Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-03-16
100000 ACRES
IN LOUISIANA
LOW RICH LAND WAITING FOR
DRAINAGE TO MAKE FINE
FARMS.
PRESIDENT 3. F. YoAkUM TELLS
souTHERNERs OF VAST OPP
PoRTuNlTY.

New ORLEANS, March I0.-"The gov
eInmenr can AFFORD and IS inclined to
cooperate with you in this important
undertaking, but as long as the gov
eminent feels that you are satisfied
with the slow process of building up
the resources Of Louisiana, the pub
lie men Of Washington will also De
satisfied" said B. F. Yoakum, chair.
man of the St. Louis and San Fran
cisco Railroad company. Mr.. Yoakum
was speaking of the necessity of build
ing up the south in an address before
the New Orleans board of trade.
For almost a century our govern
ment has looked with Indifference at
the rich unused lands of the southern
states, while the British government
furnishes its money and credit to aid
Egypt to reclaim waste lands in the
Valley of the Nile 5000 miles away
said Mr.. 4oakum.
The low rich lands of the south,
which have hitherto been regarded as
matter of interest only to the south
ern states, have now become mat
ter of Importance to the whole coun.
try. First. the people need the food,
cotton and other products which your
low lands will produce in abundance.
Second, these lands are needed for
settlement by the Americas citizens
who are now seeking homes in other
countries. Sixty thousand people
moved from the United States to Can
ada last year. They carried with
them $1,000 each or $4,000, 900. Our
people are leaving thickly settled dis
tricts where the price of farm lands
is high. This means that our own peo-
pie building up an empire belong.
ing to foreign nation at the expense
of our own country.
Mr. Yoakum pointed out, that the
necessity of more lands under cultiva-
ton to produce more food and cloth
ing need only be stated to give the
second strong reason why the govern.
ment must take an interest in the
waste lands of Louisiana and other
southern states Your rich lands may
be drained at cost of IS per acre 10.
Gated near the congested eenters and
will produce the kind of food that
supplies the kitchens of the consum.
ing masses. The government is inter.
ested in reclamation in the north
west, but the administration at Wash.
ington has become interested in the
irrigation projects of the northwest.
became interested in the development
of their country and urged their
claims.
"A drainage bill permitting the
drainage of southern lands was intro
duced by a western senator at the
last session of congress-" said the
speaker. 1T was killed by a southern
senator. This opposition which at
tracted but little attention then,
stopped for the time, important work
for the south's development There
are AS senators and representatives
In congress for the southern states.
BY working together with one object
in view they can accomplish much: in
fact they can get what they want if
they viii go after it. The state of
Louisiana has 100000 acres that
can be made into rich farms at one.
half OF that cost or IS per acre.
Mr. Yoakum declared that the state
Of Arkansas is leading in drainage
work. The swamp area of Ar
kansas is smaller than that
OF Louisiana, but Arkansas has
sent a committee of farmers and
business men to Washington, who
have discussed the question with the
president, the secretary of agricul
ture, Speaker Cannon and their con.
gressmen. They have been proni
ised support. Louisiana should send a
to Washington to see the
president and your representatives
and ask them to join the people of
Louisiana in giving you support for
the development of your resources.
They should go to Washington to
talk in the interest of the state. and
not politics or questions foreign to
your development.
There are 76.o0O,o0o acres OF
swamp lands in the United States.
said Mr.. Yoakum, "S.000,00 acres of
which are in the southern states-a
greater acreage than the states OF
Tennessee and Kentucky. This fertil
area is not being utilized as ii should.
While local in its development, it Is
nationwide in its effect to provide
food for the people. Let the senators
and representatives of the southern
states cooperate with the agricultural
and business interests of the south
and we will make farms faster than
they ever were made in the history OF
the world. It is a big task. but the
south Is equal to it If twill only take
hold Of it.
1T must be inaugurated by the bust
ness and farming interests OF the
south through public sentiment and
at Washington. It is nee
essary In order to carry out large ds
velopment plans that the administra
tlon al Washington. the senators ana
in congress take q
interest and work with the
people of the southern and southwest.
ern states.
what the south needs is more
E0T EV'H