Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1914-10-16
NOW
INTERRUPTED COMMERCE WITH
COUNTRIES ABROAD FORCES
US TO GET BUSY.
WE COULD BE INDEPENDENT
Government Makes Investigation Into
Resources Which Heretofore Have
Been Imported and Finds We
Can Produce Anything.

AS an incident to the interruption ia
our commercial relations abroad the
bureau of foreign and domestic COM
merce has been making an investiga-
ton into the of this coun-
try, particularly Is relates to the abiJ-
ity to supply productions of which we
have been extensive importers. The
results serve to not only substantiara
the oft-reiterated claim that the Unit
ed States occupies an unique position
among the nations of the world. in
that it is self-supoprting and indie
pendent, but that there are p~ossibili-
ties for the development Of industries
for producing the materials which we
have hitherto drawn from the outside
world along comprehensive lines.
Can Supply Our Needs.
The peculiarly fortunate position OF
the United States in its ability to sup
ply it's own needs is clearly seer from
a survey of its production and relative
contributions of food, clothing and
shelter. 1t is found, for example, that
the people of the United States may
be fed readily by home-produced food
stuffs, our a area of more than b.
100000 square miles representing ev-
cry variety Of climate and production
and being nearly equal in extent to
all Europe, which has a population
five times that Of this country.
Slow to Scientific Farm.
Agriculture in the United States has
not yet reached the stage of scientific
development common to many coun-
tries of Europe, and present domestic
production may, therefor, be expected
to increase greatly with more atten-
tion to improved methods of culture.
Nevertheless, our country already pro-
duces over 2,5O0,00O, 900 bushels of
corn, or two-thirds of the worlds sup
ply. This years wheat crop is esti-
mated at the high-record figure OF
911,O00,0 900 bushels, about 20 per cent
of the world harvest. The United
States also produces annually over
1000, 000,0 900 bushels of oats, or one
fourth of the world yield, and 1877, OOo,-
900 gallons of cotton-seed oil, repre-
senting most of the annual output OF
this article, whose food value as a sub
stitute for olive oil is becoming more
and more recognized.
Half Worlds Cotton.
Fifteen per cent of the worlds cat
tie are on American farms, the num-
Der in this country being 9 ,000, 900, or
twice as many as in Argentine or Eu-
ropean Russia, and half the number
in India. Our country also has Co.,
100000 swine, 50,000,000 sheep and 24,-
100000 horses. We import, however,
5000, 100000 pounds of sugar, chiefly
Cuban, or n and one-half times the
amount produced in continental Unit
ed States and it's island territories.
In clothing material the United
States is also favored, producing am
nually owe 10000 00 bales of cotton,
representing over one-half of the;
worlds supply. OF wool we produce
100000 900 pounds a year, home re-
Quirements being supplemented by
23S, 900 900 pounds of foreign wool and
$34, 000, 900 worth of imported WOODEN
goods.
We Lead in Minerals.
In the mineral kingdom the pre-emI-
nent position of the United States is
unquestioned. We produce, for exam
pie. 534, 900, 900 short tons of coal, 40
per cent of the worlds output; 1885,
100000 barrels of petroleum, two
thirds of the worlds total, and z ,000,-
600 tons of iron ore, out of a world
total of $4,000, 900. One-half of the
worlds copper is taken from American
mines, which turned out 1,25O,00o
pounds in 1912.
OF the worlds output of $466, 100000
worth of gold, the United States pro-
duced about 90 per cent, being exceed
ed only by South Africa. About %
per cent of the worlds silver and 80
per cent of its lead are produced in
this country.
Our Manufacturers First.
In the value of manufactures the
United States leads the world, though
the product OF American factories is
chiefly consumed at home. OF the $780,
100000, 900 worth of manufactures pro-
duced in the United States in 1909
only about 5 per cent were sold to for
eign countries, the world market for
ron and steel products, cotton goods
chemicals and other important prod
ucts of industry being thus far largely
held by England, Germany and other
European nations.