The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-03-12
mAHo's FINANCIAL
STATUS, RELATING TO
HER DEVELOPMENT
From an Address by ID. r. Hubbard
at the Lincoln Day Banquet Held
in Boise, February, 1915.

In the gala days of the first de-
cade of the present century one an
swer only would have been tolerated
to this title. Sister states were en-
vious, and Idaho bore distinction
all her own in the financial world.
Pilgrimages were made in special
trains of palace cars by men who
played with millions, and they were
impressed even as the queen of She
ba. They returned to their homes
and gave the key to their stronghold
to the state of Idaho. Not only so,
but the seller of irrigation bonds was
a welcome financial factor in the
smaller communities of the thrifty
farm centers of the east. The local
banker was glad to give his co-opera-
ton in selling Idaho Carey act bonds
to his customers.
The Carey act drawing gathered
folk from every part of America.
Every occupation gave of its numbers
and Idaho became the fairyland of
which so many had dreams. This was
an epoch, and when the writer's who
translate events for the coming gen.
erations stand in proper perspective,
and segregate the factors of this
great movement and place them in
their proper relations, it will stand
out as an event with few parallels.
1t was tremendous movement Of
men and money. Idaho was every
where glorified. There were giants
in those days. Such events require
men of stature.
The momentum of such an event
carried men along on its tide. Many
thought it the Shakespearean tide to
fortune, but there were shoals.
The engineers who contruct mod
ern guns of great caliber have a care
for the recoil. There was no pro-
vision for the recoil in this move
ment The recoil came. We feel
it in the money markets. Irrigation
securities are discredited. There
were blunders-eng blunders
or something worse, statutory blund-
ers, official blulders.
These do not down. They will not
down by the silent treatment. Neither
can they be downed by flushing false
hopes for political expedients. This
hippodrOme is stale. 1t will soon
nauseate.
| There is another recoil. The peo-
pie who left homes and friends in
all parts of progressive America to
come to Idaho are not all happy.
Many have been splendidly success
full. | want to emphasize the fact
that the Carey act communities In
Idaho are the peer of any rural COM
munities in America Indeed. where
the water came within reasonable
distance of the promises this thing
is true. But where the water came
not the sweet hope and inspiration
that marked the entry of these good
people upon the desert, with conquer
ing courage, has in many instances
been turned to gall by the enduring
hardships and disappointments of
several seasons.
The message that they send to the
homeland will not be overcome by
colored literature or other advertis-
ing. The 100000 investment at San
Francisco will not heal these wounds.
These things will retard our de-
velopment. Our remedy is not the
old method of publicity. There never
was greater land hunger than now.
Money mas not been cheap for
many years for standard investments
With the productive power of all our
industries increased it will become
more plentiful. Lands in my old home
state of Iowa have ADVANCED more
than 100 per cent while our farm
lands have fallen off % per cent. I
refer to farm lands. Men of real
knowledge of farm values in Idaho
are not misled by this wave of tidal
movement. Give Idaho the skill and
capital and other conditions equal
to Iowa and our lands will again
take the ascendency.
The things that were slid to the
visiting capitalist and farmers dur
ing our Carey act carnival were true.
They are true today, as far as soil |
and climate are concerned. The cost
of development is more than we
thought, and the skill for such work |
is not intuitive, but must come by |
study and experience. Idaho stands
today, as then, full of splendid posi- |
bilities.
The grand old man WHO sat in |