The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-06-17
MANCHURIAN WHEAT LANDS
One of the Vastest Grain Producing
Areas in the History of
the World.

well-meaning and otherwise well-in-
structed people.
There is an almost unanimous con-
sensus of public opinion in England
and, for the matter of that, in most west
ern countries, that it is more desirable
that Russia should be out of Manchuria
than in 1T, says the Philadelphia Ledger.
Reference is made to the possibilities O.
Manchuria as huge market for western
manufactured products.
However important these political and
trade considerations may be. they fail
to define the momentous and pregnant
meaning of Russia's activity in these
parts.
BY exerting all her force, first for &C.
quiring and now forretaining Manchuria,
Russia makes bid for the possession
of one of the vastest wheat-prOducing
areas known in the history of the world
an area which, when fully opened up and
developed, will bring about almost a rev.
olution in the international division of
labor, and will change Britain's de:
tendency on the produce of the Ameri-
can wheat lands into dependency Oh
ManchuroR Russian harvests. East will
meet west, and the west will not like it.
This is not an exaggerated anticipa-
ton, not paradoxical statement of the
oretical potentialities.
For the agriculture of the immense
valleys of the Lao and the Sungari is a
thing already in existence, while cap
ital, railways and steamers will extend
it beyond the dreams of the most vivid
imagination.
Concerning the land watered by the
Lao and it's tributaries, some 62,500
square miles, the United States consul
in NeWchwang says that it's largest part
can be cultivated and that almost every
acre through which the Chinese East
ern railway passes is under cultivation.
1t already exports some G2,000,000w worth
of foodstuffs each year; it's soil of
sandy loan, so easily worked, which to-
day produces more pulse and millet than
any other part of the world, will lend
itself prominently to wheat production
of this first quality.
The lands that are drained by the Sun
gari are specially adapted for the culti-
walton of wheat. The cereal has al
ways been grown there for local con-
sumption. Even with the present prim-
tive methods 80 bushels to the acre
can be obtained and bad crops and fam
ines are practically unknown.
Already promising milling industry
has sprung up at Hardin, which, besides
the cheap river transport, possesses two
railway lines to the sea. This town will
soon have ten mills running, with daily
capacity of 1900 barrels Of -four And
there are more mills in other parts of
Manchuria.
These fertile valleys are already occu-
pied by a race of tillers of the soil. Even
If Russia repeated over and over again
her horrible methods of Blagovest-
schensk, she could not kill off those
Monaghan peasants. And if she could
DO it, the teeming millions of China's
population would soon Illustrate her
efforts.
What she is going to do if she is given
free hand is to develop the country with
money borrowed from other nations to
insure, if necessary, the labor of the ma
tive husbandmen by making them serfs
or predial slaves.
She will then swamp the world with
the produce of the country, and at the
same time exclude it from having due
share in that increased wealth which is
sure to pour into Manchuria Ultimate
ly, by enrolling the M6ngolians under
the banner of the white car, she will
dictate terms to the civilized world.
Trifling Difference.
I'm little in doubt" said the doc
tor. your trouble is either one of two
things
what are they?" asked the patient
Appendicitis or the stomach ache.
However, We can settle that"
How"
''By. cutting you open, of course. -
Chicago Post. ~~..: r