Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-08-26
THE FARMERS NEED
MORE RAILWAYS
AGRICULTURE AND TRANSPOR-
TATION INTERDEPENDENT
B. F. Yoakum Points to 100000
600 Acres of Available Farm Land
Now Idle in this Country Which
Might Produce Enormous Yield.

st. Louis & San Francisco Railroad
who has taken so prominent a part
in the upbuilding of the railroads OF
the Southwest and in the agricultur-
al development of this section of the
country. in a statement made to the
New York Times Of Aug 10, out
lined the problem which the country
faces in respect to the development
Of its railroads and Of its farm lands
Mr.. Yoakum said:
There are 100000 acre.
of land in she United States, and
careful estimate sshow that 1900
900, 900 acres of this land are avail
able for farming purpises.
THE cultivated acres last year
produced $15.72 per acre, not in
Guiding animals and their produc 5.
The uncultivated acres show our ag-
ricultural capabilities, for, figured at
what we are now doing, they would
yield the enormous sum of $13,-
1852, 900, 900 additional not including
animals and their products, which
he government estimates in its last
years agricultural report at
$2.913,OOO 900.
The government report also
shows that in the ten years from
1900 to 1910 the improved lands in
the United s ates increased Is per
cent, or 63.000,000 acres, while the
population during the same period
increased 21 per cent, or 1900, 900
people. who must be fed and clothed
Therefore, we fell short between
1900 and 1910 in keeping our land
development up with our popula ion
by 23,000,000 acres In other
words, to keep pace with the in
creased population we must increase
the cultivated acreage and the yield
per acre, otherwise we will soon
reach the point of not being able to
feed our own people, and will have
to look to other countries to supply
us. Using the same basis and look
ing further ahead, with an increase
of per cent every ten years in i'm
proved land. in fifty years the to al
increase would be $40, ,0OO,O0O acres
Of cultivated land in the United
S ates.
During the same fifty years. if
of 21 per cent every ten years, as it
has since 1900, the population Of
the United States in 1860 would be
23S, 200. 900 In other words, while
we now have nearly four acres Of
land cultivated per capita, we would
have then less than three acres per
capita. The cultivated land would
then be 175, 100000 acres short Of
the amount needed on the present
basis 20 take care Of our population.
"The two big developments that
will do for the entire nation the
greatest good are the expansion Of
agriculture and transpor alton. One
can not go forward without the
other. The successful farmer mus
supplement his cotton, corn. wheat,
and other standard products with
vegetables. fruit. and poultry. and to
do this successfully he should be
within five or ten miles Of a rail-
road
"Confning ourselves to the South
western group of states of Missouri,
Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisi-
ana. Texas, Arizona and New Mex
ico There are 160, 100000 acres of
land in these states more than ten
miles from a railroad; and the peo-
pie Of these states now need $4,000
miles more of railroad than they
have at present to take care of their
farming interests.
!, ''It is very noticeable in railroad
ride through the United States that
the best tillable lands along the rail.
roads are practically all under i'm
provement. Following the railroad
trip with an automobile ride through
the country a few miles back from
a railroad will show millions d
lacres of rich land lying idle for lacH
lof transportation. These two pic
lures tell the story of the country
biggest problem. and one which /
is up to those responsible to he pub
| lie through the government I,
solve
Baron H. Won Barnekow. throug 81
the Berlin press of July IS. after I
recent visit 10 this country. said tina
the United States is beginning Z
decIine, and concluded his remark
by saying that the possibilities Q
arresting ehe downward movemen
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