The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-12-28
AGRICULTURE THE
MAINSTAY Of THE
NATION
The United States and Canada
Have a Great Responsibility.

The United States and Canada
Have a Great Responsibility.
This is the day when the farmer
has his innings. The time was when
be was dubbed the farmer" the
'mossback." and In a tone that could
never have been called derisive. but
stin there was In II the infection that
he was occupying an inferior position.
The stf6 upper lip that the farmer car
ried. warded OF any approach that his
occupation was q degrading one. His
hour arrived. though. and for some
years past he has been looked up to as
occupying q high position.
Agriculture. by q natural trend Of
economic conditions. stands out today
In strong relief, as the leader in the
worlds pursuits. Never in the nations
history have the eyes Of the world
been 20 universally focused on the
farm. The farmer II the man Of Inn
portance; the manufacturer Of its most
necessary product, and he now enjoys
the dual satisfaction Of reaping a max
imum Of profit. ~ q result Of his opera
lions. while he also becomes a strong
tActor In molding the worlds destinies.
Manufacturers, business men. pro-
feeslonAl men and bankers realize the
importance Of agriculture, and gladly
acknowledge It a. the twin sister to
commerce. In commercial, financial
and political crisis. the tiller Of the
soil takes the most important place.
Maximum prices, the highest in many
decades, show the worlds recognition
Of the necessary requirement for more
farm stuffs. The time was coming
when this would have been brought
about automatically, but war time
conditions urged 1t forward, while the
farmer was able to secure land at rea-
sonable prices. Throughout several Of
the Western states this condition ex-
lists. as also in Western Canada.
Never has such condition been
known in commercial life. 1t Is truly
an opportunity Of lifetime. Large
and small manufacturing concerns and
practically every other line Of busi-
ness have been limited In their profits
to the point Of almost heroic sacrifice.
while It IL possible today to reap divi-
dends In farming unequaled in any
other line.
Thirty. and a. high as nfty bushels
Of wheat per acre at 500 per bushel
and all other farm produce on q simi-
lar basis, grown and produced on land
available at from SIS to $40 per acre
represents q return Of profit despite
higher cost Of labor and machinery.
that. in many cases runs even higher
than 1907 Of an annual return on the
amount invested. Such is the present
day condition in Western Canada. How
long 1t will last, no one can foretell.
Prices for farm produce will likely re-
main high for many years. Certainly.
the low prices Of past years will not
come again in this generation. The
lands referred to, are low in price at
present, but they will certainly In
crease to their naturally productive
value as soon a. the demand for them
necessitates this increase, and this day
10 not far distant. This demand Is
growing daily; the farmer now on the
ground IL adding to his holdings while
prices are low; the agriculturist on
high priced lands IL realizing that he
10 not getting all the profit that his
neighbor In Western Canada Is secur-
ing; the tenant farmer is seeking q
home Of his own. which he can buy
on what he was paying out for rent,
and many are forsaking the crowded
cities to grasp these unprecedented op-
portunities.
The tenant farmer, and the owner
Of high priced land, IL now awakening
to the realization that he IL not get
ting the return for his labor and In
vestment that 1t is possible to secure in
Western Canada. Thousands are max
ing trips Of inspection to personally in
vestgats conditions and to acquaint
themselves with the broadening bene-
flts derived by visiting Western Can
ada. Such trips awaken In a progress
dve man that natural desire to do
bigger things. to accomplish as much
a. his neighbor. and frequently result
In convincing and satisfyins him that
Gods most fertile outdoors. with q big
supply Of natures best climatic and
health-giving conditions lies in West
ern Canada.
The days Of pioneering are over: the
seeker after q new home travels
through all parts Of the country on the
same good railway trains ~ he has
been accustomed 10 at home, but on
which he has been accorded q special
railway rate Of about one cent mile.
He finds good roads for automobiling
and other tra1nc: rural telephone lines
owned BY the provincial governments;
rural schools and churches situated
conveniently to all; well appointed and
homelike buildings, and everywhere an
indication Of general prosperity; cities
a~A An-.~~ tn, ~ .noAn-.n A..ax~ouo