The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-01
WE PAY S4OO,OOO,OOO.
Annually for What We Produce Our
selves, Says Secretary Wilson.


selves, Says Secretary Wilson.
Tuskogee. Ala, Dec. 1.-The new agri-
cultural building at Tuskogee was form
ally opened yesterday in connection with
Booker T. Washingtons Normal and In
dustria1 institute. An audience composed
of white and colored citizens and stu
dents greeted James Wilson, secretary of
agriculture and Gov. Joseph F. Johnston
DR.. J. L. NJ. Curry and many other prom
inent guests.
Booker T. Washington read letters of
regret from President Mckinley, Chief
Justice Fuller, Bishop c. B. Galloway.
Mrs. Morris K. Jessup, the New York
banker, President c. D. Gilman, Bishop
H c. Potter, w. E. Dodge of New York
and many others.
Governor Johnston was introduced and
made a practical address, dealing with
the need of having educated farmers,
white and black. to adequately develop
the state. He then introduced Mr.. Will
son, who made the principal address of
the day.
The secretary presented the latest avail
able figures on the growth of the cotton
industry in the south. From 1886 to 1896
the number of cotton mills in the south
ern states increased from 232 to 4O1; the
number of spindles from 1.1O0,132 to g.
S41,575, and the number of bales of cotton
consumed annually from 397, ,929 to $50. AT.
He showed also the condition of the gen.
eral trade as disclosed by the decrease of
business failures in the south. During
the first nine months of the present year
the failures in the south from Maryland
to Texas, were LBS, with liabilities of
$13 023, 1852, as against 1854 failures with
liabilities of S22 6s3. SOP, for the same period
last year, The bank clearings in the
south showed a marked improvement
during the same time, Notwithstanding
the yellow fever at New Orleans and 9TH
er places.
Mr.. Wilson also pointed out the oppor-
tunities the south offered for growing
many products not now cultivated incIud-
ing olives, figs, citrus fruits, Japanese
persimmons and the tea plant.
He said: THE United States is far
ahead of all other nations in making pro-
vision for educating in the sciences that
relate to agriculture and yet little more
than a beginning has been made with US
It takes time to impress farmers and
farmers sons with the necessity of de-
voting time in school and college to far
ther study of the things with which they
deal every day in their lives. That mys-
terry attaches to these common things few
advisers of the farmers family believe;
therefore every influence about the am
bilious young farmer leads him off to-
WdIA lLS INSTITUTION WneTe the IaInlly
may have had education for generations
back, or where the gospel minister of the
family was educated, or the family doc
tor or other family oracle. A better day
has dawned. We compete with the
world and are preparing for the struggle.
I'VE must educate young people to do
something that somebody wants done,
where money is waiting to pay them.
I'VE pay $4OO OOO. 900 annually for agricul-
of them in the south, some of them in the
north and on the Pacific coast. The Amer
lean farmer must be informed regarding
the worlds crops of every kind, so he
may direct his energies toward the pro-
duction and manufacture of what pays
best and Injuries his land least. The
southern states may export butter with
out injuring their soils, cotton fibre may
be sold with little loss to the soils that
grow it, meats take comparatively little
from the soil, but cotton seeds should
not leave the vicinity where the plant
grows. It should be fed to make meats
and dairy products, as it is very highly
nitrogenous and should be returned in
directly to the field again. The cotton
seed of this state would furnish nitrogen
Gus matter to fatten half a million head
of cattle and these cattle can either be
raised in the state or imported from the
breeding states. Their feeding would be-
gin process of soil recuperation that
would result in greatly increased crops of
all kinds used in system Of rotation.
THE United States will have much
denser population in the future. Every
year will add to the number of our peo-
pie Our soil will sustain infinitely more
than it does at present. Progress toward
create production is in the rear of other
kinds of research. Education in many
lines has furnished society with all its de-
nands, but the farm remains the unsolved
mystery in all its departments. 1t in>
vites the best thought of scholars in all
directions; all the sciences apply TO it.
We will sustain more people through
greater crops by better methods of pro~
duction and more universal knowledge of
economic conditions. There is immediate
demand for better equipped men along
these lines.
THE only society distinctions of uni-
versaI recognition in our land will be
those that separate the strong man of at
tainments, able and willing to help his