Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-02
JOLLIES FARMERS
Secretary Says AericuItursIists
of West Are Prosperous
and Happy.
MORTGAGES REST LIGHTLY
Finds That Movement for the Conserv-
alton of Natural Resources Has
Come None Too Soon.

Washington, Sept. 2.-"The farmers
of the west are happy, and they have
right to be-" said Secretary Wilson
upon his return from an extensive tour
beyond the Mississippi. 1.-THE sun has
shone upon them, rains have been suf-
ficient, and with the best soil on earth
the best farmers to be found anywhere
made the most of ii. The yields are
large. There will be no shortage of
any crop. OF the staples there will be
enough to supply all home demands
and leave large surplus for exporta-
ton. The farmers still have some of
last years crop on hand, and this they
will sell at the prevailing high prices.
The new crops will soon be moving in
the direction of the markets, and when
our wheat and corn of this years
growth start east in volume there will
be a flood of wealth in the west.
Mortgages Lifted.
Our farmers no longer live under
the burden of heavy mortgages. Their
great prosperity in recent years has
rendered them Independent, in the
sense that they are not forced to SELL
They are able to hold their crops for
favorable markets, and are therefore
obtaining their fair share of profits.
The farmers of the west have not to
this day realized that there was less
than II months ago depression which
has been followed by slackening of
the wheels of prosperity.
They have, of course. read the
newspapers and are well informed con-
corning conditions. but they have ex-
perienced no setback in their wonder
lful prosperity. The slackened buying
demand has not affected them at all,
and, being the backbone and sinew of
our material progress as a nation, they
have literally prevented any prolonged
depression. Our farmers are produc-
| ing so much wealth that it is impossi-
| BILE for our commercial and business
affairs to experience a material set
| back.
Improvement Noted.
I'm the west in other industries there
| is marked improvement in condi-
lions. Business in all lines has inn
proved substantially during the last
few months and the onward march of
prosperity has been resumed with such
strides that the movement will be at
accelerated speed
| Our farmers have not only enjoyed
good crop conditions during the season
now closing, but they are producing
more per acre than ever before. There
has been notable increase in the pro-
ductiyeness of the SOIL due to the OBJ
servation of methods urged by the de
the use of better seeds and to better
cultivation.
a. Wants Resources Kept.
/ st find, however, that the movement
for the preservation of our natural re
sources has not,been inaugurated any
too soon. In some--of, the western
states | visited the destruction of the
forests is already telling upon our in
dustries For a time some question:
was raised as to the effect of the de
supply Now no one denies that the
freshets in the spring and the drying
up of the streams in summer are di
rectly due TO this cause. In Colorado
two of the big beet sugar factorie:
have been closed because of the short
age of water supply. The streams o
the mountains have disappeared will
the destruction of the forests and nov
only dry gulches mark their forme
courses. The restoration of our for
; est. which will result from the move
ment now afoot. will correct these con