Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1911-01-19

from six to seven dollars per acre for
every acre of land In Iowa has been spent
for drainage purposes The increase yield
In crops Of a very few years will many
times compensate for this expenditure Of
money. This large increase in the pro-
ductive capacity of the farms needs to be
supplemented by like extension OF other
The use of silos has become so general
that there can be 10 longer any question
but that they are to be permanent thing
with us and there In no reason why the
silo as well as the machines for prepar-
ing ensilage should not be manufactures
here In Iowa. All that is needed along
these lines is to get the attention OF our
people directed toward these various In
terests. We will then have enlarged our
demand for labor and for the use of capt.
tai. both Of which have been going else
where to lind employment believe that
our people are beginning TO realize the
importance Of these matters as they have
not done heretofore and that we are up
on the eve OF larger Developments along
these lines.
One Of the real sources OF pride to
every citizen Of our Commonwealth whs
stands for higher and better things In
the affairs of the state is the fact that
while our population Is made up OF the
representatives OF almost every nation OF
the globe. census Of 1905 shows tnat
9on per cent OF all Of the people over
tve years Of age living within the borders
those who have passed school age only one
per cent but what can read and write.
NO where In all Of the states OF the
union Is there to be found a more intelll-
gent, thrifty and prosperous people We
are blessed with large number Of small
cities, but are not burdened with amp
over-grown places where the undesireois
element aecumuIates. With the apparently
equal advantages that obtain As to the
various parts of the state and the well
balanced population, We may reasonably
Ii, 1T h. hnr.-
monwealth to move along In about the
same manner.
We need to continue to educate our peo-
pie in matters Of agriculture. the care and
cultivation Of the SOIL the selection Of
seed, the rotation Of crops and the value
of animal husbandry. These are our great
and natural sources OF wealth. l think n
Will be admitted that we have been making
very marked improvements along all the
lines | have mentioned but the work
should be continued. I think, however.
that some, especially those who have -
strongly urged the teaching Of sgricui-
ture in the rural schools, overlooked the
fact that a great school Of instruction y
carried on throughout the state from one
agricultural papers and journals Of q high
order are sent into the farmers homes
every week, and through them are con-
stantly presented the most advanced aud
up-to-date method and ideas. Then. too.
the farmers themselves are working QUO
many Of the problems OF successful farm
life. Along with the questions or agricul-
ture should come renewed interest In horti-
culture. Large sums Of moneys were made
OF Of the fruit crop Of 1909 and very
much more could have been realized II
our people had been educated In the mat
ter Of caring for, preparing and market
ing and in disposng Of their crop.
We need also to continue to educate our
people Ia the matter Of stock raising ana
half million OF mich cows which We now
have should be increased to three or four
millions and much greater care should b
exercised In the selection select Of dairy cows,
enough butter fat to make their Keeping
profitable. In my opinion the enlargmens
Of the dairy interests Of the state woulo
prove a more profitable and lasting beneht
than almost any other kind Of farming.
Ii Is not only a profitable industry, but
dairy farming conserves the productive
quaiity OF the soil.
Corn and hogs have brought great wealth
to the state. but many other lines OF agrl-
cultural pursuits are equally profitable.
The poultry industry. while In the maln
engaged In as an incident to farming. U
worthy OF much greater attention. The
census of 1905 shows that we had. at that
time, more than 22,000.000 chickens 10
the state and that the value OF the eggs
produced was nearly Sill ,0O0,0 900. " j
This review of the various branches o.
agricultural pursuits might be continued
indefnitely. but We need somethipg bs.
state Of fertile fields and 6ne farm9. Here
we have coal and capital. Our people are
able to consume and do consume the best
OF everything placed upon the market We
ought to be manufacturing more OF the
things we produce. All that Is needed 70
to get our people Interested In these
things.
do not claim originality for the SAP
Ing more business and less politics.. bur
I have been advocating ~ wherever I have
gone for many months, and the state will
have taken a long stride forward when
.Ists hall ha fro nnA
border of the Commonwealth to the other.
Would II not be a good time to revive the
Indian meaning Of the word Iowa., viz.
This Is the place. and let De under
place for profitable Investments. the place
where pauperism is reduced to the mini
mum. The place where illi;eracy Is scarce
place where the most valuable and produce
tive farms in all the world are to be found.
These things will not only attract but hold
the best people In all the earth.
Time and your patience preclude the
propriety OF a further continuance OF this
discussion. but l want In closing to send
a message from the good people OF Iowa
TO those Of her sister states and welcome
them to this great Commonwealth whose
richness of soil. whose character OF citL
zenship and whose opportunities for sue
cessful business enterprise are equal 70
those Of any other STATE In the union
Here poverty IL at a minimum and plenty
Is In abundance. Last year we produced
enough corn to equal almost one hundre1
and sixty bushels for every man. woman
have furnished every individual In the
state an egg for breakfast every day II
the year and to have had surplus Of
sixteen million dozen left over: enough
butter to have eQualled more than two
hundred and thirty pounds per year for
each family of i've persons. In other words
We could have furnished during the single
year 1919 for every man. woman and child
In the United States practically four
bushels Of corn. one dozen eggs and roll
Though we do not claim superiority a.
q small grain producing state. We never
theless produced enough wheat last year.
to have furnished four and one-half bush.
els to each individual In our state: enough
barley to have furnished seven and three
tenths bushels per capita and oats equal
to seventy bushels per capita.
Should we endeavor to load the horses
cattle. hogs. sheep. goats and mules Of
the state into ordinary size stock cars.
| eighteen cars to the train. running forty
/, Aims per day from this city to Chicago
the two places. start the first train ct
this hour and continuing every day II
the year, the last train would not b
moved before the first day OF next Janu-
airy.
/ shall not portray to you the picture
Of the Iowa corn crop loaded onto. a wa
gon train moving around the globe. as has
been SO often done; but win state that
to be more than sixty-fve thousand miles
In length. or equal to two and two-thirds
| times the circumference OF the earth.
| should we today load our corn crop of
| last year into wagons each holding forty
1 bushels, hitch them behind teams and start
| them BY the state house, single file. allow
| ing forty feet to each team and wagon
| and travel forty miles day every day
| In the year until the entire procession had
| pa ssed. the last team would not have pass
| ed before July 4th 1915.
Such is the condition Of our state the