The Benson signal., 1917-06-30
FARMS THE SOURCE
Of WEALTH
Careful TiIIage, Good Manage
ment and a Beneficent Soil.

Reading the reports of the managers
Of the chartered banks in Canada, one
Is struck by the wonderful showing
that they have made during the past
two or three years. They are careful
in their statements, and while they
attribute the success that they have
met with, together with that which has
followed other lines of business, they
are careful to emphasize the fact that
the condition of big business may not
continue. On the other hand, they
point out that the material and funda-
mental source of wealth is the farm.
While other lines of business may have
their SetbackS, and while care and
scrupulOus care, will have to be exer-
ciSed to keep an even balance, there
is but little risk to the farmer who on
economic and studied lines will carry
on his branch Of industry and endeavor
to produce what the world wants not
only today, but for long distance into
the future, with greater demand than
ever in the past.
Speaking recently before Canadian
bank board at it's annual meeting, the
vice president, once farmer himself,
said:
"The farm is the chief source Of
wealth. We have now three transcon-
tinental railways with branches run
ming through thousands of miles Of
the very best undeveloped agricultural
To- IN %11o To
course of things these must attract
immigration. The products of the farm
are now commanding the highest
prices ever known, and in my opinion
even after the end of the war, high
prices for foodstuffs must continue to
prevail. With the mechanical appli-
ances now available for farm work, the
farmer needs no considerable supply
of extra capital, but should be helped
to the extent needed upon good secur-
ity. The food supply Of the world is
short, the demand is likely to increase
rather than decrease. Development
of mines, extension of factories and
the reconstruction of devastated Eu-
rope must all call for supplies for the
workers. On the whole, the farmer
has been helped rather than hurt by
the war, and will continue to be, at
least for long time to come"
Many men of authority and intelli-
gence support what the vice president
has said, and their statements are
borne out by the facts that readily pre-
sent themselves. The different grain
producing countries of Europe have
been robbed OF the man power that de-
veloped their agriculture, the farms
have been devastated and laid waste.
Full and complete reliance will have to
be placed on the United States and
Canada, and from what we see today,
it will take the combined forces Of
these two countries to come anywhere
near meeting the cry that will go out
for food. The warnings and appeals
sent out by the heads Of these two
countries are none too soon nor too
urgent. Therefore, it becomes nec-
essary for those who can produce to
exert themselves. Secure land, rent it,
buy it. Get it somewhere, some way,
and have it operated. The Canadian
Government, sending out it's appeal, is
not selfish in this matter. Thousands
of acres in the United States await
the tiller's efforts, and none Of it
should be idle. Canada, too, offers
wonderful advantages, with its free
lands and it's low-priced lands, to those
desirous of helping the nation, and i'm
proving their own condition at the
same time. Many are taking advan-
tage of this wonderful opportunity
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