The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-03-18

crop, 30 by degrees many farmers added
hop growing TO their other farming ven
lures. This hop business had great
stimulation along in the early seventies
by being 800 per pound, and bringing
good price for several years, The hop
industry wa- the first notable effort
made by the Oregon farmer toward di.
versity Of crop.
Then, about this time, the great
grange movement became known and
wa- organized throughout the State.
This wa- the light that brought the
whole farming community together TO
talk Of means OF bettermcnt for the
farmer Old and young, the old timer
and the newcomer the large farmer and
the lesser the land owner and the renter,
and most wonderful Of all the women
and children were brought out to par
take Of the social interchange, the
speeches, the singing the rccitations,
the dancing, banquet. and marry max
ing.
Then it VA. that the old-time pioneer
method- Of the old Oregon were gradual.
~ merged into the new Oregon, and
prc-to.changc, the old time farmer be
came less set in the old rrts where he
had 80 long lain dormant. He began to
realize that in concerted action there i
strength and hencefOrth he was the new
man. So the grange movement lived
and grew through it, infancy and was
soon large child, and then on to adol-
e-ence and full hedged maturity. and in
time after the manner Of all earthly
thing. a seeming old age came upon it;
this because Of many reasons that
will not try to enumerate here. But
during the early, vigorous life Of the
grange. the farmer folk we're taught
many good lessons Of independent self
help, and in its passing it left the i'm
press of its good work upon the follow
ing generations The old time farmer
was aroused from hi- Rip Van Winkle
sleep Of ease and comfort, that was 30
easy for the people who had been born
and reared in the more rigorous climate
of the east and middle west, to fall into
after the long wearisome journey across
the continent to the promised land of
the setting sun. Thus was the seed
planted that took root and grew in the
minds of the farming communities
throughout the State, that if success
ever came to them, or the younger
people who were soon to take their
places, it must come OF united effort.
They must join hands and forces and
put their shoulder to the wheel as one
man and push altogether.
Then it was that the old time farmer
began to learn and assimulate the valu-
able lesson of organized effort, and it
was such a new thought to him. that it
was only taken into hi, reason by de.
grpes. Action along these lines was
necessarily slow and labored As has
been the habit of humanity since the
beginning of human endeavor. they We're
fearful and conservative but once hav-
ing begun, there WAS not stopping place.
Humanity by natures stern decree must
progress. We cannot 90 over the old
tracks except to take its lessons, which
have ever new lesson within their
kernel for those who seek for them. And
that type of humanity that stands in
the old tracks. and in self satisfaction
says. What was good enough for my
ancestors is good enough for me =, has
never been nor will never be conducive
to bringing the standards of the worlds
advancement up through all the devious
ways of progression and intelligent en-
lightenmcnt to present sturdy endeay-
or Such are only brought forward by
pushing force of circumstance. So it
was at that time, there were many men
who could not see the light before Them
it was too bright, so they plodded on to
the end in the old way which was good
enough for them.
1t is said that all real self help must
begin at home. SO | would like to say to
our men of Clatsop county; first bui' 1
roads: your immediate welfare depends
upon accessible markets of the nearest
towns and shipping places. And as the
towns are dependent upon you as Il
constant source of supplies, so are you
dependent upon the towns for traffic.
Continued on page g.
N. A. Alderman, 42l Bond ST., does al