New-York tribune., 1908-09-05
MR. WILSON CHEERFUL.
Secretary on Business and Pot'f'ca'
Conditions an the W West.
FFrom The Tribune Bureau.1


uosb,ng}on Sent flames Wilson, secretary OF
Agriculture who has Just returned IRON q 'oi -
two months in the West, brings q cheefine p
nertv bulletin He declares that the west ooeSn
know much about the alleged business troubles its
farmers have magnificent crops CROWNS an"
selling the old crops and preparing to sell iie
new ones for high prices. weather ana cfop @ol
ditions this season have been exceheht' anu ~
new crops the Secretary believes VIII nave mus
huovant effect on financial and commercial conui-
80, III c,,,a, the country He confidently looks for
- continuation of the improvement in business
which has been apparent everywhere for the i&st
few months and for its forward movement at ai
accelerated speed.
Bur when he turned to the question of natural
resources Z e Secretary not pleased WIN "nat
he had learned In the first place. he had 1ouno
that manv streams in the mountain country are
driving up the result of cutting away the iotes''
There was a time when some students Oh lores@
and water conditions questioned whether the re-
,noval of forests would have any serious ellecto on
tho streams but the experience of the mountain
West in recent times has settled ths queslioii
There is no longer doubt that the oenuoa'oii VI
the mountains has direct and most serious ehec'
the streams
"Tn Colorado" said Secretary Wilson, Il learned
that two of the big beet factories have oeen
closed because of the short supply OF water Ihey
raise their sugar beets out there on the irrigated
areas and when the water supply Is seriously re-
duced the beet crop is Immediately cut on
The beet sugar industry in Colorado ana Otah
IS important, and anything which affects II Is re-
garded as OF great commercial significance sec
retary Wilson is than ever convinced OF the
great necessity of pressing the movement for pres
ervation of the forests Forests mean conservation
of water and water means both irrigation ana
power
Generally speaking said the Secretary tine
information of our department shows that IN re-
cent years there has been a considerable increase
in the productiveness of the soil. We have fnvesu-
gated this carefully and there is no doubt that tne
acre Yield of crops is showing a most Significant
Increase We attribute II to better farming meth
ods to assimilation of the scientific information
about crop rotation caring for the so etc. which
the department and the agricultural colleges nave
placed at the command of the farmers, and 10
general effort at intelligent preservation OF the
elements which enable the soil to do its best work
Speaking of political conditions. Secretary VIII
son said that the drift in the West Is all for Ta1t
and he expressed strong conviction, based on
his inquiries in a number Of states. that Mr. TAFT
will carry all the states that President Roosevelt
carried four years ago. far as the West Is con-
cerned The feeling that Republican rule Will bring
back general prosperity and assure its continuance
IS a powerful influence with the voters Later In the
campaign the Secretary will go speaking tour
for the Republican ticket especially in New Eng