Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-03-08

ed States during the last quarter OF d
centeury; much less can we mentally
grasp the potentialities which the COM
ing years have in store for us. Our
progress, however, has only been the
pioneering work of clearing the viii
derness, of ploughing and planting
amid the stumps which marksthe new
land of the sitter MOI get have
we had time to pull tine stumps and
drain the swamps. What We have
been doing is like sowing by aaad
and gathering our harvest with the cid
sickle as compared with what we are
now preparing to do In our pioneer
ing work we have had to disregard
permancy to meet the immediate
needs of the hour, We have had to
make haste even though it meant
some waste. However, like the pio-
neer who built his rude log hut and
titled the stump-ridden soil until in
creasing gains made possible the build
ing of a better home and the clearing
of his land in order to utilize labor
saving implements, we had to pursue
similar methods in our national de-
velopment until now, when we have
entered upon a period where scientific
farming will take the place of the old
soil-destroying farming and where sci
entific skill in manufacturing will
mean changes as radical as those
which mark the difference in farming
methods. &,
All that we have done in this work
of material upbuilding has been the
perfectly logical working out of con-
ditions which have surrounded us,
conditions which in no wise need give
us any concern nor for a moment be
considered as pessimistic in their ten
dency. For instance, in the develop
ment OF our iron industry, Pennsyl-
Vania made pig iron first from the
{ most cheaply mined ores, and then
gradually advanced from pig iron to
steel and to the fine products of steel
Alabama has sometimes been criti-
cised for selling its pig iron to north
ern and western shops and buying it
back IN the shaFs Of maefRlaery and
locomotives. That. however; is only
the natural course in the evolution of
business. Under the old conditions 1t
was just as much the natural order of
events for the western farmer to work
his prairie soil and the southern plant
er his cotton land in way to get the
largest Immediate results. Nothing
else than what we have done in this
way could have been expected by any
one who looked at these things from
any other than a superficial point Of
view. Now point has been reached
where it can be seen that all that has
gone before is but the preparation for
the real work Of national growth
growth in agriculture, in manufacture
ing, in mining, and in all the other
varied business interests Of the courl-
try.
In studying the material advance
ment Of the United States one is
amazed at the marvellous progress Of
the last quarter Of century. Even
st ten years ago the heart of man could
never have conceived the magnitude
OF the development of today. But
looking at this in the light of the
worldwide revolution in business now
in progress, considering our unique
geographical position midway between
Europe and Asia and the vastness Of
our resources beyond the power Of
man to describe, and bearing in mind
! the forces which today are making for
the intensest human activities ever
known, it will be realized that the
achievements Of the past, compared
with what the future has in store for
5 MS, are but as the gentle shower Of an
April day in comparison with the
mighty downpour OF the summer rain.
The Farmer Coming into His Own. a
When the construction Of railroads,
built largely through the aid OF land
grants, opened to settlement the ex-
tensive prairies of the west, agricul-
ture was pushed more rapidly than the
industrial advance Of the country JUS
lifted. With the rush Of thousands of
foreign immigrants to that section and
the movement from the east, there
z was brought about an increase in ag-
ricultural products, especially in wheat
and corn and live stock, In advance
Of the growth Of other industries.
{ Even without inning ration cotton pro.
dHction was for a time In advance OF
the worlds requirements The newt
able result was q serious decline ID the
price Of farm products. Not until IN
dustrial growth had made great adj
vance, increasing the proportion 81
consumers to the number OF farm pro
dricers was there any decided improve