The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-12-21

Boston EcOnOm1sC suggests That ItaI~
fan Peasants on Virgin Lands Could
Add 100000 Bales Of Cotton and
8OO,OOO,OOO Bushels of Wheat to the
Present Annual Production of the
United States.
The possibility that English cotton
manufacturers may look to certain por-
tons of the south and southwest for
insurance of steady supply of cotton
Is suggested in a recent issue of the
Manufacturers Record by Edward At
kinson Of Boston, who has recently
returned from England. He says that
In conversation with his British friends
be made the following statement;
"The present crop Of maize Of the
United States is grown on 10000 to
10000 square miles. The present crop
Of wheat is grown on $1,000 to 10000
square miles; the present crop of cot
ton upon less than 10000 square miles.
We may add 10000 to $4,000 square
miles for rice, tobacco, hops and such
other minor products of the soil AS
enter into our exports, making total
area, say, Of 100000 square miles out
Of 100000, emitting Alaska. On this
small fraction even Of our arabic land
the people of the United States are
fully supplied with meat, dairy prod
ucts, grain and cotton, with large
excess for export, mainly to Great
Britain.
"Our kin beyond the sea are mainly
dependent upon us for food and cot
ton. We may mainly depend upon
them for a market for our surplus.
Such being the fact, / hold that they
must be recognized and that the atten-
ton of consumers in Great Britain
should be turned to the development
Of these resources in cooperation
with us.
1.-TWO most important groups of in
vestigators are now being organized
to find out whether my statements, al
most incredible to them, can possibly
be sustained
"Having thus measured the area of
these special groups, l then affirmed
| that section could be defined in north
ern Texas, Oklahoma, the Indian Terri
tory, northern Louisiana and perhaps
q patch of Arkansas, coupled with an
area of the prairie rice land of Louisi-
ana and Texas, of 100000 square miles
corresponding to area now in maize,
| wheat, cotton, tobacco, rice and hops,
Of which not one in ten was yet under
the pillow or not yet developed.
81 stated that the land is there, the
capital abundant, the power of direc-
| ton simple, all that is needed being in
telligent labor, preferably Italian and
southern European. Italian peasants,
being accustomed to live on fruit and
macaroni, would find in this section
every variety Of the semitropical fruits
Increasing in abundance and an ample
produce of the hard macaroni wheat.
81 also called attention to the fact
that the Red river navigation to New
| Orleans and it's affiuents offered cheap
and quick transportation on the way to
Liverpool, that several great systems
Of railroads were gridironed along this
| whole section, with ample railway
| service, and that the school system,
| from the public kindergarten to the
state university, the normal schools,
the technical schools and the agricul-
tural schools, was in complete working
! order.
II then made this further-to them
incredible (can it be sus-
tanned D-to wit, one quarter part of
this area of 100000 square miles never
| yet touched by the plow, save $4,000
square miles, may be devoted to cotton
and wheat, and by intelligent cultiva-
ton 100000 bales of cotton may be
added to the present crop Of the United
States at the present rate of product
per acre aid 30O,0OO,0O0 bushels of
wheat may be added to the present
crop of the United States at the aver
| age product of this section at the pres
emit time, or an increase of about so per
cent on the present product Of the
whole country. Whether or not these
statements can be justified will pres
emily be proved by the two lines of in
vestigation from England to which
have referred"