The Ordway new era., 1919-11-21
Things General

A few days ago Geo Frantz was
in and in the course of gossip he
stated that he was moving to 2 farm
south of Rocky Ford. Farmo are
hard to get hero. They are hard
to get even across the river, and 1
asked him why. Here was his an
swer. "a Jap can get more out of
the land than most anyone else and
for that reason he will pay bigger
rental and of course big rentals are
what land owners are after" The
owner of the land across the river
who leased Frantz his place for five
years stated that he would not rent
to a Jap even for more money.
Why? Simply because his land
would be unduiy sspped of its vital
ity and he would be contributing to
tho colonization of many of the Jap
anese in this part of the country and
aid in bringing about conditions as
they exist in parts of California. Is
there anyone who wants a ccloniz-
alton of Japanese here? California
has had her fill of it and IL you will
note, some serious consideration is
being given the question. In fact
action taken by California almost in
volved the entire nation not long
ago. Crowley county is now good
enough for us all. Will 1t not con-
tinue to be good enough for us?
Then shall we just stand by and see
our lands taken by the japanese?
I6 not the condition quite serious
across the river and did not the far
mors meet over there a few weeks
ago to take drastic action regarding
the situation.
But we might say: well We'll
move" That sounds good but move
to where? Remember this nation
is not so large and that Japan has
been sending hundreds of thousands
of their subjects over here annually.
You just try that moving stunt and
you II find, if the place is worth liv-
ing in, that the Jap will soon be
there. Move again, eh? No.
About that time we'd all begin to
think seriously.
Japs are good spenders, we say.
Yes, but II that's all we have in
mind-the amount of money q Jap
will spend with us we'd better
turn Jap. We fellows in business
in the towns may court their pat
ronage. Well we'll get it until we
aid and abet the proposition to a
point where they coIonize and then
Mr.. Calico Seller, Mr.. Money T. o.
Loaner, Mr.. Newspaper Publisher
and the rest of the business men will
be moving" because Mr. Jap Mer-
chant will be on the ground and
Mrs. Jap Milliner. Mr.. Jap Meat
Dealer and Mr. Jap Coal Man, and
so on.
Over south west or town is Buck
eye Hill and territory adjacent
where the finest af watcrmelons, and
cherries, and turkeys and other
things grow and where more ex-
cellent families live than can be
counted on n fellows fingers and
toes. We don't see much of them
In fact we see very little of them
for they don't trade here much and
we don't go over there very often
But I'll say. this that we are losing
the trade of lot of good families
who are now dealing principally in
Manzanola. We can't blame them
It's up to us to offer them an in
ducement of some kind in order to
get their valuable trade. 1t would
help a little IL the business men of
Ordway would pour little gas into
over that portion of tho country
w. j Miller. one of the substantial
farmers of that seotion-which. by
the way, is nearer Ordway than 1t is
to Manzanola was in few days ago.
1t wouldn't be bit out OF place for
a news paper to hsve a real local
item about him being in the city, for
it is really rare thing. He dom
come over here very often and his
coming is worth q news item. 1t S
up to us folks to find out a lit
tie of the why's of these thingn. We
want the Millers and the Martins
and the Shcltons, and GOudys. and
Weskamps, and Passigs and Schraw-
gers and Mathews and Ball and
every other family over in that sec
tion of the country to come to Ord
way, to trade here If they willard
it's up to us to find out why.