Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-30
SOIL CONSERVATION.


an address in New York yesterday,
declared that proper conservation OF
the soiI Is the remedy for the cost OF
living problem. eve cannot afford to
buy food OF foreign countries say =.
the secretary, ''and we must see 20 ~
that our western farms prouuoe
enough, not only for home consulnps
ton, but also to sell abroad ana square
up the balance of trade
Secretary Wilson continues:
"The cost OF living calls for careinl
INQUIRY into the causes that nave
operated to bring about conolti OLE
that are new to us as people. we
have had great abundance OF 1000 a.
prices that we're lower than most otnsl
countries with which we compete ~
commerce and manufacturing. Conl'
nensation for skill and labor has been
comparatively high in our country
hut Increased cost Of living has pc
come a disturbing factor that cannot
be adjusted at present to the satls'
faction of those concerned.
.eThe major part of our people IN
the east are being fed from the Mis-
sissippi valley, and the states OF the
south draw much from the same
source. I am we'll satisfied that the
soils OF that valley are being sub
iected gradually to the same un"lse
treatment that so seriously reduced
The soils east of the Alleghenies ana
south Of the Ohio.
.sThe necessity for education OF the
farmer is impressed upon our people
and steps are being taken In all our
states and territories to this end.
"sciences are being applied and re-
search made into causes and results
Education is being extended into pri-
MARY schools in many Of our states.
Federal and state governments are
snending money freely for this pur-
nose and students are multiplying
, The results Of research are being
nrinted and a literature Of the farm IS
growing. .u,o.
are foremost in commerce, manu-
featuring, arts and sciences, wealth
4 and influence. They have overlooked
agriculture, permitting their soils to
deteriorate and reaching out to the
west for food products. The soil rob-
her began his baleful practice there,
and has gone westward until the llght
rainfall regions refused to yield
nroAtab1y. The deteriorations of east
ern soils would have been prevented
long ago had there been no cheap
rich soil in the Mississippi valley or
had demand been closed up to supply
western lands are dearer and have
pone beyond the reach of poor people.
The lands Of the East and South are
reduced in productive power, but they
are cheap, they are convenient to good
markets, they can be improved and
thew will be, but the methods by
which a farm is improved are quite
different from that by which it was
reduced Ignorance permitted the soil
TO become unproductive, the highest
intelligence is required to bring back
fertility.
Importance of food will bring about
change in our economies, revolu-
tion in our policies, which may be
avoided by better farming and com.
prehensive view of the situation by
those who deal in big things, whether
carrying, commerce manufacturing or
finance.
"Our people are not grouped to adj
vantage. Too many grew crops dur
Ing the last half of the nineteenth
century Farming was poor business
during that period, and did not invite
people. The abundance of meats and
grains and low prices for them gave
little encouragement TO the young
farmer to devote his life to agricul-
ture. The farm went to the renter
and poverty, because the renter rarely
had the capital to maintain conditions
that would keep up fertility. He had
short lease and no inducement to
Improve.
"Whoever rents land to be handled
this way .abandons his farm there and
then. It becomes poorer every year
until 1t ceases to yield prof1tably.
Every state" the secretary added,
"should organize to conserve the fer
tility of It's SOIL"
The Sioux City Journal notes the
disposition shown of late to pile OBJ
r+ooIos IN tho nath Of the Republican