The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-08-04
.SEC'Y WILSON
IN HOOD RIVER
VALLEY PLEASES CABINET MEMBER
Secretary Of U. S. Dept. Of Agriculture
Here to See Forest Reserve
Conditions.

Conditions.
Secretary of Agriculture James
Wilson spent Friday and Saturday in
the Hood River valley and on Mt.
Hood and after his brief visit he pro-
nounced Hood River wonderful
place.
He gave many good reasons for his
statement and was of the opinion
that Hood River should go on raising
more fruit, there being no danger that
the world would not always be ready
and waiting to take it. The prime
cause of the visit of the veteran cabi-
net member to Hood River was that
he might get first hand information as
to conditions in the Forest Reserve in
the vicinity Of Mt. Hood, but he took
the opportunity of taking a good
look at the Hood River apple orchards.
Secretary Wilson was accompanied by
his son and private secretary, Jasper
Wilson, Assistant District Forester G.
H. Cecil, of Portland, and Superinten-
dent I. II. Sherrara, of the Cacsade
Forest Reseve. The coming of the
party on the noon train from Portland
Friday was unannounced except for a
note in the Oregonian of that day.
They were met by ]. c. Skinner,
secretary of the Commercial Club, who
with K. o. Blanchar and Truman
Butler entertained the visitors at an
informal luncheon at the Hotel Oregon.
One of the features of the luncheon
was course of Hood River Spitzen-
bergs. The apples were, of course,
last years crop and the exquisite
flavor and the firmness which had
withstood the long period of storage
excited the admiration of the govern
ment men.
Many local people were anxious to
entertain Secretary Wilson and his
party during their stay here, but their
plans to inspect the Reserve made it
necessary for them to decline invita-
tions. The party left Immediately
after luncheon in an automobile for
Cloud Capp Inn and only returned to
town Saturday evening in time to
make the train to Portland. The party
thoroughly enjoyed the trip through
the valley, both on account of the
natural scenic splendor and the beauty
of the orchards which appealed to the
visitors as expert agriculturalists.
Secretary Wilson is distinctly
gentleman of the old school the contrast
between him and the type of younger
business men peculiar to the west was
marked here Friday as he ate
luncheon with six gentlemen whose
ages probably averaged less than half
his own years. He wore the grizzly
beard of the statesman of quarter of
century and more ago and with his
broad brimmed hat set squarely on a
solid head he well represented the sub
stantial farmer of the United States.
His mixed gray frock coat and vest
were wrinkled and did not match his
trousers, but that mattered little to
the Secretary of the Department of
Agriculture. Secretary Wilson was
appointed to the cabinet of President
Mckinley and has been retained by
two succeeding presidents, until he
is now the senior member of the circle
of President Taft's official advisors.
Secretary Wilson busies himself
about doing things when there are
things to be done and before he started
from Washington on the western trip
to look closely into the Forest reser-
walton business, matter which is
now getting his personal attention
after considerable mixing up in the
hands of other officials. he had only
been absent from his desk six days in
ten months.
Secretary Wilson believes that the
cost of living may be materially re-
duced by increased production on the
part of the farmer. He does not think
that the increased production is going
to reduce the income.of the tilller of
the soil il he farms his land with
intelligence. The head farmer of the
United States therefore urges farmers
to raise bigger crops and get all their
land into cultivation. He does not
propose to allow the policy of the
government to retard the full pro-
duction by the lands and he is anxious
to have homesteaders take up govern
ment land which is open while at the
same time he affirms that Uncle Sam
is no longer going to set men up in the
lumber business. His policy will be
TO allow settlers to take up any lands
which are more valuable for agricul-
ture than for anything else. He has
set the limit of 1000 feet of timber to
the acre above which the land will
remain in the reserve.
In speaking of the local conditions,
Secretary Wilson said:
"There have been so many settlers
allowed to go into the forest reserve
near Hood River and Mount Hood that
there are not many good places left,
but wherever the soil ran be obtained
and the settler is in good faith, | am
going to let him if | can. 1t may as
well be understood that | am not
going to countenance speculation in
lands in any FORM"
Secretary Wilson expressed the
opinion that apples could be raised
successfully at a considerably higher
altitude than Hood River, and that
the district would continue to spread
with experiment. He thought 5000
feet altitude a safe limit but advised
proceeding cautiously.
Gust as soon as that canal is COM
| DleJeu ACROSS Jue IblIlIIluS VI alldlHdS
and you people get access to it., you
will have the markets of the world at
your feet" continued the Secretary.
81 have seen some of the most won
derful natural soil in the world in the
vicinity of Hood River and along the
route Of our trip. The soil conditions
constitute the most striking thing
observed. They are highly mineralized,
probably the result of volcanic action
of past ages, and if well farmed and
well managed they will outlast those
of most other places.
''You have a natural condition out
here in Oregon that is not only re-
markable, but is something that adj
vocates of dry farming in the Middle
West have attempted to produce artifi
cially.
"Have you ever noticed thai
wherever you go in Oregon, outside
of the paved districts of the cities
the ground is covered with fine dry