Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-01-13

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 90 general
that there can be LII longer any question
but that they are to be permanent thing
with US and there 10 no reason why the
silo as we'll as the machines tor prepar-
ing ensilage should not be manufactured
here In Iowa. All that Ii needed along
these lines Is to get the attention OF our
people directed toward these various IN
teres,s. We will then have enlarged our
demand for labor and for the use OF capi-
tai, both Of which have been going else,
where to find employment believe that
our people are beginning to reallze the
importance Of these matters as they have
not done heretofore and taat we are up
on the eve Of larger Developments along
these lines.
Literacy.
One of the real sources Of pride to
every ci,izen of our Common " eaitn who
stands for higher and better things IN
the affairs OF the state IS the 1aet tnat
while our population Is made up OF the
representatives OF Almost every nation oI
the glope, our census Of 1900 shows that
10 Y, per cent of all Of the people over
five years Of age living within the borders
of our state can read aud write. ano oi
those who have passed school, age only one
per cent but wnut can read and write.
No where In all Of the states OF the
union is there to be found more intelii-
gent, thrifty and prosperous people. we
are blessed with large number Of small
cities, but are not burdened with any
oyer.grown places where the undesirable
element accumuiates. With the apparently
equal advantages that Obtain as TO the
various parts Of the state and the Wei
balanced population, we may REASONABLY
EXPECT the interests Of the entire Com
nonwealth to move along in about the
81 me manner. II r ID L4lsE-l ftt.i4,.s
We need to continue to educate our peo--
ple in matters Of agriculture, the care and
cultivation Of the soil. the selection OF
Of animal husbandry. These are our great
and natural sources of wealth. l think 1t
will be admitted that we have been making
very marked improvements along all the
lines l have mentioned. but the work
that some, especially those who have 90
strongly urged the teaching of agricul-
ture in the rural schools, overlooked the
fact that great school Of instruction =
carried on throughout the state from one
years end until the next. Thousands q
agricultural papers and journals OF 2 high
order are sent into the farmers homes
every week, and through them are con.
stantly presented the most advanced ana
up-to-date method and ideas Then, tod,
the farmers themselves are working out
many Of the problems OF successful larm
life Along with the questions Of agricui-
ture should come renewed interest IN nort-
culture. Large sums OF moneys were maae
off Of the fruit crop Of 1909 and very
much more could have been realized u
our people had been educated in the mat
ter Of caring for, preparing and market
ing and in disposing OF their crop.
We need also to continue to educate our
people in the matter Of stock raising and
especially In dairying. The one and one
half million of milch cows which We now
have should be increased to three or four
millions and much greater care should De
exercised in the selection Of dairy cows. go
as to eliminate those which do not yield
enough butter fat to make their keeping
profitable In my opinion the enlargement
Of the dairy interests OF the state wouio
prove more profitable and lasting benefit
It is not only a profitable industry, but
dairy farming conserves the productive
qualty Of the soil.
Corn and hogs have brought great wealth
to the state, but many other lines Of agri-
cultural pursuits n are eauah s p the main
engaged in as an incident to farming. -
worthy of much greater attention me
census Of 1905 shows that we had, ut that
time, more than 22.OOO,OO0 chickens n
produced was nearly $11,0O0.O0O.
rhis review of the various branches OF
agricultural pursuits might be continued
but we need something pc
sides agriculture even here ~ this great
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 y seeded is
to get our people interested N these
1 do not claim originality for the say
ing more business and less politics. but
l have been advocating It whereyerI have
gone for many months. and the state VII
that spirit shall be caught up from one
border Of the Commonwealth to the other.
would It not be good time to revive the
Indian meaning Of the word Iowa, viz.
This is the place. and Let n. be nnd .h.
place for profitable Investments. the place
where pauperism Is reduced to the mini
mum. The place where illiteracy Is scarce
IN known, the place OF good homes. the
tive farms in all the world are to be found;
These things will not only attract but bold
the best people In all the earth.
Time and your patience preclude the
propriety Of a further continuance OF this
discussion. but want IN closing 70 SEND
to those of her sister states and welcome
them to this great Commonwealth whose
richness of soil, whose character OF citi-
zenship and whose opportunities for sue
cSssful business enterprise are equal 70
those of any other state in the union.
Here poverty is at a minimum and plenty
ia in abundance Last year we produced
enough corn to equal almost one hundred
and sixty, bushels for every man. woman
and child in the state. enongh eggs 70
state an egg for breakfast every day N
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 Lcr
each family Of five persons. in other wore. s.
we could have furnished during the single
venr 1910 for every man, woman and child
in the United States practically TOUR
bushels Of corn, one dozen eggs and roll
of butter.
Though we do not claim superiority as
a small grain producing state. we never
theless produced enough wheat last year
to have furnished four and one-h4df hush
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 slxe stock cars.
eighteen cars to the tram running forty
over any one Of the trunk lines connecting
the two places, start the 6rst train q
this hour and continuing every day ID
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 wa
gon train moving around the globe. as has
been so often done, but will state that
last years crop would require such q trair:
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
bushels. hitch them behind teams and start
them BY the state house. single file. allow
Ing forty feet to each team and wagon
and ttavel forty miles day every day
in the year until the entire procession had
passed, the last team would not have pass
ed before July 4th. 1916. M
Such is the condition Of our state the