Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-08-16
THE AMERICAN FARM
1t Is the Source of Our National
Wealth and Greatness.
seoretary of Agriculture Wilson
Makes n Prediction and Gives
Some Excellent Reasons
In Support of 1t.
Especial Washington letter.

Especial Washington letter.
CT WILL give you statement
and prophecy" said Secre-
tary Wilson. of the depart
ment of agriculture.
'.There is some talk of combine
ton of all Europe against the United
States, commercially, if not inimical-
ly. We can come nearer now to sup
porting ourselves than any nation on
earth. Any combination of countries
against us. to embarrass us in any
way, would soon discover that they
were getting the worst of it.
"The object of ell of the work of
the department of agriculture is to
enable the United States to produce,
as near as possible, everything which
our people require, under the Amer
lean flag. 1t will only be reason
able number of years when we will
produce our own wooden and cotton
clothing, our shoes, socks, shirts and
everything of that character. 1t will
be very soon when we will be able to
produce all of our own food, our tea,
coffee, sugar, rubber, spices, bread,
butter, cheese, nuts, raisins, oranges,
apples, peaches, cherries, plums,
olives; in fact everything that neces-
sity or luxury requires or suggests.
All of these things, and many more
too numerous to mention, will be
produced in the United States or in
our island nosSeSsiOnSn
No writer could portray the earn
| estness and forcefulness Of this typ
i zeal farmer leader, as he drops his
spectacles. leans back in his chair,
rises and moves his hands and arms,
or walks about the room, while he
dwells upon the glory and greatness
OF the imperial republic. He glories
in the fact that the United States
| government and people are free. be-
cause valorous, and independent be.
cause prosperous and thrifty; there
fore to-day more free and independ
ent than when the declaration wa:
promulgated on July 4, 1776. The
secretary is an intensely patriotic
man, and back of all of his work il
the energizing influence OF his Low,
of country and pride in its CRANE
achievements and marvellous possibil
: tiles and probabilities. That is wha
: impelled him to make the statement
and prophecy concerning the defan
capability of the United States in tn
presence of suggestions of foreign
complications and combinations.
II will tell you what the depart
ment of agriculture is doing for tn
present veal and the future Dom
monweal," continued Secretary vii
son.
"From the beginning of the colon
ial development of our country to
bacco has been one of our creates
staples. While it is true that man,
people do not approve of the use o
tobacco in any form, it still continue
to be one of our staple products
We annually sell $3O,Ooo,ooo worth o
. tobacco; but we buy $13.o0O.o0
>~ertlr. This department is trying
reduce our buying necessities. OF tn
$13,O0O,oo0 bought, $5,oo0,ooo are TO
. Sumatra wrappers. The other So
, 100000 are expended for what
j 1
known as filters, mostly from Cubs
We are teaching our people how t
grow filters and we expect soon t
be growing all the filters and wraT
pers we need in our own countr.
We are experimenting now in PEN
8 sylyania and also in Texas with gres
!, success. We ALSO expect to gro
Il large quantities of these kinds of Il
g bacco in Porto Rico and the Phi!il
= pines. We intend to save s13,0OO,Ol
$ for.our own people IN this industr
Il and that amount will increase eyer
year. We ought soon to be sellir
about $5o,Ooo,ooo worth of tobace
Q annually, and buying, substantial
J. none.
n 1--WE cannot grow coffee in IL
United States, because every part I