The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-06-10
THE COIN CONSUMPTION.

A great corn exhibit is to be made
in the Paris Exposition of 1900. 1t lis
proposed, indeed, to make this one o.
the most interesting of all the Ameri
can displays at that fair. The object
of course, is to popularize this great
American product throue hout the
world. Thus far heoutside world has
been stongely shy of Indian corn. II
has more nutriment than rye and
barley, which are much more widely
used in Europe than corn. This pro-
paganda has a great interest for
Americans. Practically all of the pro-
duct which is raised in the world is
raised on this side of the Atlantic. II
is the most valuable OF all the crops
grown in the United States.
Historically and socially, as we'll as
economically, maize is of great in
terest to the United States. 1t is one
of the three most important products
native to the American continent,
potatoes and tobacco being the other
two. The important part which corn
played in the settlement and develop
ment of the present territory OF the
United States has never been ade-
quately set forth. In the early days
of the occupation of the wilderness of
the West corn was raised where no
other grain could have grown. 1t was
planted between the tree stumps in
the little clearings. 1t could be grown
on soil where there had been no pre-
liminary fertilization, and demanded
very little care. The tree stumps
ordinarily stood until disintergrated
by the action of the elements. This
process took about ten years for the
ordinary soft woods, but in some
varieties of trees twenty years were
required for the work. Until sthe
stumps were removed the plow could
not be moved freely oyer the farm, and
wheat growing could not be done to
advantage. During all Of this time
corn was the principsl food of the
American farmer. By being trans
muted. into hogs or whisky it was an
article of food and of commerce which
was of the highest consequence to the
early Inhabitants of the western Wild
erness. One of the reasons why the
French were unable to cope with the
English in the planting of colonies on
this continent was that in the French
region, Canada, corn could not be pro.
duced in any important quantities.
The endeavor to open new markets
for Indian corn by the exhibits at the
Paris Exposition next year will un-
doubtedly be successful. In fact, corn
is conquering new markets already,
although not to the extent it merits as
food crop demand. In 1894 the corn
expectation of the United States was
S66. .OOO,O It,was 1923, 900. 900 in 1895,
S10l 900, 1000 in 1895. Sl7s, 100000 in
1897 and S2l2, 600, 900 In 1898. This
gain is encouraging. 1t should be
kept up.-. There is chance that it
can be largely increased if the propa-
ganda which has been started for its
general introduction throughout the
Old World is prosecuted intelligently
and persistently. The corn feature of
the Paris Exposition will be watched
with great interest in this country. OF
course the corn exhibit in the Lou
isiana Worlds Fair Of 1903 in st.
Louis will be extensive and interest
ing. Missouri is one of the great
corn producing states. At the exposi-
tion in this city four years hence this
important American product will have
its merits intelligently and effectively
displayed to the world.-St. Louis
GlObe-Democrat.