Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-19
WEST Tor EXPANSION
Secretary Wilson Tells of Sentiment
AZ BE Found It In the
West.
Found No Evidence Of Opposition to
Philippine Policy Of the Ad-
ministration.
Splendid Opportunities For Develop.
ment Of Commerce Roosevelt
Talks Of the War.


an anti west of Chicago" said Secre-
tary OF Agriculture Wilson, when asked
about the sentiment of the western
people on the Philippine policy OF the
administration. There may have been
one here and there through the west,
but 1 did not meet him."
The secretary had just returned from
a trip OF several weeks through all the
western, northwestern and Pacific
states. He went primarily to study the
conditions of agriculture in those re-
gions and to see on what line the de-
partment could best work to improve
existing conditions, Incidentally ne
talked with the people about the Philip
pines. and has returned convinced that
the residents of the states west of Chi
cago are practically unanimous in sup
port of the administration policy in
regard to those islands.
"'The people out there" said he, "are
alive to the Importance of the oriental
trade. They see how it is growing and
they realize the possibilities that are be-
Pacific ia destined to grow to enormous
proportions and the people appreciate
the Importance of our having a COM
mercial base on the other side of the
Pacific and place where we can tie up
our ships
Secretary Wilson .5iti about going on
board a vessel at Tacoma loading for
Shanghai and looking over ne. cargo.
He found that she CARRIE the products
of fifteen or twenty states, reaching all
the way from the Pacific coast to the
Atlantic. She had lumber from the Pa
icific coast, -four from the Dakotas, but
ter and cheese from Iowa, canned meats
and cleo from Chicago, cotton goods
from North Carolina, iron and steel
manufactures from Alabama and still
other articles from other states.
In this connection MIR. Wilson spoke
of the great demand for more ships in
the Pacific saying that experimental
shipments of butter and cheese by his
department had been delayed for some
weeks because there was no vessel
available for them. and that when they
went II was in Japanese vessel and
under the Japanese flag.
These ships can be built on the Pa
cific coast" said he. Did the western
ers not build the Oregon, the finest ship
that sails the seas? There are some
things that the Pacific coast lacks, per-
haps. 1t has not as great supplies of
hard wood and coal as might be desir-
able, but the Philippines will supple
ment 1t in this regard.
- great part of the Philippines is
land covered with the finest varieties
OF hard wood. and they have coal right
up to the waters edge. where 1T can be
loaded directly on board ship. 1t can be
transported cheaper from the Philip
pines by water than IL can be carried
thousand miles by rail and delivered
in San Francisco
AT San Francisco and other points in
the west the secretary talked with the
soldiers who have returned from the
Philippines and those who are going.
He was warm in his praise of them as
the finest specimens of manly yigor he
had ever seen. The men who had come
back he said. were in fine condition q nd
he had not found any who were in ia
vor of relinquishing what they had
fought for
Every private soldier. / suppose.
thinks that if he were the major general
In command great things would be
done" said the secretary, but 1 met
few who did not approve of Gen. Otis.
These did not think he was vigorous
enough. Their only complaint was that
he did not give them enough fighting to
do
Everywhere through the west the sec
rotary found the farmers prosperous,
but especially in the corn belt. Wheat.
he said, would be a little short, but
there would be great crops of corn and
oats and other farm products. On the
whole. he said, the agricultural outlook
for the entire country s~as most encour-
aging.