The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-04-11

ticttl, Increased Ia per cent, Nhlie ttt
farmer liner etsei anly IA per cent. Tie
fisherman showed no increase at all, rather
diminishing in number and in extent OF
output. II tho s1nle ,a:ipofinCreil-e should
continue. with the increased population re
lerred 10. it wou!d be very soon seen that
the question OF food is to he one Of the
greatest Importance within the next iifty
years.
The bread which now sIistains the popIi.
lation is from -Four derived from the most
| northern states. the exhaustion Of arabic
soils by constant cultivation and the trend
of the growth Of wheat being continually
northwar!. Minnesota and Dakota furnish
now three iourths of the entire ilOir prod
net of this country. In fifteen years, il is
alleged, expor;s, of all food products, includ.
ing provisions. will cease because of the
diminishing amount on the one hand and
the increased consumption by growth of
population on the other.
Under such circumstances the enormous
| wheat areas of the British possessions in
North America are OF great importance to
this country. Not only will they have i'm
portance as II source Of supply, but by their
occupancy through emigration and other
wis, they would create II vast market 50
accessible and so exclusive to the United
States that nothing in its history would 50
benefit its trade. Thus, if Michigan, Wis
consin and Minnesota have been contrib
utory to the benefits Of this country in
absorption of goods on the one hand and
their supply of food and raw material on
the other, so will also the development of
regions of equal are, and equal richness
within the British possessions.
The impending economic revolution,
Therefore, is full of Significance regarding
the northern region Of the continent, as it
is regarding the foreign trade, because
without the drawing of il sword, the shed
ding of Il drop OF blood or the expenditure
of II single dollar the area Of the trade Of
the United States can thu he doubled. 1t
needs only II single act Of the legislatures at
Washington and at Ottawa to have the
barrier broken down, 50 that even within
five years the foundation can be laid for a
progress on this continent in the next fifty
| years measured only BY that which has
taken place south OF its center within the
last fifty years.
The field of opportunity for the next fifty
years is the portion Of the continent now
unoccupied. The young men in our col.
legcs and schools when they come out need
the same chance that their predecessors
have had. That chance is pretty well pre-.
emp,ed. The limitations in area in the
United States have been reached. a 'land
hunger has already set in. as shown in
the tremendous rush for farms at the open.
ing of every government reserve. 1t is i'm.
possible to get ii new farm in Minnesota
any more readily than it is in Pennsylvania
without displacing Il farmer, and unless
the people continue to herl. in the cities,
crOwding the manufactures, or live one
upon another, there must he room for eX.
| paI,ion. Canada affords that room.
The maritime provinces, described by
Governor Andrews, of Massachusetts, as
! possessing greater wealth in minerals and
agricultural possibilities than New York
and Pennsylvania" with IL great coast line
OF fisheries added, offer great Inducements
for young men III the eastern states. The
ability Of these provinces to contribute raw
material, which New England needs for
the creation OF Il foreign trade, is rs palrri,
bic II, that warmth comes from the sun.
Equally 80 with the great manufacturing
ta<ities and raw material in the province
Of Quebec. the enormous possible output
of food products from the province of Onta
rio, while tie minerals of Algoma. that
treasure box of the continent. invite the
energy and capital of the American PEG.
pie to Il degree that California never pos.
scssed.
These, however, are but the vestibule to
the vast wheat fields of the northwest,
where Il furrow can he made with "A plow
Il thousand miles long, from Winnipeg To
the Rocky mountains, and be but Il base
line for IL tholisaud miles square of farm.
Ing land. British Columbia, on the Pacific,
completes the attractive picture, for here Is
found not only wide agricultural areas,
but enormous needed supplies OF timber,
sources of fish food ~nneqaaled elsewhere
in the world, and minerals the extent and
value of which far exceed those of all the
mineral! states on the Pacific coast, not.
with,taudin" the enormous output which
in the last fifty year, they have exhibited.
The half century Of opportunity .
opening up for the coming American boy
and girl must include within its scope this
northern region, which has the best supply
of raw material and food products essential
to the sl,cccs, OF the United States in its
attempt To build up il foreign trade. The
possibilities Of profit, the field of Opportu-
nifty, the settlement of numerous questions
of international concern, the absorption Of
immigration, the creation of ready made
customers and the hope of the future rest
in IA trade that shall be continental in ex.
tent as continental in profit.
ERASTUS WIMAN.