Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-05-17
Should Know Our Own State.
t May Be Rich in the Things
For Which There's Crying Need

TOr w nlcn Inc
Ia the last edition Of The Saturday,
News appeared an editorial dealing
with the question of a survey Of the
states resources.
The idea arose through a conversa-i
tiOn with Mr.. David F. Jones, who|
has devoted some thought to it. Mr.
Jones. a graduate Of the pharmaceu-|
teal department of the Northwestern
University, is a chemist of acknowl-|
edged attainments. For some years!
he was a professor in the State Col
lege at Bookings. where he becamel
associated with DR.. Robert Z. Slag1e,I
new the president Of the South Da-l
kOta University.
With a view to further enlighten-|
ment, The Saturday News interview
ed Mr.. Jones, asking for further ex,
pressions along the line Of state de-
velopment.
Dur Natural Resources.
II have a DESIRE" said Mr.. Jones,
and only wish that I had the power
to concentrate the minds of those in
authority upon the discovery and
conservation of the natural resources
that positively lie within the borders
of the state of South Dakota.
I'VE r just entering upon an era
when the natural of the
country will be taxed as never be,
fore. We shall need to apply to the
utmost all those elements which will
contribute in any material way to the
success of the undertaking now con.
fronting the American people.
I'VE have been suffering to a very
great extent. as many of us have had
personal reason to know, because of
the fact that we have been unmindful
of the products that lie all about us,
waiting to be utilized for our WI
benefit.
Too Busy Spending.
We have been so busy making and
spending the dollar that we have Civ
en- no heed to what we might term the
little things. We have depended upon
the foreign markets for our supply
along many lines, which we might as
well have obtained at home. It's these
little things that count, after all. and
we should not forget that these same
little things have made Germany what
it is.
1.-THE result is that when we are
confronted with a great crisis, such
as we now find ourselves to be in, we
begin to realize that we have been
negligent concerning our national and
individual assets, from a commercial
standpoint, and we are now COM
PEELED to go forth in search of the
things that we might have had at
hand, had we been diligent.
THUS far we have been but scratch
ing on the surface. I am thinking
that under the present chief execu-
tive we might, because of his expe-
rience in well drilling, dig a little
deeper.
Bromides and Acids.
s1As an example of our short-sight-
edness, or our failure to comprehend
the possibilities within ourselves,
speaking from an Industrial stand
point, i might refer to the class of
chemicals known as bromides, Be
fore the war they were ranging in
price around fifty cents a pound, but
when the war broke out they 500
jumped to five dollars a pound, re
manning there until some one for
tunately discovered that bromine
could be secured in Michigan in pay
ing quantities.
1.-TWO and a half years ago, to con
tinue the illustration, we were de
pending upon foreign markets for car
bolic acid, made use of In explosives.
At the outbreak of the war it was
commanding in price from ten cents
a pound upward, but it quickly adj
vanced to three. dollars a pound.
To-day it is produced within our
own borders. and ii sells for a dollar
i pound. In addition to supplying our
home demand, WI are exporting it in
large quantities. and thus helping to
supply u allies with . substance
that is Indispensable.
Wsslthsin Q1ack Grass.
Continuing further. II is incon.
ceiyabIe perhaps. . the view.
point of those who hare not given the
matter attention from scientific
standpoint but there WealtIi
me quackgrass that many of our
Farmers i trying IA get nd of atno
uncomfortable cost ID themselves.