The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-01-09
THURSDAY, JAN 9, 1918.
a BUSINESS AeENT.

EL HLEgAH '-
Almost every town in North Dakota
has h commercial club, and these
lclubs have done a world OF good but
flew OF them, however, are financially
able 20 employ a salaried secretary,
We are, or ought TO be, continually
striving to get manufacturing plants
and different business enterprises
| located within our borders. There
should be the opportunity to build up
q large canning Industry such as the
canning of sweet corn, peas, string
beans and canned products of a
similar kind. We should develop the
clay that we have, and induce some
of the manufacturers of pottery 30
establish themselves here. We need
here in North Dakota a good man who
shall moi work for any particular
whole state, and who shall so outside
iUt the state and present to indi-
yid1alss firms corporations an
outline of the chances for Develop
ment and work and business enter
lpriBes here, and induce them to look
the field over. IL we are to become
the state that we hope we shall be-
come, we cannot continue to be sim
ply a raiser of so-cailed raw materials,
but We must manufacture the raw
Ia1ateFials that we raise. and use raw
Ist1atsfials that we are not using at
present, and those that at the present
time we are destroying,
In the foregoing The Forum be-
heves Governor Hanna made one of
the happiest of the many excellent
suggestions and recommendations Of
his inaugural address.
The development of the states re-
ysources has been neglected. The only
department that could touch in any
Eay on this feature has been that of
horticulture and labor. Naturally the
ehtef efforts OF Commissioner Gill
breath and his predecessors nave been
devoted to securing new settlers for
North Dakota's farm lands. The
limited appropriations by the state
made 1t almost impossible to broaden
the scope OF the work he was doing,
further than TO slightly develop the
dairying industry Of North Dakota.
The exhibits made by North Dakota
at the worlds fair in Chicago and
later at the expositions at Buffalo.
Omaha. st. Louis, Portland and Seat
tie and by Commissioners Gllbreath at
the different state fairs through the
middle west have given the people OF
the rest OF the country a faint idea of
North Dakota's possibilities.
Generally speaking. however, North
Dakota is known only for its agri-
cultural esources. There has been no
e~xpluitation Of its great coal fields
and the wonderful possibilities of the
state in the development OF heat ana
Epower.
North Dakota's great clay products
are unknown even in the pottery
centkrs. In the coarser clays only a
half dozen or so companies are manu-
featuring brick.
The states fax and wheat and other
ptraws that might be converted into
E1inen and high grade and coarse paper
hRre annually wasted to the extent of
millions OF tons.
There are many other resources OF
ffhe state that could be very properly
Sexplotted and Governor Hanna has
eelected the psychological momen for
k~cailing attention to this great neces-
kmity.
By spending about $4,000 annually
Ethe state might make a beginning and
saaterr il it could afford a larger sum, it
6could be benefcially appropriated.
SBut $4,000, $4,000 for a salary suf-
k~acient to induce some good man to
kdeyote his time to the work. $4,000
s1or travelling pens and $1,000 for
q st~enographer and Office. would make
start along a much needed line.
The Forum hopes Governor Hanna's
~eugsestion will meet with the
kTToyAl OF the legislators and some
znember win Introduce q bill that win
giye North Dakota a business or
b~dsyelcpment agent to call the atten-
ktion OF the manufacturers Of the
eastern states to North Dakota,s re-
sources. Ii this representative secnr-
ed oRly one factory q year. he would
EaArn his salary many times over.