The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-08-20
FUEL PROBLEM
OF NORTHWEST
is DISCUSSED
F. w. CathrO of Bank of North
Dakota Urges Extension of
State Development
NEED TO USE LIGINTE
Says Annual Over.charge To
Northwest Through Failure
is Huge Sum

The fuel problem of the Northwest
is discussed by +. w. Cathro, director
general OF the Bank OF North Dakota
in the August bulletin of the bank
carrying the monthly statement as o
August Is, which was published yes.
terday.
Declaring that North Dakota and
other Northwestern states are paying
a huge and needless amount OF money
for coal because OF failure to develop
the Ignite coal fields Of North Dakota
Mr.. Cathro discussed the relation OF
the Bank Of North Dakota and the
state government to the situation.
The adoption of state extension OF
industry in the coal fields with financ-
! ing through the same method as for
mills and elevators is suggested in
the bulletin as a method OF solution.
Mr.. Cathro argues:
AT the prevailing price of coal a
full years supply costs the northwest
over half billion dollars. Last Sep
tember, before farm prices had reach
ed anywhere near their lowest level,
the Northwest National Bank Review
estimated the value of all field crops
in Minnesota, North Dakota, South
Dakota and Montana at little over
81 900 100000. 1t appears then that
we pay more than half Of what we
obtain for all our field crops for coal
enough to run our plants and railroads
and to supply our domestic needs. 1t
is entirely probable that the people
Of the northwest could have cut wood
enough out of their forests to supply
themselves with fuel at far less cost
in labor and money outlay. 1t is GER
tain that they could have mined out
enough Ignite from their tremendous
deposits at less than half the cost Of
the coal they bought. tf
Advantages Cited
at appears then that in many ways
it would be of tremendous advantage
to the entire northwest, if it could
adopt the North Dakota idea Of the
fullest possible utilization of it's own
resources. 1t would be able to hold
for it's own uses an amount of money
now paid out for fuel alone equal to
more than half of what it receives for
it's immense volume of field crops. The
development of it's coal resources, as
already shown, would greatly facilitate
the local manufacturing of farm pro-
ducts, thus further diversifying its in
dustrial activity and conserving its
agricultural resources. 1t has been
estimated that by handling and manu-
featuring all its farm products, North
Dakota would receive about One-third
net more for such products than it has
been getting. If a like advantage
could be gained by the l0calization
of the manufacture of all farm pro-
ducts in the northwest, there would
be a gain of approximately half bill
lion dollars. And this does not in
clude what might be saved at the con-
sumer's end. With an equal saving
to consumers the 100000 inha0it-
ants of the northwest, presuming
that it requires $4O0 per year each for
their maintenance, would have more
than another half billion making
one and a half billion dollars in all.
There will be a still further ad-
vantage, from the fact that greater ex-
penditures at home and less expendi-
ture outside would increase the a
mount of liquid capital, and render the
entire section less dependent upon
other financial centers. On the other
hand, no injury would be worked to
legitimate interests outside the north
west. With its greater production OF
wealth, the northwest would have
more to offer other sections in return
for the surplus products. With its
more highly developed industrial and
financial strength it would be better
able to negotiate its trade and its fin
ancial relations with others; there
would be greater certainty and stabil-
| ity all around; and losses both for the
northwest and all those having in
dustrial or financial relations witt
it would be minimized. In the matter
of credit it would then be more pro
cess of give and take-Of mutual ac
commodation-our surplus flowing
out at certain times of the year ant
the surplus Of other sections flowing
in at other times, than it is now, whel
the northwest is in position of gen
eral financial dependency upon tn
greater money centers.
Need for Development
"The need for the development o
northwestern Ignite in the interes
of the industrial and business pros
perity of the entire section ought tt
be obvious to everyone. There re
mains the practical question Of hov
the development is to be brough
about There will be required a larg
initial expenditure of capital. How i
this capital to be assembled? Tn
North Dakota idea of state financing
ownership and operation of such en-
terprises is even more disliked thai
the idea that state should render it
self industrially and financially inde
pendent, to the extent possible by IN
complete utilization of its own re
sources. Presumably the larger fin
ancial interests of the northwest, b
pooling their efforts, could develo
these tremendous industrial resource
without the aid of either the state Q
national government. Such enter
prises have been carried throug
purely as a means of private prof
Examples are not wanting Of the fOl
.>.ot:on of rroot pornorofinpo for sin