The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-11-09
Rough Forecasts
n. III.
r Z II.

Papsr Read Before the Chautauqua Ctrcis:
The figure that Panama, or the
Panama Canal will cut in the deyel-
oping of particular section of these
United States, is well worth our at
tention. Commercially and indus
trially, it has stupendous signifi-
canoe. Yet if we look out upon
what has been accomplished along
those lines up to now, | think we
will have found something for which
to congratulate ourselves, -assum-
ing that it takes pluck and persistent
effort to SO develop as is shown by
the advanced state of our Industries
and our commerce.
For if we look back to the time
shortly following the founding Of
Boston, in 1920, we will have seen
that our chief industrial undertaking,
comparatively speaking, was that of
supplying sufficient salt for the use
of our deep-sea fishers; and that,
with the construction of few coast
wise trading vessels, and still less of
sea-going ships, as well for the in
dustrial side of the case, about sums
up the extent of our commercial ac-
tivity. And right here letm say that
the east with it's gigantic manufac-
tories and populous cities, with
whatever of progress and great
wealth it possesses, has the west, and
middle west to thank for its more
stable prosperity; for with transpor-
tation over the network Of railways
gathering in the abundance of raw
material to haul east from out the
storehouse-.the west. and returning
by the same way the finished pro-
duct, it has reaped the golden har-
vest til hat would otherwise have
remained largely where it was pro-
duced.
But with the opening of the Pan
anna Canal, there will come a trade
stimulus and opportunities that will
go far toward offsetting this monup-
oily of the east, if the west will but
awake to her advantages by the es-
tablishing Of manufactures in the
central valley and southwest section
of territory. Indeed, there is world
commerce foreshowing throughout
the whole Mississippi Valley.
/ do not hesitate to predict that
other metropolises than those of the
Atlantic sea- board will come into
existence with the shaping Of the
strip of land there in Central Amer
lea, into an open routing from sea
to sea and we have yet to see what
capabilities are those of that empire
of the south, Texas, with her won
derful soil fertility and climatic con-
ditions. But the possibilities con-
tanned in those conditions are de-
pendent upon, what is to be, the
canal at Panama.
However, it is quite evident that
a mighty advance in more ways than
one, will have become reality, when,
through this ocean to ocean water
pathway, Texas shall have come into
her own. For while she has sea
frontage of more than 400 miles, she
also has direct rail connections with
the great grain producing regions of
Kansas and Oklahoma, and the min
eral wealth of Colorado.
These combined with her own ag :
ricultural and stock raising resources,
and the seaport rail terminals, es-
pecially Port Arthur, make possible
the establishing of manufacturing
plants such as have not as yet be-
come apparent.
While the sinews for war, fgura-
lively speaking, are more largely
concerned with the cotton output in
and adjoining the state, cheap labor.
though unskilled, is abundant, and