The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-02-01

casm, we thanked the people of Ken
newick for their help in making the
Finley Fair financial success. Last
week two readers took sturdy excep-
ton to our remarks proving our sar-
casm failure, so we are going to ex-
plain in plain English.
For several years the Finley Grange
has gone ahead with its work and we
believe has been of material good to
the community without asking a cent
of aid from anyone. Recently a pia-
no was purchased and in order to help
out the funds two or three entertain
ments were planned. Chief among
these was the Finley Fair. In discus
sing it a difference Of opinion arose
among the members of the committee
in charge over the purchasing Of the
supplies. One member in particular
held out against buying them at home,
declaring that not one cent would we
receive in return. "You take it from
me-" said he, 'they1l all come out if
it's free, but if they have to spend a
quarter, you won't get a soul out Of
Kennewick. If you'll go across the
river to Pasco and spend $500 and
let them know what you are doing,
I'll wager you'll get dozen men over
here who will spend some money with
US, and I'll also wager you won't get
q man out of Kennewick." "You're the
worst knocker in the valley" replied
another one. "We1l make 'em come
out" 'T'd like to have you tell me
how you're going to do it," answered
the first. "Well, I'll tell you how.
Well get out some hand bills, we'll
advertise in the theatre, and each one
of us will call up our friends and ask
them to come. You'll see. They'll be
out in force" "Have it your way"
said the first, "but remember what I'm
telling you"
And so they went ahead spent
about $500 in advertising, and near
$4,000 in supplies, making a total Of
little over $500 and then what ?
Mr.. Knocker was absolutely right, and
we've had to listen to him gloat "what
did I tell you?" ever since, for one
young man brought his mother and one
young fellow brought his girl, and
that was the size Of the Kennewick
crowd. The Valley club house gave
an oyster supper earlier in the eve
ming and the young man and his
mother were the sole representatives
from Kennewick, so they Jared even
worse. .s
The Kennewick business men are
strong community boosters when the
community boosted is Kennewick. And
when we go to town and spend dol
lar they are experts at telling us what
good fellows we are and how they ap-
preciate that Kennewick is absolutely
dependent upon the farmer but when
we ask them to come down and spend
a quarter with us, every auto in town
is in the repair shop.
And so the farmer is forced to the
conclusion that the Kennewick bust
ness men care absolutely nothing for
him except when he is in town spend
ing his money. Under the circum-
stances, can he be blamed for sending
to Seattle, to Portland, or to Chicago
for his supplies when he can make a
material saving by doing SO? ST
We don't advocate trading away
from home. We are staunch believers
in community work, but we do say
that Kennewick makes about the
poorest showing possible in commun-
ity spirit. One firm, The Produce Co.,
felt guilty and made apology by send
ing $500 check for our piano fund,
but the rest-?Y;*vIDNTM H..
A dispatch from Mount Angel, Ore,
reads-"The directors of the Mount
Angel bank have offered $4,000 to the
farmers of the surrounding country
with which to build silos. The board
has announced that this sum will be
loaned for this purpose at five pc,
cent. This will enable many farmers
to build silos and consequently makes
it possible to feed live stock at a lowe,
cost. 1t is reasoned that this will
mean an increase in the raising Of
live stock and dairying which in turr
will produce more business for the
bank. The farmers of the country are
eager to accept this proposition"
Such a move on the part of bank:
up and down the Yakima Valley woult
be a wonderfully fine thing for tn
whole valley. We venture the asser
ton that within two years there woult
be three times as many silos in tn
valley as there are today. This mean