Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-03-24
|0WAIS GREAT BECAUSE
STATE CANNOT HELP IT
Iowans Have Eyes But They Do Not
See Natural Advantages
Everywhere.
IOWA HAD 2,224,711 PEOPLE
IN 1912 CENSUS
Iowa Has Vast Resources Yet Unde-
velOped-Little Conservation of
Wealth of State Will Add q
Millions of Dollars
Annually.

| annually.
Iowa has vast resources yet unde-
veloped. The people of Iowa do not
appreciate the natural advanta ges
on every hand. A little more care
In the conservation of the wealth of
the state will add millions of dollars
annually. These are only a few of
the facts which are strikingly appar-
ent upon a brief study into Iowa s
possibilities and the use to which
the people of Iowa are putting their
advantages, says the Iowa State
Wide Publicity Commission.
One of the noteworthy proofs that
lowa's agricultural resources are
undeveloped is found in the fact that
certain community that employed
crop doctor the past year, in
creased the output one-fourth, and
this particular community believes
that this efficiency can be developed
q great deal further.
Iowa's manufacturing industries
are not widely known The agricul-
tural aspects have taken the atten-
tion of the world, yet in the manu-
facture of number of products
Iowa leads the world; one product
in particular, is that of cereals.
The lumber industry of Iowa is
unknown, and rightly so, for there
is none to speak of. But it is stated
on good authority that Iowa can
raise her own lumber and thereby
add $20,000,OO0 to the wealth of
the state.
AS fruit state, Iowa is but little
known. In spite of this Iowa stands
in foremost place in this product,
and though the western states pro-
claim to the world that they are APP
pie producing countries. Iowa quiet
ly raises more apples every year
than the whole of the western states
combined.
Dairying and its products, butter,
cheese and milk, are ascribed by the
public mind to other states in the
Union Statistics show that iowa but
ter is worth more than the gold of
California and Alaska combined
Many other illustrations demon.
strating the foremost place which.
Iowa holds among other states OF
the Union, could be quoted. How
ever, the mere fact that Iowa's man
ufacturing, lumber, fruit and dairy
position in comparison to the other
states of the Union are unknown
even to the people of the state,
serves to show that the state has
gained this place simply of its own
natural wealth and advantages.
While other states of the Union have
been advertising to the world their
products and resources and advant-
ages, Iowa has continued to hold q
foremost place in spite of itself.
1t will not be long before the peo-
pie Of the state will awaken to the
fact that they live in the garden
spot of the world" and when this
time comes Iowa's wealth will
eclipse that of any other state in
this country or any other territory
of the world of the same size.
According to DR.. John Mez, who
has recently been lecturing in Iowa
on behalf of the International Peace
League, this country has room for
a vastly greater population than II
now has. Dr. Mez states that thous-
ands of people are going to Germany
every year and becoming German
citizens.
Iowa Has 2,224,771 people, ac-
cording to the 1910 census, and Ger
many has 62,9S2 900. Iowa has every
natural advantage over Germany.
Iowa soil is naturally a great deal
more fertile and substantial; lowa's
climate is more heal hful and enjoy
able, on the whole. To be populat-
ed in proportion to Germany, Iowa
could increase the present census
ten times and still there would be
plenty OF room for more. In view
of these brief facts, it can be truth
fully said that Iowa'c raSnurcpS are
yet undeveloped the people Of Iowa
do not appreciate the natural advan-
tages on every hand, and that little
more care in the conservation of the
wealth of the state would add mil
lions of dollars annually.