The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-11
Uncle Sans Eminent Farmer Intro
duced to the Vast Audience by
Gen. Lew Wallace
BENEFIT OF NEW ISLANDS
THEY WILL SOON SUPPLY ALL THE
TROPICAL PRODUCTS REQUIRED.
Effort Being Made to Raise at Home
Everything that Is Now Imported
from Foreign Lands.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind, Sept TO-
From a stand erected in front of the am
phitheater of the Montgomery Fair Associa-
ton that was packed and surrounded by
thousands of enthusiastic people James
Wilson, secretary of agriculture delivered
an address this afternoon. He was intro
duced by General Lew Wallace. On the
stand with them were Charles B. Landis.
E. H. Nebeker. James F. Statesman, John
r. Bonnell and other prominent men.
Mr.. Wilson said: THE United States has
done more for the agricultural education Of
men than any other country, perhaps more
than all other nations combined. Colleges
and experimental stations have been en-
dowed in each State and Territory and
since the Spanish war corps of husbandmen
have been sent to each island group to
prepare our brown men to produce what we
cannot produce in this country. We sold
over $4,000 900 worth of agricultural prod
ucts during the last fiscal year and bought
$410, 100000 worth from other countries. OF
this sum one-half can be produced in the
United States, the other half comes from
tropical countries and thus the new
possessions will supply all We need. The
Department of Agriculture Is educating the
people at home towards the production of
the one-half and the people Of our new
possessions the other, which is a strong
point in favor of our position.
'The department is Handicapped for the
want of men educated In the science of
agriculture and is compelled to organize
education in the departments We have 26O
young men graduates and under graduates
studying in the department along lines Of
meteorology, animal husbandry, plant
pathology, soil physics, forestry, etc. Con-
gress is liberal in appropriating money to
conduct research through the department.
We get directly and indirectly $60O0,0OO.
which is equal to a capitalization of $780,,
100000, or equal to the combined incomes
of Harvard, Yale, Columbia, University of
| Chicago and Leland Stanford.
1--WE look over the list of imports and as
| certain what may be produced in our coun-
try. Our bill for sugar has been 81, 900, 900.
Sugar comes from the atmosphere and we
| have been directing our efforts to change
American atmosphere into sweetening.
Four years ago We made $1,000 tons of beet
sugar, the next year 1900, the next 125,OOO
and last year 100000. We have been help
ing the rice growers and now we produce
all the rice consumed in our land We are
| introducing wheat for our arid lands that
will grow with ten inches of rainfall, and
| 100000 bushels of that wheat was grown
this year. We have been paying 5000, 900
annually for macaroni. This wheat is
| especially adapted for its manufacture. and
in few years we will produce more maca-
roni than our consumption calls for. We
have been paying s6,00O.000 annually for
1 ~ mn To h. l.
| We have found soil suitable in the Con-
| neoticut valley and have taught the people
there how to produce an article superior to
| the Sumatra importation We have an ex-
| pertinent regarding the growing of tea and
| will shortly produce all the American peo-
pie will consume. The Southern States
world, and it will be a great source of rev
| enue and benefit to them. We have intro
| duced a date palm in the Territory of Ari-
zona and shortly expect to supply its de-
| mand.
1.-The department explorers search the
| ha abitable globe for new grains, grasses.
legumes. fruits, vegetables, etc. One is
now in Egypt getting plants that will grow
| in alkalian conditions. Another is in Asia
| tic Russia getting fruits suitable for our
Northwest country, and grasses for va
| rious parts of the United States One is
| in Turkestan to secure a variety of alfalfa
that will be hardy in our Northern States.
| There are others in various parts of the
| world, all on missions for the betterment
| of our country. We have an agent in the
countries around the China seas, introduce
ing our dairy products. We have an agent
| in South America with view to opening
| up a market for our fine stock This well
| illustrates the work of our explorers We
are experimenting with corn with a view
to securing a large per cent. of muscle
| forming material. We are cross-breeding
grains to secure new varieties suitable to
| the requirements of the several localities
of our country. We study the chemistry
food for the protection of our people and
the good name of our exports to foreign
countries. We gather and send abroad sta
| tistics regarding out crops, so that the
producer may be informed regarding their
! volume. We send fruit regularly to for
eign countries that markets may be opened
| up for them. We have a laboratory in the
| department for the study of road material
| in all the States, to give our people i'm
| each locality a knowledge of what is most
| convenient and valuable.
whenever we find the people of the
| United States buying in foreign countries
we regard it our duty to help our people
| to learn to produce ii at home. There is
no politics in my department 1 do not
even know the politics of ten of my men.
| l might say, in conclusion, that my Job
is TO find out what Uncle Sam is paving
out money for. and then produce it in our
| country.