Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-09-24
GREAT Value OF
OUR MINERALS
SECRETARY LANE SAYS u. S.
IS INDEPENDENT OF
THE WORLD.
ARE neglected
War Forcing Americans to Real
ize the Extent Of This Coun-
try's Immense Resources.
RESOURCES ARE NEGLECTED.

Washington.-"A direct benefit to
the United States from the European
war will be it's effect in making the
people Of this country realize to a
greater extent the value of its mineral
resources" aid'Franklin X. Lane, sec
rotary Of the interior, in an interview.
1T is entirely possible to SO utilize
these resources and expand our indus
tries that the label Made in America
will become familiar in our own and
foreign markets.
"Of IN Importance second only to
that Of the food supply is the supply
Of mineral products necessary to meet
the requirements Of twentieth century
civilization. One Of the first effects OF
the war has been to make us realize
the interdependence of nations in the
matter of food supply. Most Of the
countries now at war are dependent
upon importation Of foodstuffs, and we
have cause for self.congratulation in
the United States that we are able to
feed ourselves. What we possibly have
not so fully realized is that we are
nearly as independent in the posses
sion Of essential mineral resources,
and that the interference with manu-
featuring, caused by interruption Of
the flow Of importations of many nee.
essary raw materials, may be over
come almost wholly by development Of
neglected resources in our own coun.
try"
do you mean" Mr.. Lane was asked,
that the United States can make it.
self independent Of the rest Of the
world in Its manufactured"
Very largely" asserted the secre-
tary. THE main difficulties to be over
come are! in the rearrangement Of the
distribution system necessary to es-
tablishing this independence. Business
is established along certain we'll
marked channels, and usually follows
the line OF least resistance. 1t has
been easier, and perhaps cheaper, to
import mineral products and materials
from other countries than to 60 to
the trouble and expense OF developing
our own resources of the same nature.
Forced to the latter course by suspen-
sion of commerce with other oun
tries, l believe that American enter
prise and energy will almost at once
turn to the development Of the native
resources, rather than permit produc.
ton to lag and supply to be diminished
in any industry.
A. to Mineral Fertilizers.
For the maintenance Of agricul-
ture, for instance, we rely more and
more largely upon mineral fertilizers.
The three essential plant foods are pot
ash, nitrogen and phosphorus, the lat
ter used generally in the form Of phos-
pilates. We have depended, with the
rest OF the world, very largely upon
the mines Of Germany for our supply
Of potash salts, and war has cut of
this supply, but we have large depos-
its Of potash in q California reserve
which can be Immediately opened and
developed If a bill now before congress
to make these supplies available is
enacted. Chile holds q practical world
monopoly Of the most readily avail
able notrigen in its great nitrate beds,
and the manufacture not only Of ag-
ricultural fertilizers but also Of many
kinds Of high explosives has been made
dependent upon the Chilean supply OF
nitrates. II this supply should be cut
of, q new supply would have to be
found or manufacturers and agricultuEa