Arizona republican., 1917-10-05
ARIZONA PRAISE |s SOUNDED BY
 PHOENIX EDITOR

J. w. Spear editor of The Arizona Rcl'uoiicall, wno IS now upon Vaca- tion in the east is spreading praise ot the sunshine state Wnei ever iie goes, as is evidenced by the following from the Kansas City Joulnal
 J. W. Spear editor of the Arizona Republican, Phoenix, Ariz., was in Kansas City last night on his way to visit relatives in Ohio.
 For a number of years MT. Spear was associated with newspapers in St. Joseph and other towns m Mis- soufi. lie is enthusiastic over the future of Arizona as a mining, ag- ricultural, cattle, cotton raising and Ciu US fruit growing state.
 Alizona keeps right on growing, and demonstrating that it is good place to settle down in.' said Mir SpeaI. We never bragged much aoout our population but we are feeling quite chesty now since the government boosted our population from 100000 in 1910 to 450, ,000 seven years later when the war department | found it necessary to call for troops, We have done our share in that re- gard. and will put 3,200 men on the firing line in France.
 From the southern part of the state 35 per cent of the drafted men are Mexcans. but many of them have claimed exemptions because of de- pendents and not having taken the oath of allegience. In Maricopa county, where Phoenix is located, 1 only one tenth of the drafted men are Mexicans.'
 Farmers Hard Hit by Draft
 The draft, according to MT. Spear. | has hit the agricultural section of the state pretty hard, and some diffi- culty is being experienced in getting men to harvest the crops. Fms ap- ! plies particularly to the northern part of the state. where potato grow | ing is carried on extensively, and to the cotton crop in the Yuma and Salt River valleys. The cotton is about ready to be picked and pickeIs nom Texas together with friendly Indians, are being pressed into ser vice.
 There are 3S.000 acres of cotton to be picked, MT. Spear said Tn present price is 5 cents pound, but we look for it to go to 75 cents There is one cotton plantation of l0,G61 acres owned oy q rubber com pany
 According to MT. Spear prohibition has been helpful instead of hurtful to his state.
 Business is better than before pro hibitiOn was ratified by the people, and bank deposits show big in crease. l wa sparticularly impressed with the virtues of prohibition on recent visit to Winslow, an ex- ciuslvely railroad center. Since the l law has been in operation the rail way employees have built huHoreds O ! homes and the bank deposits oi Winslow have reached over $500. 900.
 Revival in Mining.
 There has been revival in conner mining, and mines that were aban- doned because of the low value of the ore and the expense of handling have been feopened and arc being i worked to their full capacities. Ire first copper in Arizona was found in the Ajo district, and in the earlier periods the product of the mines was loaded in wagons and drawn over land by a steam tractor to Yuma There the ore was transferred It
 oats and carried by water to Inc Gulf of Mexico and from there tu Swansea, Wales. to be treated. Ores TOW produced in the Ajo district are | concentrated at the point of pro- tiuction and later sent to Douglas
 Ariz., for final treatment.
 METHODIST CONFERENCE BEGINS
 FL PASO. Oct 1.-The annual con- ference of the New Mexico conference of the Methodist Episcopal church south. opened here today Delegates
 from New Mexico and Texas west oi the Pecos river are in attendance