Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-10-28
Wisconsin and the Great
Consuming Midwest
(Reprinted from the Milwaukee Journal)

i (Reprinted from the Milwaukee Journal)
j An idea that there remains in the
country little or no land that is arabic
and that we must reclaim swamp and
desert land in order to save ourselves
from going hungry has spread all over
the country
] Advantage has been taken of this to
urge and carry out costly irrigation en-
| terprises at public expense, some OF
them serving purposes that were use
ful and some of them unnecessary. Un-
der like pretense bills providing for
appropriations of the ''pork barrel
type are being passed in congress.
These measures, in general, relate to
j far western lands, lands so far from
the great body of consumers that COM
petition in the nations markets is
made very difficult by high freight
charges. 1t has led, moreover, to open
| ing farms in climates SO unfavorable
that the chance of getting good crop
any year is at best only $3.50.
/ The idea behind all this is erroneous.
All the time there has been available,
in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota,
and other states, millions of acres of
excellent agricultural land. In Wiscon-
sin the acreage Of forest land of good
agricultural quality that is being cut
over every year exceeds largely the
acreage of new farms. According to
conservative estimai es, based upon
yearly progress during a recent period,
it will be at least fifty years before all
of Wisconsin's s cuto land adapted
to farming is being farmed. Some cal
culations run up to one hundred years
There is another important point
The farming land which is now cleared,
SPEAKING either of the country in its en-
tirety or of Wisconsin in particular, is
not producing nearly as much foodstuff
as it is capable of producing. AS a
matter of fact, agricultural experts
and intelligent, practical farmers a.
gree that the farms of America can be
made to double their present crops. 1t
is merely question of more intensive
farming.
1t is desirable, however, that the
| back to- the~farm movement should set
in in earnest 1t is desirable, in the In
tterest of society, of our institutions,
that men living from hand to mouth in
the cities shonld have opportunity to
gain farms, gain homes. of their own.
] For several years, as a rule, they Will
have to clear land, which is not done
quickly, and meanwhile they will have
to work hard to support themselves
and their families.
1 In doing all this they should beware
of the danger, be warned against the
danger, of trying to develop farms far
from the markets, even far from points
of shipment. High transportation costs
ia one region, as compared with lower
costs in regions much nearer markets,
are likely to prove disastrous even to a
good farm with an able farmea behind
4 it.
! The central west, great Industrial
region already, seems destined to be-
come the chief home of American man.
ufacturing. It's population, numbering
many millions, is increasing more rap
idly than that of any other geographic
cal division of the country 1t will be
the nations largest market for food,
as well as the nations largest indust-
rial center In it farmers who live
within practicable transportation range
will find their best market. Herein lies
the great opportunity of Wisconsin, OF
Wisconsin farmers and of all who came
to clear and cultivate farms in Wiscon-
sin. For Wisconsin is part of the middle
west, part of this region of vast and
fast expanding industrialism, and her
farmers are cheek by jowl with the
millions of people whose ever increas-
ing numbers even today spell gigantic
consumption.