to the sea, they harnessed it,
| reduced it to submission and compelled it
to aid them in their daily work. Very
soon villages, towns, cities, sprang up
along the water courses and thus work
was provided for the people, and behold
the result. The fruits Of the earth, which
formerly were drugs in the market, found
ready, steady and profitable sale, not in
New York or Liverpool, but around the
very fields i'll which they grew.
And this glorious little state, with Il
population lin l8S0) OF 1872 1856 souls, had
an invested capital of $23, 265, 224, en-
ployed 1850 people, paid SIS, 1854 ,479,
in wages, and produced an annual
value of $3l 1854 1865. And Rhode
Island, the smallest of all the
states, makes still grander exhibit.
With q population of 1851 souls in 1880,
she had all invested capital of SIS, 575, 943,
employed G2,S7S people, paid $2l 1856, 619
in wages, and produced annually value
OF $l04, 1853, 62l. Here are examples
well worthy of our imitation. We are
laying the foundations of future state,
and on those foundations must rest the
superstructure which will be erected
thereon. If we work we'll and skilfully
our children will follow our example; if
we do otherwise they will either follow
that example or undo what we have done
and begin again for themselves. Now let
us apply the above examples to our pres
ent condition. One of the great secrets OF
manufacturing success is the proximity Of
'the raw material" to the motive power
by which it is prepared for use or con-
sumption, and that fortunate combination
exists in our midst to-day. Our hills and
mesas are populous with sheep, but we
send the wool uncleaned 1000 or 1000
miles away to find q market, and ri ht
through our sheep pastures flows the
cheapest motive power in the world,
uyyH tn,N
force to turn 10000 mill
wheels, by the utilizing Of which our en-
tire wool product could be cleaned, carded,
spun and woven in useful and beautiful
fabrics. In the city Of Philadelphia more
carpets are woven than in all Great Brit
ain, and the wool of which they are made
is brought from great distances. The
woods used in France, Germany and Eng
land are grown mainly in Australia and
South America, and Notwithstanding
these great disadvantages immense profits
are made in their manufacture. In New
Mexico with wool grown on every side of
us and every facility for manufacture and
transportation at hand We not only neg
lect these splendid opportunities, but pay
freights on dirt and wool going east and
freight back again for that same wool
when woven into cloth. 1t is impossible
for any people to become prosperous I'M
der such spendthrift policy as this.
When l came to New Mexico six
years ago my great wonder was
how the people lived, and that wonder
lives yet. But they do not live in our
American meaning Of the word, they bare
ly exist. The greatest public benefactor
is not the man who builds libraries to
educate our brains, but he who erects fac
tories to employ our hands. But this is
too great subject to treat in one letter
and I throw out these few crude remarks
to attract attention to this most important
subject, hoping to elicit hercorrespon-
dence from some Of your numerous read
ers. Yours, A. L. MORRISON.