The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-05-01

ton. One cannot help being greatly
impressed in n Of these cabbage
patches with the intelligence and pros
perity of the people. The large, green,
bushy cabbage heads, projecting from
the rich, black soil, and the broad sat
isfied smile of the owner tell the story.
Tho cultivation of potatoes for in
| dustrial is also a recent in
| dustry in Holland. Potatoes are also
produced in large quantities for edible
uses. About SO 900 acres of potato
land produces $1,000, 900 bushels Of po-
| tatoes annually, which are ground into
potato flour, of which. 80 per cent is
exported.
This is 0 1000, 900 bushels more than
| that used for the same purpose in
Germany. Most of the potatoes, for
Industrial purposes at least, are cul-
| tivated on land, which in protection
years was considered unit for tillage.
In the same district, very heavy small
| grain is now also raised, n the straw
therefrom furnishes the raw material
for a large and fiourishing ~straWboard
mandatory. These two manufacture
ing industries together, which employ
| ali surplus labor in their respective To-
c~alities. were conceived in n deVel-
oped out of the present system of free
trade. =.
Prosperity Is Great.
All these figures, facts or statistics
that one might tabulate indefinitely,
go to show that Hollands agricultural
prosperity is great. The proof of 1T
lies in the yearly Increasing profit
| ableness of the farm, the improved
condition Of the farmer and the
swelling annual exports or products
Of the soil. Several farmers have told
the writer that this was the result
- fcoa +rolo . Thay have M 9nfapO-
nism in the way of retaliatory tariff
measures in countries where II g
market their produce. A year or two
ago, there was much agitation in
favor of a tariff on flour to protect a
small, milling industry that has grown
| up, but the threat that the United
| States would retaliate by raising the
duty on bulbs and plants, defeated the
! measure in the Dutch States General
A wholesome result of free trade Ill
Holland is the absence of great indus
trial trusts and monopolistic ~combind =
lions. with their evil and unlawful
activities. The small. independent
farmer. .tradesman n manufacturer
are a buIwark of strength in the land
Instead of many small enterprises be-
ing merged into one or more large
ones and the small owners becoming
hirelings in the great concerns, eacf
man has his own business, and is a
more contented and valuable member
Of society.
Statistics also show that wealth is
much more equally distributed in tht
Netherlands than in the United States
There are altogether 1858 people II
the country who have annual Incomes
Of from h.12,50O to f.25,O00. Another
sroup of forty-seVen have incomes. Oh
h.1O0, 600. a year, and upwards, the
total income,o of the forty-seven beins
about $780, 900 per annum.
Holland has 56S millionaires IT
Dutch currency. OF these 56S, there
are 3O2 who possess only 100000
FORMS; ITO have. one and a half mil
lion forms: 1856 from 100000 to s.
OOO, 900 forms; fifteen from 5,0O0,00t
to O,000, 600; and only five with ovel
$1,000, 900.
The aggregate capital of the five
latter is only f.S5,O0O 900. One of the
five has amout f.25, 000, 900. and is con
sidered the richest man in Holland
He is not engaged in any business; al
the others are active business men
The remainder of the 100000 of Hol
landers have incomes Of less thar
f.12, 500 annually.
In spite of the nations great aggre
gate wealth, it is not a country il
which great private fortunes hav'
been amassed. There are no idle. rich
Unlimited competition has prevented
the growth of a favored class. Thu
independent, competitive bushes!
policy OF Holland is the rock on which
her national prosperity is founded.