The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1877-01-07
WEEKLY tlko ldDEpERDsET.
SUNDAY. JAscAnrAl 10.
TIE hAyr or = 10.

i----=-.2 iF
With the close Of t3day rrsscs from
fine into eternity the year 1876. and as
we stand npon the threshold of is
young successor, IL brief retrospect OF
: the route over which wo have been
travelling for tho Pass twelve months,
may prove Instructive by tho discovery
Of pdst errors, md from which light for
our future guidance may be furnished.
Although the people Of Elko county have
no special cause for complaint, there is
no disguiGing the stubborn fact that
they are not 80 prosperous MS they should
be-. for Whilo tho county government IL
economically administered, lis finances
In most healthy condition, aud with
fair product resulting from our principal
notwithstanding md agriculture
times are dull mud money is scarce. At
the close OF each succeeding yeRr, the
unpaid balances nre generally MS lnrge
Ms at the previous settlement, with litflo
or nothing to show. in the way Of ali
equivalent for timo and labor expended.
Now, although the mining interest is an
important element in tho wealth and
business OF tho county, It is yet second
airy to that of agriculture, and il is with
the ranching community that wo desire
to hold communion. According to the
testimony Of many Of our farmers
there's no longer any money i'll the
business. Accepting this statement,
tho queation Immediately nriscs, why2
Tho country is consuming more than
over before; there's is not q greater acre-
ago in cultivation in proportion to tho
population than in years, pnsti then
why is It there is 30 limited sale
for our furin produce? Simply
because our farmers will per!
sist in giving almost their entire Mt
tentiun to Tho culture of nm nrticld
for. which the, local demand has boon
steadily decreasing for several ycnrs, and
falling TO recognize tho fact that our Pc
cnliar situation .dobars us, from the. I'd!
Vnntages enjoyed by other communities
TINT OF advantngeously exporting their;
Burplus-thousand of dollars are nnnu-,
nlly paid 10 California and Utah for flour
for our consumption, and thousands
moro nre pnid to the Railroad Company
for bringing it here. whilst the product
of our fhfms'lB slowed AWAY in rail +0ad
warehouses;. Not only is change Ia
the system Of ranching imperative, but:
we hNvegot to loarn to 1.-Two within our
selves. As wc can export but little, our
imports should 10 light MS possible, and .
instead OF sending our. money abroad 10
purchase our -four, butter, eggs, hocon,
chickens, etc., etc., it should 30 4
into the pockets OF our own
people, and tho chances aro Tint some
Of it, at least, would find its way back,
which Certainly never occurs under tho
present system. II may be urged that
our farmers cannot compete with those
TO tho eaRt and west in the pro-
ducLion Of these articles, and 1t has
been asserted by rancicrs TINT
even though produced they would
would not find market with our poo-
pie. Both Of these Viows Nro erroneous.
In puint Of agricultural Advantages,
Utah has no percentage over Nevada,
yet these very staple articles, which
should be afforded from our own farm
srs, are constantly being imported from
that Territory, and, strange az it may
appear, sold to tho very persons who
should have had them to sell. When.
ever our people shall recognize the no.
ccssity Of patronizing homo industries,
and adopt tho plan Of living within
themselves MS much as possible, money
will no longer DO eight" nnd tho ne
cessity for a foreign market at which TO
dispose Of the product OF our soil, will
no longer oxist. y.ii,",., nm!
Hoping TINT these brief suggestions
will be received in tho spirit thoy nro
offered, and that they mny not prove
wholly Intellectual towards producing
moro rational systom in tho conduct Of
matters 80 vital to tho general interests,
wo takO great pleasure in wishing all II
happy md prosperous Now Year.