Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-01-02
AGRICULTURE THE
MA|NSTAY OF THE
NATION
The United States and Canada
Have a Great Responsibility.


has his innings. The time was when
he was dubbed the farmer" the
"mossback," and in tone that could
never have been called derisive, but
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 reproach that his
occupation was a degrading one. his
hour arrived, though, and for some
years past he has been looked up to as
| occupying a high position.
Agriculture, by a 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 a strong
factor in molding the worlds destinies.
Manufacturers, business men pro-
fesSiOnal men and bankers realize the
importance of agriculture, and gladly
| acknowledge it as the twin sister to
| commerce. In commercial, financial
and political crises, 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
| whom tbic Ir,o,1l6 ,ouo hoon hrOnpht
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 it 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 OPP
! 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 a big
| supply of natures best climatic and
| health-giving conditions lies in West |
| ern Canada.
The days of pioneering are over; the
| seeker after a new home travels
through all parts of the country on the
| same good railway trains as he has
D3en accustomed W dl nOlliS. DuL On
| which he has been accorded a special
| railway rate of about one cent a mile.
He finds good roads for automobling
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
%e,f For hot i've nd