Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-16
WEST AND SOUTH.
The Western States CONNER.
Cial Congress Discusses
AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION
The Causes and Remedy. I. Y. Ski
Denver the First Speaker.
Population and Raw Material Handled in
Mastery Msnner-Other Distin-
guished Speaksrs-Great state
Of Texas Touched Up.

| KANSAS CITY, Mo, April IA full rep
I TeScntation 10 the Western states CONNER
I C!al congress was present this morning
1 when President Francis called the second
| days session 10 order. The subject under
| discussion was general business and aCr.-
/ cultural depresSion-cause and remedy.
On the Subsidiary topic Of general bust
ness Hlr. L. /. V. Skif Of Denver read =
/ paper on Popular and Raw Material
population and raw material IN one Sec
| ton must have 4 trading treaty with the
( population and raw material Of some other
! section of the country. Hence. arises the
! significance of commercial reciprocity b"-
/ tween the states Of the South and states
and territories OF the West. Production
and accumulation OF supply was
munity. So long as man lived
il isolated communities, each laboriug 20
supply only its own necessities, there could
| be no commerce. But nations and iuGi-
viduals have learned greater possibilities ot
enriching them themselves from the Won
derful storehouse OF her material re-
source. Within the present century
the advance guard OF the great Industrial
army has crossed the western border Of
Missouri, and now merchants, farmers,
manufacturers and miners joined hands
from Kansas City TO Denver, from the
|
citic coast. Here in this vast eXpanse that
| lay between the Missouri river and the set
tins sun We're seen
GREAT IRON HIGHWAYS
of traffic and travel. Pastoral and arabic
agriculture invited the farmer and re
turned rich harvest of all cereals and
fruits of the zone; silver and gold were
dug. Iron and coal were mined. The
mountains yielded their riches III CONNER
lures sprung upon the reQuiSitiou of
! increasing population, commerce resounded,
vessels We're built and steam painted
through the waters. In this wonderful
area of fertile land, IL these mountains
so pregnant and SO prolific in
their Weld OF resources were
found room and raw material for
the maintenance Of the multiplied millions
that are coming in the footsteps of the
advancing hosts. The work of industrial
and commercial independence had al
ready taken steps in advance. All that
portion of the United States lying west
of the Mississippi river was the greater
half OF the continent, not only in its area,
but in its
RESOURCES OF WEALTH
and its capability of maintaining popula-
ton. Within this area were contained two
thirds of the natural resources of the Union.
IT was also capable of maintaining pOpula-
ton proportiOnate TO its area. No one
would question the ability Of any
of the Western or Southern states
TO support as large a number of people to
the square mile as now live in Pennsyl-
wanna, with has persons to the square
mile. II that density were given to each of
the Southern states the South
would have population of $4,000, 900,
or 15,000,000 more people than
there are in the United States Texas
alone would have 3l,OO0,000 Apply this
density to a half dozen states which have
presented, Missouri would have 7,449, 800,
Kansas 9,210,252, Nebraska 1868, 43O,
Louisiana 4,713, a., Texas 81, 00O, 600, Col
oradO 1l,913,0O0. 1t should be remembered
that this density was by no means eX-
IRENE or burdensOme, even to the state of
the least agricultural possibilities, all in
figures, confirmed the truth Of the state
ment which was often made that the
United States in its area and material re-
sources was capable of
MAINTAINING 500, 600, coo PEOPLE.
What proportion of this numerous popu-
lation would in time be claimed by the
great West, agriculture nj its vast ex-
panse OF territory was alone suffering 20
show. Upon what grounds can this
claim be disputed, But few
years ago it was stated that the plains
throughout the vast cXpanSe were only i
barren waste of sand, fit for only prairie
ranges OF the Rocky mountains from
their eastern fronts to the Pacific
coast promised the only capricious
fortune for the precarious business Of
mining for precious metals. He was
assured that with the growing require
ments Of the increasing population, and
that the indomitable genius of men that
develops with necessity there would come
needful ways of irrigation for all arid
lands now vacant and the richest soil Of
the nation would be.
UNDER FRUITFUL CULTIVATION,
while throughout centuries TO come the
Rocky mountains would continue to weld
not only silver and gold but raw material
for manufacturers and all produce
tive enterprises common to the industrial
world. There We're things that We're com
bining to give the West and the South their
proportions of population, and that we
were developing its resources to an extent
that would support its full quota. Among
these the speaker noted the increasing rail-
way facilities, deep water harbors on the
Southern coast and reciprocity with the
South American republics, and the CONNER
cial union now fairly approaching between
the South and West.
GUESTS OF THE CONGRESS
were then invited to make addresses.
Speaker Elder of the Kansas house OF
representatives said there was no doubt
as to the fact OF the agricultural de.
preston. It's causes We're variously
stated. Those who had imper-
feet knowledge of the situation wers
accustomed to lay the blame upon ths
farmer, upon his slipshod methods, upon
imperfect cultivation, upon unfavor.
able climatic conditions, and upon
devastation Of grasshoppers and
the chinch bug. There were other
conditions, and they were nearer the root
of the evil. One was imperfect operation
of the law of supply and demand, which il
turn was caused by merely combinations o.
capital by INSCRIPTIONS persons. Sucf
com binatiOns We're trusts, and they vert
the octupus that fastened in its grasp the
farmer who, while the most numerous OF
all industrial classes, was. at the same
time
THE MOST HELPLESS,
and Of all men the most miserable The
trust was fianl1ed by speculative boards of
trade and bucket shops, which forced false
values upon the people. Another cause Of
depression was the too contracted market
The farmers wanted wider fields-tney
wanted reciprocity. Reciprocity was
good thing, and they wanted all they could
get of it. Another way of relieving the sit
uation was increasing the volume of money.
Still another was the combination Of
farmers against opposing combinations.
Farmers were now trying the later meth
DDS. Ordinary politicians could no moro
appreciate the Farmers Alliance movement