Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-04-08

which 1 am somewhat familiar, but
that similar conditions will
obtain in many, If not all, of the south
ern states. Let US now compare the
present conditions of the southern states
with western state that for
thirty consecutive years was the recipi-
ent of immigration from every part of
the globe, secured largely through the
special advertising and efforts of the raj!
roads of that state. / refer to Iowa, that
came into statehood within the memory
of men In this audience, state so new
that In 1858 1t was the scene of terri
BILE Indian massacre at Spirit Lake, and
so late as 1860 had population of only
674, 913, with nearly one third of its SO
counties practically uninhabited, and
lands now worth from $50 to S75 per
acre were being homesteaded at that
time, or sold at the nominal price of
80. so per acre. And yet, today, largely
through immigration from states east
of the Mississippi, and from the coun
tries Of Germany, Ireland and Scandin-
avls, Iowa now has population of over
100000, and of her 81, 856,0O0 acres of
land, she had in 1900 no less than 3d.
1897 ,552 acres In cultivation. AS rule,
comparisons are odious, and these fig
ures are used only to prove the wisdom
of the Progressive Union in calling this
meeting in the interest of immigration
to the southern states tributary to New
Orleans.
In 1900 Kentucky had under cultiva-
tion l3,74l,96S acres, Tennessee 1926,
$50, Mississippi 7,594,42s, Louisiana
4,666,532, total of 3e,24S,S7S acres
That same year the grand total value
of farm products and live stock for
Kentucky was sl97,OO5, 1871, Tennessee
sl66,9s5,o45, Mississippi s145, 1886
Louisiana s1o1 ,536,sOs, an aggregate OF
$6lO,677,249. The Agricultural Board
of Iowa reports for 1900 that the value
of farm products and live stock of tina,
state was 1854, 241 1924, or s23,564,375 IL
excess Of the total value of the products
Of the four states mentioned. These
figures are astounding, and ought tt
stimulate every friend of the South t.
use his utmost endeavors to settle VI
these millions of unused acres tina
might and ought to be productive.
What would be the effect on the re-
tail and jobbing trade of every tow
and city, and the earnings of every rail
road, in Louisiana, if 1a,59O0OO acres
(one-half of the tillsble lands in tn
state), were In cultivation instead O
4,666,53 as in 1900? The value of farm
products In Louisiana for that year wa
an average of 1921 &c for each acre cult
yated. This is most creditable show
ing. At the same rate 13,59O,OO0 acre
would have produced $395,6lS,4 400 in
stead of S10l, 536 1903, or 1924, 081 ,592 il
excess Of the amount shown in the re
port of 1900. Does this seem an extrav
sgant and impracticable suggestion
Why should 1t? The state of Kentucky
with less number of acres of cultiva
BILE lands than Louisiana, had NOR
than 13,590,000 acres in cultivation Ii
1900, and the state of Iowa had in cult
walton more than double this number o
acres.
Thirty years ago, had any one sup
gested that within third Of centur
the number of acres of cultivated land
in Iowa would be quadrupled, the sul
gestion would have been consldere
visionary and impracticable; and ye
this very thing has come to pass"