Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-07
MOVING "BACK TO THE LAND"
President wattles Talks of AsrIcul-


tural Movement at Exposition.
In a speech touching upon the Importance
OF modern agricultural science in solving
economic problems Gurdon w. Wattles,
president, opened the formal program OF
the first day of the National Corn expo
sition.
Mr.. Wattles said in part:
The movement back to the land is
worldwide. on a recent journey around
the world in Japan, where a population OF
100000 occupies an area about the size
OF the state of California, we found an
overwhelming sentiment for more land
and greater opportunity. The japanese
were looking with longing eyes toward
Korea and Manchuria, and, with hope and
expectation that by conquest of these ter
ritories, they might secure an outlet for
the islands Of their empire. In China the
more intelligent men were longing for the
time to come when the weak arm Of their
government might be so strengthened as
to guarantee protection on the rich unoc
cupied frontier in Mongolia and Manchuri6
TO the millions who were starving Ii
crowded cities, but as yet this hope has
not materlalized, for the Chinese are still
clinging to the old superstitions of an
absolute monarchy, which has been weak
ened by centuries of misrule and corrup-
ton. In Siberia, which we had been led
to believe was a barren land of snow and
ice, we crossed a territory larger than the
United States, ana apparently equally as
rich In soil and all the elements of promise
to the farmer and the ranchman. Into this
rich and beautiful territory are now immi-
grating thousands of the poorer classes
from Russia. We met hundreds Of cars
loaded with these Immigrants, on their
way to find new homes on the rich lands
Of Siberia. which, in the past, have only
been used as prisons for conVlcts and
eNiles. In Germany, England, France,
Italy and Scandinavia this movement is on
I'm great force. From these latter countries
annually come to the United states and
Canada a great army, seeking homes and
fortunes, either in the cities or on the
farms of the western hemisphere. This
movement to our country for some years
past has brought us an average of 100000
inhabitants per annum.
In the great eastern cities and thickly
populated districts of the United States
The rich valleys Of the Mississippi and
Missouri have become thickly populated
and In recent years the Great American
Desert has been invaded. only to find
that 1t could be made to blossom like the
rose when irrigated by the water from the
mountain streams.
That indefinite term The West" which
formerly was applied to all that part OF
the United States lying west of Buffalo,
has moved toward the setting sun rapidly
during the last few years, until today the
Mississippi and Missouri valleys are no
longer on the frontier. Very little Of the
once vacant rich n remains unoccupied
and a new problem has come to the for
tunate inhabitants who have found homes
In this the richest agricultural section of
the world. The problem today before this
country is how to obtain greater returns
from these lands, by better means of Guilt
walton and by more scientific methods in
the selection Of seed and preparation of the
soil.
It is true that the returns per capita to
hose engaged in farming pursuits in the
tate Of Nebraska during the last ten
ears have been greater than the profits
er capita to w"orkingmen in any other
ne OF employment among any other peo-
Ne in the world. But how can these re-
nTng he ingTpnEaH9 How aan the eanna
and be made to yield one-half or even
'ouble more in crops without greatly
lcdlng TO the expense OF production?
This is a prOblemt of dollars and cents
which, II solved, will add TO the incomes
IT the producing classes and will double
In value their lands and increase the Com-
merce OF the cities. all Of which depend on
the prosperity Of the farms for the success
this problem Is one of the purposes OF the
National Corn exposition.
In farming, the oldest business of which
we have any record, perhaps less prog
ress has been made than In any other
Industry, II is true We have improved
machinery, and the wooden pillow and
sickle and the fail have been case aside
for more modern implements, but in APP
plying well known principles of science In
the preparation of the soil, in the breed
ing of better seed and by cross-breeding
new and better varieties We have hardly
begun In the great march OF advancement
which lies ahead. A wizard In California
has by simple but scientific method
brought into existence many new and val,
liable varieties Of fruits, flowers and
plants, In the animal kingdom by selec,
! ton our more progressive Tanchmen are
raising cattle and hogs worth double pei
head the cattle and hogs that were pro-
duced on the same ranches but a few
years ago, But there are many problems
which perpleX the farmer and ranchmar
yet unsOlved.
The scourge OF hog cholera. which II
many sections annually destroys the in.