The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1917-12-28
AGRICULTURE THE
MA|NSTAY Of THE
NATION
The United States and Canada
Have a Great Responsibility.

still there was in it the infection that
he was occupying an inferior position.
The stiff upper lip that the farmer car
ried, warded off any approach that his
occupation was degrading one. His
hour arrived, though, and for some
years past he has been looked up to as
occupying 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 so universally focused on the
farm. The farmer is the man of I'M
pOrtance; the manufacturer of its most
| necessary product, and he now enjoys
the dual satisfaction Of reaping max
imum Of profit, as a result Of his opera
tons, while he also becomes strong
factor in holding the worlds deStinies.
Manufacturers, business men, pro-
fessiOnal men and bankers realize the
Importance Of agriculture, and gladly
acknowledge 1T as 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 it 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 a condition been
known in commercial life. 1t is truly
an opportunity of a lifetime. Large
| and small manufacturing concerns and
| practically every other line of bust
| ness have been limited in their profits
to the point Of almost heroic sacrifice,
while it is possible today to reap divi-
dends in farming unequaled in any
| other line.
Thirty, and as high as fifty bushels
Of wheat per acre at 1920 per bushel
and all other farm produce on SINH
lar basis, grown and produced on land
available at from SIS to $40 per acre
represents a return Of profit despite
higher cost Of labor and machinery,
that, in many cases runs even higher
than 1000 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 as the demand for them
necessitates this increase, and this day
| is not far distant. This demand is
growing daily; the farmer now on the
ground is adding to his holdings while
prices are low; the agriculturist on
high priced lands is realizing that he
is not getting all the profit that his
neighbOr in Western Canada is secur-
| ing; the tenant farmer is seeking a
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, is now awakening
to the realization that he is not get
ting the return for his labor and in
vestment that it is possible to secure in
| Western Canada. Thousands are max
ing trips of inspection to personally in
vestigate conditions and to acquaint
themselves with the broadening bene-
fits derived by visiting Western Can
ada. Such trips awaken in a progress
sive man that natural desire to do
bigger things, to accomplish as much
as his neighbOr, and frequently result
in convincing and satisfying him that
Gods most fertile outdoors, with big
supply of natures best climatic and
health giving conditions lies in West
ern Canada.
The days Of pioneering are over; the
seeker after new home travels
through all parts of the country on the
same good railway trains as he has
been accustomed to at home, but on
which he has been accorded special
railway rate Of about one cent q mile.
He finds good roads for autOmObiling
and other traffic; 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
and towns with all modern improve
ments, and what is the most cOnvinc-
ing factor in his decision, satisfied
and prosperous people, with whole
hearted welcome to that country Of a
larger life and greater opportunities.
To Western Canada belongs the dis
tinguished honor of being the holder
of all worlds championships in wheat
and oats for both quality and quantity.
For many years in succession Western
Canada has proven her claim for SUI
premacy in the most keenly contested
National exhibitions and to her is cred
tied the largest wheat and oat yields
America has known The natural con-
ditions peculiar to Western Canada
and so adaptable to grain growing has
been an insurmOuntable barrier for her
competitors to overcome. In the last
few years the yields Of wheat and
oats per acre have surprised the agri-
cultural world. AS much as sixty bush
els Of wheat per acre has been grown
on some farms, while others have fur
nished affidavits showing over fifty
bushels Of wheat per acre. and oats as
high as one hundred and twenty bush.
els per acre. One reputable farmer
makes affidavit to a crop return Of over
ffty-four thousand bushels Of wheat
from q thousand acres. While this Is
rather the execution than the rule,