The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1919-05-01
Farm Improvements and Rural Con-
SuuCtion Work VIII Aid in
REIMBURSEMENT.

farmer may serve both his own and
the national interest by at once
making needed improvements on his
property. He can further the general
welfare while assuring himself of
Immediate and permanent benefits.
/ i'll urging road construction and i'm
provements in his locality
1t is generally understood no ma
terial reduction may be expected in
building and construction costs in the
near future To be sure, prices on
some materials may be slightly re-
duced is the readjustment, but the
best authorities on the subject assert
no pronounced reductions are prob
able This is explained by money
conditions, the foreign demand, and
the marked curtailment Of production
OF building materials during the war;
Prof. Fisher of Yale University has
| issued a statement in which he says
the country is on new price level
from which there will be no general
recession.
Many farmers have been unable to
get materials and labor for barns,
silos, houses and other improvements
during the war. The farmer who at
once avails of the labor supply and
gets his improvement work under
way, in the long run, may prove to
be the prudent business man, for
there is reason to believe that farm
ers who delay in the hope OF mater
tally reduced construction costs will
have been deprived of the use OF
these improvements and in the end be
! forced to pay approximately the
building prices now prevailing.
In several states, among them
Missouri, Oregon and Colorado, silo
building campaigns are being car
ried on by the Agriculture colleges.
| In Wisconsin there is a milk house
campaign being vigorously prosecuted
in the dairy districts, while in Illinois
farmers are being urged to build
feeding floors. Other campaigns for
| farm improvements are on in Neb-
| raska, Kansas, Minnesota, South Da-
kota. Kentucky, Ohio and in localities
in Texas and Iowa. While many OF
these are being conducted by build
ing interests, the Division Of Public
Works and Construction Development
Of the U. S. Department Of Labor IS
interested III seeing them successfully
carried out because the Division
realizes such activities on the farms
are bound to have a Donellcial effect
on general business conditions
The farmers of the country should
have an unusual interest in road
building at this tiua. Ii farming is
to continue oLs its present profitable
level. there must be no business
sta,aatiou in the country and Ll.e
vast road building projects in the
various states arc destined TO exert
profound influence in keeping bus
-ezs as usual" OF better than
..al. cad building creates q de-
..-.. t5 and ab5gr0a
..s.., ....a ,-.4 or problem is a
..t us one e0 gent and will con-
-....- ..... Il American indus
..... .s-ed themselves t.
.eace ploL-cl p on a scale to meet
he augmented demand of America
I'd Europe,
The Trans Mississippi Readiust-
nent Congress, held in Omaha, Neb.
ate in February, summarized the
,feseut situation in the following
anguage:
I'VE do not favor pause in the
industrial process to await some
uture readjustment OF wages and
prices of staples. So far as public
improvements are concerned, they
should be resumed at once. 1t is
better that the public should Absorb
the increased cost, if any should here
after appear, than that general un
employment and consequent disaster
and social disorder should follow.
1--WE believe also that the pro
moters of private construction an(
business enlargement should takt
heart of courage and should believe
8 in the immediate resumption Of bus
mess prosperity in the United
4 States There is no place in tht
American scheme of things for TIN
pessimist or the doubter. Our cOuntr,
Il today leads the world in prosperity
1t can lose its leadership only by it
4 own faint-heartedness. We especially
4 deprecate any concerted holding bacl
of construction and business resump
4 tion, for the purpose Of forcing a re
n duction in wages or cost of material
II Both as a means of stimulatin
Il the resumption of industry and re
NJ moving the shadow of unemployment
Il from the working people and ais
4 serve the broader and more perman
n ent purpose Of supplementing tn
n railroad lines and to develop the ir
N land and farm commerce CT the cour
II try, the work Of constructing goo
II roads should be promptly carried O
II by cooperation of the Federal an
State Governors and local commur
n tiles.
y In the recent conference of Gol