La Junta tribune., 1904-10-15


is not to be found any where else out
side OF the Mississippi Valley. and the
prosperity OF the eastern manufacturer
has in turn brought prosperity 10 the
eastern farmer. Uncle Sam has n great
deal of land and Il great deal OF water
in the West. That land Is arid, and
the water, which would make 1t pro-
ductiye, Is running 10 waste. The prop
osltiOn is to irrisate these great noun
tain valleys and plains and build more
homes and make more markets.
The eastern manufacturer will sell
in the West. but the western farmer will
not sell In the East. except fruits and
things ike that which will not compete
with the eastern farmer. This great
work will take time IL will require
many years 10 wet all that dry land,
but we will begin now and go along
carefully each year until the task Is
done. Not many dams or new nelghbor-
hoods will be started before the business
men OF the East will have their travel
ing men in the West to sell goods. Think
of this great home market. the whole
world wants 10 get into the United
States 10 sell things, but our home mar
kct Is for ourselves first. To develop ii
10 the fullest extent
Will Eaua1ize Population
The reclaimation OF arid America will
to a great extent balance our one-siied
development. The eastern half Of the
United States to-day has 4 population
OF over 10,OcO.oyo while the western
half contains somewhere in the neigh
borhood of 100000. or less than 10
per cent. OF the whole. The new irriga-
ton law IL working satisfactorily. The
txaz fnr.uuafa in fuIiuy lur-
eau of the government already equipped
TO take up the question OF surveys and
construction Immediately. This Is one of
the greatest pieces OF work which has
ever come before this government. The
dams, bitches and weirs TO be construct
ed will be the greatest la the world.
They will stand not for generations, but
for centuries and contribute TO the well
being OF hundreds OF millions of people.
Arid America viii contain by far the
greatest irrigated area OF any country
ia the world.
Vast Oriental Commerce.
On the other hand no person at all con
versant with current affairs can doubt
the great future of the Orient The
lands that border upon the Pacific Ocean
contain nearly one-half the total popu-
lation Of the globe Because OF made
quate transportation facilities upon the
land, the people are more dependent than
western nations upon maritime com
merce. The Orient. What magic in the
name. The fabulous storehonse of mys-
terry. wealth. art. religion. When Amer
lea was undiscovered. England the home
OF rude sayages, Greccc and Rome un-
heard OF In the dim. dark ages OF mys-
ticism, before the dawn OF history. lived
and flourished the wonderful Orient. the
far East. the islands beyond the sea.
China deie- the world Ia age. popula-
ton and industry. II all the inhn nbitants
OF the world were stood up in one line,
every fourth man would be a Chiuaman.
The Pacific Ocean. which has for cen
turtles been washing the shores OF our
western boundaries, has said 60 US:
Here lies the East this is the way to
India" But il has spoken into dumb
ears. We heard but we needed not
Others have taken warning that the
great commercial development OF the
future lies upon the broad Pacific. and
have inauEurated new lines Of transpor-
tstion and enlarged the capacity OF those
already formed. Last year Japan.
China. Korea. Hong Kong and the Rus
sian possessions fronting the Pacific
Ocean did business with the outside
world amounting TO 5000 .Ooo. 900: fully
two-thirds OF this was Imports During
the year this country bought from them
s12oco.oco worth Of goods, and only
sold to them a little over sJO.0Oo.ooo.
Peaceful Conquest of China.
The Empire of China will soon be
opened IN all parts to the commerce of
the world. and il becomes a question of
the share this country may secure in
the face Of existing competition The
purpose Of establishing Oriental trade is
primarily TO secure a market for the
manufactured commodities of the east
ern States and the agricultural products
Of the Mississippi Valley. but these alone
will not make cargoes for the Pacific
steamers.
1t is essential. in order to support
steamship lines. that a practically un-
limited supply OF bulky freight be avail
able for transportation. Cotton. wheat.
and -four in this instance must be relied
upon The cotton win be furnished by
the southern States. and will bear the
I freight charges to ports OF shipment.
T but the less valuable breadstuds must be
grown tn the slopes Of the coatiental
divide and the Pacific in order to com.
I pete in price with other grain grow <
countries The fertile mountain valleys
viii produce grain in any desired guam.
/ tity IL the ground is irrigated A situa
/ ton is thus presented which makes the
success OF an Oriental trade. Of any con.
siderable volume. dependent simost sole
! ly upon the reclamation Of the arid
: lands.
VIII ReWeGt YssReps asse
The American farmer Will b sh<
chief. the prominent gamer by the open.
ing mp OF this vas, section to trade and
commerce For there are limitations n
Oriental Agricultural resources As ;h<
Asisfics become learned in scienti6<
agriculture. adovf modern methods and
increase the workinx efficiency Of the in
dividual. the discrepancy in tie pric<
Of labor viii diminish At preseat- under