Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-03-25

in the United States, or grand total
of over five million. We are already
producing Al per cent. of all cheese
manufactured in the o. S. and about
LIP of all the butter.
According to the last U. S. census,
Wisconsin contains about 36 million
acres of land, out of which, at the
present time, only II million, or is
improved and occupied. According
to reports of our state department
there are, in the % northern counties
proved and unoccupied land. Out of
those 18 million acres it has been es-
timated that we have 10 million acres
of number one farm lands.
We have today in Wisconsin about
TT, 900 farms, and these farms have
made this wonderful record in cheese
and butter which we now have, and
feel SO proud of. What will Wiscon-
sin be when this great empire in the
northern half of the state has been
developed into farms? 1t means that
the number of farms can and will be
doubled; it means that we have room
for another million of people in the
% northern counties of Wisconsin.
We sometimes wonder why this vast
empire of northern Wisconsin, with
all its natural resources, healthy
climate, rich soils and sparkling
waters should remain for so many
years unoccupied and undeveloped;
but, has this country, up to the pres
ent time, had its just share of adver-
tising, in the way of encouraging
settlers to locate on its rich lands?
Today, we can scarcely 60 into any
depot or public place without seeing
large posters, telling of the wonderful
possibilities of some far off country.
Take up almost any of the time-t tables
of the great railroads, and you will
find on the backs of them, advertise
ments Of cheap rates, only $4,000 to
far off Texas; only $500 TO Oregon,
or cheap rates into Western Canada
All of these same great railroads pass
through many of the counties of
Northern Wisconsin; but it has not
been for their advantage to advertise
rates into northern Wisconsin because
the haul is altogether too short, and
the rates instead of being $3.50 would
be $500. They much prefer to haul
the people into Western Canada, be-
cause they know, as rule they have
a chance to haul them back
Through all these wonderful forms
of advertising they took, during the
year of 1912, 143,2 ,25l of American citi-
zens up into the district of Western
Canada; and according to the Cana.
dian reports, those citizens took with
them an average of 100000 piece.
We have begun to realize today that
we cannot afford to lose those citizens,
nor can we afford to spare the money
they take with them. Our legislature
is now waking up to the fact that
something should be done to sub
stantially encourage and help the new
settlers in our own state. The Cover
nor in his last message to Che legisla-
ture, recommended many things that
will be of help TO the development of
Northern Wisconsin. He said we
should not only invite the settlers to
Wisconsin but should encourage and
protect them in every way possible,
after they have come here in order
that they may become successful.
farmers, and independent, selfreliant
citizens
Our last legislature appropriated
s450.00 to help the farmers in the
southern part of the state To get cheap
er binder twine. Thousands of dollars
have been appropriated TO aid the
different lines of agriculture, and now
the people begin to think that it is
no more than fair that Steps should
be taken to help get the land of the
northern part of the state in shape TO
use binders twine.
The primeyal forest OF northern
Wisconsin has been practically cleared
away; and a great deal of the money
gotten from it has been taken down
TO build up the cities ard business
industries of the southern part of the
state. In other words the cream has
been taken away from US, and we are