The bee., 1911-01-20

to have a larger percentage Of GU
soil in cultivation-is a desirable
thing, but | fear we have not gon,
about the business in quite the rlgh
way. Aside from the fact that 1t II
OF first Importance to get better re
suits from the soil we are already cul
tivating. we must first increase thu
Industrial population Of the State be
fore we can hope to make any great
advance in diversified farming; wher
that is done the agricultural increase
will come, and we will, at the same
time, be able to hold our young farm
ers at home. The farmer must have
better home market for his prod
ucts; otherwise we need not expect an
increase of prosperity simply through
an increase in the number of farmers
1t seems to me that while We have
hitherto rather thoroughly exploited
the agricultural side of the State. we
have failed to pay sufficient attention
to the mineral side--not coal alone
but the varied mineral. resources O:
the State.
| believe that If the editors will en-
phasize the mineral advantage Of their
regions more fully than has been the
case hitherto. and work for the estab-
lishment of industries that may be
based on them, they will accomplish
more toward building up agriculture
than can be done otherwise, since as
the mining and manufacturing indus
tries grow. the home. market for agri-
cultural products will grow.
See what coal-mining alone has
donei From an output of 5,O20,67b
tons in 1900, the production of COM
mercial coal has grown, according to
present indications, to about 12,9OO,-
600 tons in 1910; possibly somewhat
less. and possibly even 100000 tons.
This is an increase of about $4,000
tons, or about 1877 per cent In the ten
years, and we have Just begun to mine
coal
The number of coal miners has also
grown greatly; indeed such gain In
population as we have made since
1900 appears to be very largely, Of not
most largely due to mining. ! believe
Il within reasonable bounds to esti-
mate that the gain In the last ten
years, exclusive of that portion of the
population employed In mining has
been less than $4,000.
In 1900 there were 10 222 persons
employed at the coal mines. Those
employed at clay, fiuorspar, barytes
and iron mines may be estimated at
500. making a total Of 10,722 miners.
Assuming that IS per cent OF these
minors represent families of five per-
sons. and believe that is somewhere
near the correct proportion, the min
Ing population in 1900 was about Az
ITS.
The total population was reported
as 2.147,174. Subtracting the mining
families leaves 100000 as the non
mining population in 1900.
In 1910 about 24,919 persons were
employed at the coal mines, ana
about 1000 at other mines. These
probably represent a population OF
about 113 900.
Subtracting this mining population
from the total population reported
reuorted leaves 2.176,900 as the non
mining pouulstion which is an in
crease OF only 10000 for the ten years.
II these figures prove to be approx
imately correct. II shows that while
there has been gain of more than
141 per cent in the coalmining popu-
lation alone. the gain In other popula-
ton was but little more than 3.6 per
cent.
Were we to base calculations on the
represented by all families
" hose subsistence Is dependent upon
wages earned in the production or
mineral substances in the State, thus
including stone quarries. petroleum
and natural gas. with the coal, clay
fiuorspar. barytes. calcite and iron
mines, we would naturally find that
our gain since 1900 has been due
chiefly to the development of our min
eral values.
/ believe that the growth OF this
state is to come through mining and
he development of our oil and natural
gas resources. and of manufactures al
lied with mining.
II Il Is to become sheep-raislng
State 1t must come through mining |
II 1t is to become cattle-raising
simply a grower OF FLOODED
herds-it must come through mining.
II II is to be eminent as more than a
tobacco-growing State, agriculturally, |
L must come through mining. When |
he people OF the medium good lands, !
and Of the poor lands, and of the I'M
Doverished lands see local market
developed they will take greater inter
sst in improved farming. in scientific
farming. in fertilizing, in intensive
farming. and tide of immigration
will turn toward our State that we
AN not otherwise expect.
Kentucky is indeed one of the rich
,st States in buried treasures" You
have done much to bring them To
light: you can do more Educate the
people to a better understanding OF |
AK laws; work for conditions that
will be more favorable for an increase
# manufactures; teach Kentucky cap
tai to stay at home and assist In
up Kentucky, instead OF
building up other States that, SO built +
Up. lure our people away to theiT
cease relying solely on out
tide capital continue the work for
rood roads; work for a forestry law
# some real value; pay more atten-
ion to the matter of improving our