The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-06-03
GREAT KANSAS.
Secretary Rusk Shows How the
State Will Advance.
Prosperity Sure TO Flow Because of th1
Great Demand For Its Agricultural
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Sugar
and Irrigation.

A correspondent of the Topeka Cap
ital recently interviewed Secretary
Rusk at Washington as follows:
what is your estimate of Kansas as
an agricultural state. and of the prob
able agricultural development of the
states of the west during the next de-
cade?s
81 see no reason for arrest of agri-
cultural progress in the west said
| Secretary Rusk "Great common
wealths like Kansas have sprung up in
two or three decades. Some have al
ready grown great from small begin
nirgs in single decade. Forty years
ago few struggling settlements lit
orally fought for existence in Kansas
Twenty years ago agricultural develop
ment was active in the eastern counties,
| had invaded the drier central areas,
and even ventured to attack the more
arid western section, while the world
outside was prophesying disaster
for 'droughty Kansas Yet settle
ment progressed, farms multiplied,
cultivation extended and settlers
! courageously mortgaged lands to build
| houses and barns and to stock and equip
their farms. Their faith was sublime
! Their enterprise was audacious- Is it
| wonder that some, oblivious OF possible
drought. took heavy risks, met with
crop failures and finally yielded to the
sheriff? / am glad to hear that last
years abundant crops have discharged
| indebtedness in all directions, and are
fast dissipating the depression felt so
keenly by the class attempting home
making with small means under tenn
porarily adverse circumstances 1t re-
! uuires time 10 subdue soil that has
been ages in forming, for generations
packed by the feet of buffalo and filed
| to excess with mineral salts, by means
of the diligent labor of cultivation and
the washing of irrigation or the gentler
showers of Heaven. Every year OF judi
cious cultivation ameliorates and i'm
proves the naturally rich but for time
intractable soils, liberates their fertiliz-
ing elements, increases their available
plant food, and improves their filth and
ease of cultivation. With wisdom in
practice of scientific agriculture the
| farms of Kansas should increase in pro-
! auctiveress, and with the application
of the principles of wise rural economy
production will become more profitable
as it becomes more varied. But the
conservatism which will not change
obsolete methods, plant new crops, or
learn the science of marketing with
profit will not share in the Improve
ment and prosperity which awaits the
progressive farmer of Kansas Kansas
will always be a great corn-growing
STATE. and, as such, is especially inter
estcd in all efforts made toward en-
HANGING the value of that cereal The
werlk whict the department has been
denp during the past two years
through its special agert In Europe,
tt wards making the people of THAI
| continent 'bstter acquainted with the
<alue of corn for human food and
rs availability as a cheap and
| nutritious substitute for other cereals,
les begiraing TO he recognized
land, indeed. has besn referred to
$50 much ef late, that your people are
/ doubtless familiar enough with the
work WIKI h we have been trying r. do.
/ All government effortGn this direction,
/ however, must be actively and eneTget-
! ically supported by individual euter-
! prise; btst | may msr1.ion incidentally
? for their information that there seems
{ to be in Europe q marked preference,
3 for puryDses of hHE1 an food, at least,
/ for Whit corn The development OF
!, the sorghum sugar tx dustry, for w hich
! a large section of Kansas is eGEenenoy
! adapted, will also be, in my opinion, q
! large factor in the tx ture prosperity OF
!! your state. A great future awaits the
/ state ofEausas, and it's farmers are in
J telligeHt and wise enough to share
! equitabl1 in It's rewards OF industry
! What is your oPia ion OF ttssa future
I of the srghum supa- industry
"In gard TO the.docalities where sor-
1 ghum czne will grew to the best advan-
! taVeit may be said s*hat the sSmi-o<id
regions q the central southern part OF
the covu.ry are best for sorghsan. ne
ginning IN central SO uthern Kaasassnd
extending southwark through tie In
dian territory, Okh houa> int Artsanr
sas and nIrthern fes;a and Louisiana
are vast Greas spe1 Ally suited to the
development Of scrgrlum cane wtthitigh
[ HWhat 10 YOU thiEiic of irir3tisr for
the seni-arid landsc6 western {.nnstIs?7
I Irrigation is, of ssourse. o. rtsiH to
|. come IN tin- e to thoee SECTIONS that are
ltahapted toat In soaIc seotio'As where
surface water is uusosilal,le, the oa1y
ttehing that can be done VIII be to util-
cze the und&raow wafer by system OF
| t-rtesian wells Irrigation s already
rraetieed to q considerable extent the
world over, end its adoption ouly de-
Rands upon che extent OF the demand
fer agricultural peoduats- When
ever that is sufficient to jNsSfy tie
! Immediate outlay involved. wsE abe
| undertaken Hitherto, with the re-
soa rces placed at the disposal OF thss
dc, artment by congressional sIact-
me1ts. my efforts have been directed
exclusively TO aoerunulasug al ose in
formation possible which may be Of use
to ar agriculture when the develop
meua of the coxIsry and ese demand for
products which can best be produced
by aEystem Of irrigation shall justify
the iRoreased eSpsnse necessary to
bringa large sseson of the country I'M
der irrigation At present, You are
aware, this inquiry is suspe.,d"d by the
expiraaon of the ,eriod oovarad by the
last congressional spproprissioo for tb|
purpose