The weekly examiner., 1901-08-10
THE AMERICAN FARM
It Is the Source of Our National
 Wealth and Greatness. ...
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson Makes n Prediction and Gives Some Excellent Reasons
 in Support of It.
Especial Washington Letter.1

(6T WILL give you statement
 and prophecy" said secre-
 tary Wilson, of the depart ment of agriculture.
 ''There is some talk of a combina- tion of all Europe against the United States, commercially, if not inimical- 1y. 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.
 'sThe object of all 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 ican flag. It will only be reason able number of years when we will produce our own woolen and cotton clothing, our shoes, socks, shirts and everything of that character. It 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 possessions.
 No writer could portray the earn estness and forcefulness of this typ ical 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 was promulgated on July 4, 1776. The secretary is an intensely patriotic man, and back of all of his work is the energizing influence of his love of country and pride in it's grand achievements and marvellous possibil- ities and probabilities. That is what impelled him to make the statement and prophecy concerning the defiant
  presence of suggestions of foreign complications and combinations.
 q will tell you what the depart ment of agriculture is doing for the present veal and the future conn monweal," !" continued Secretary Will Neesa TT ss.sfrflaeasar z s
 From the beginning of the colon ia1 development of our country to- bacco has been one of our greatest staples While it is true that many people do not approve of the use of tobacco in any form, it still continues to be one of our staple products. We annually sell $30,oO0,o00 worth of tobacco; but we buy $13,000,00o worth. This department is trying to reduce our buying necessities. Of the 3,ooO,00O bought, $5,000,oO0 are for Sumatra wrappers. The other $S,- OO0,000 are expended for what is known as filters, mostly from Cuba. We are teaching our people how to grow filters and we expect soon to be growing all the filters and wrap pers we need in our own country. We are experimenting now in Penn sylvania and also in Texas with great success. We also expect to grow large quantities of these kinds of to- bacco in Porto Rico and the Philip pines. We intend to save $13,000,000 for our own people in this industry, and that amount will increase every year. We ought soon to be selling about $5O,O0o,OOo worth of tobacco annually, and buying, substantially, none.
 ''We cannot grow coffee in the United States, because every part of