The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-03-08
SHOULD RECLAIM
SOUTHERN
B. F. Yoakum Urges South to Ask
Government Aid in Upbuild-
ing Country.
SFFS GREAT WEALTH IN SIGHT
Lands Can be Drained for S. Per Acre
and Under Cultivation They Would
be Worth SIS to 800
Needed by People.

New Orleans, March S.-"The gov
ernment can afford and is inclined to
cooperate with you in this important
undertaking but so long as the govern
ment feels that you are satisfied with
the slow process of building up the re-
sources of Louisiana, the public men of
washington viii also be satisfied" said
b. f. Yoakum, chairman of the st.
Louis and San Francisco Railroad Co.
Mr.. Yoakum was speaking before the
New Orleans Board of Trade last night
of the necessity OF building up the
south in an address before the New
orleans Board of Trade.
Mr.. Yoakum said:
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 i'm the
valley of the Nile 5000 miles away.
"The low rich lands of the south,
which have hitherto been regarded as
a matter of interest only to the south
orn states, have now become matter
of Importance to the whole country.
First the people need the food, cotton
and other products which your low
lands will produce in abundance. Sec
ond. these lands are needed for settle
mcnt by the American citizens who
are now seeking homes in other coun-
trfoc tboneand nponlo moved
from the United States to Canada last
year They carried with them $1,000
each or s6O,OOO.0OO. Our people are
leaving thickly settled districts where
the price of farm lands are high. This
means that our own people are build
ing up an empire belonging to for
egn nation at the expense of our own
country.
"The necessity of more lands under
cultivation to produce more food and
clothing 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 a cost of So per acre
located near the congested centers, and
will produce the kind OF food that sup
plies the kitchens of the consuming
masses. The government is interested
i'm reclamation i'm the northwest, but
the administration at Washington has
become interested in the irrigation
projects of the northwest because the
people of the northwest became in
terested in the development of their
country and urged their claims.
"a drainage bill permitting the
drainage OF southern lands was intro
duccd by western senator at the last
session of congress. 1t was killed by
southern senator This opposition,
which attracted but little attention
then. stopped for the time important
work for the souths development.
There are las senators and represent
atives i'm congress from the southern
states. BY working togethc with one
object i'm view they can complish
much; in fact, they can get what they
want If they will go after It,
''The state of Louisiana has ten mill
lion acres that can be made into rich
farms at one-half OF that cost, or ~
per acre. These idle lands are en-
rchod by centuries of decaying vege-
tation and deposits of silts. They are
the richest and deepest alluvial soil III
the world. This applies equally to the
% million acres of aluvial soil on
both sides of the Mississippi river III
the states of Illinois. Mississippi LOU
isiana, Arkansas and Missouri.
THE small section OF these swami
lands which the drainage bureau ol
the government has surveyed shows
the cost would not exceed 81 per acre
to put them in readiness for the ploW
Valuing these lands at SO to $50 pei
acre. when drained and cleared VII
stand To- cost $25 per acre. In cuitiVa'
ton. their value would be from $40 t'
Sl0O per acre. In other words. Tor ai
Investment of $40 TO SIS an acre II
drainage and clearing the increased
wealth of Louisiana would be NOR
than GOO million dollars.
There are 76 million acres of swami
lands i'm the United states. 5S million
acres of which are in the southeri
states-a greater acreage than th
states of Tennessee and KENTUCKY
This fertile area is not being utliize
as II should. While local in its devei
opmcnt, II Is nationwide In it's ene0
To provide food for the people Le
the senators and representatives of IN
southern states cooperate with IN
agricultural and business interests
the south and we will make i"'h'
faster than they ever were made
the history of the world. IL Is OF
task. hut the south Is equal To IL "
viii only take hold OF H."