Show p ant rf abib by PROF SAMUEL FORTIER U S agricultural department op anions will differ as to what constitutes the great est et need of and arid america it the present time the nu berous wants of pery eiery new spiT sely settled region are not beadily applied when tl e region embraces two fifths of the area of the united states and holds within its confines the destiny of fourteen young common its needs are multiplied many times the remedies proposed are as varied as the conditions and obstacles better and cheaper transportation is one mans man s remedy more capital to den develop elop our resources is as another s while a i third is in favor of establishing manufactories many favor the further construction of irrigation canals and storage reservoirs ind md the preservation of the forests as the best means of benefiting the west while these and others that might be named are destined to play an important part during 0 the next few years none is deserving of a first place in my humble opinion none of these those are so important as the establishment of prosperous rural homes in the sparsely settled irrigate irrigation ion districts of this country when one review s tl e conditions which exist in the w est to day he is forced to the conclusion that the greatest need is to obtain a sufficient number of desirable white settlers and to assist them to such an extent that they will be able to overcome the difficulties peculiar to a new farm and to establish happy and prosperous homes it would not be so difficult to secure a million people if all were permitted to come without reference to means credentials or color the indolent and shiftless beings who crowd the unhealthy tenements of eastern cities might be induced to migrate but only a small percentage of these have strength of either mind or body to become successful farm ers the large majority of this class would retard rather than advance the interests of western communities again if we ne were to open our gates to asias millions there would be no difficulty in placing a yellow family on every ten acre tract but the people of the west and especially those of the pacific coast states believe these productive product ne plains and valleys bordering on the pacific barricaded by mountain fortresses and watched oer oner by the silent peak peaks of a whitney and a shasta a ranier and a hood were destined by the almighty for a white man s country it is true the west needs settlers but its needs are not so great that it can afford to adopt every one who crosses either the pacific or the missouri the opportunities which it has to offer in the way of soil climate products and social conditions are such as ought to make the th e lest class of citizens enger to come it is to this clash class of citizens that the west is extending the warmest of welcomes it wants the sons and daughters of the pioneers of the mississippi valley who have grown tired of raising corn to try the more interesting and more profitable irrigated C agriculture it stands ready to hand oer oner its dairies to the norsemen norseman Nor semen its sugar beets to the german and its vine vineyards y ards to the italians with one hand towards new england and the other towards the south it extends an invitation to the children of both puritan and cavalier to settle in the west and blend forever into the highest type of of civilization what is best in both races |