The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1922-12-28
THE COMING YEAR

What will the coming year bring
forth? That all depends upon our
own attitude toward the problems
which it will present. But this
much can be said: 1t will be bet
ter year than 1922. Why is it pos
sible to make such prediction?
Because of 1922.
The year that is passing now was
not the most discouraging of the
years recently encountered, but it
was a revealing period, especially
for the people of the Snake River
Valley. Certainly it demonstrated
to the satisfaction of most people
that speculative farming is not the
sound practice for this section, and
that stability must be achieved
through the production of diversi
field crops. 1t was an expensive les
son to learn, but we believe that
even at the price paid will have been
worth while if it brings about the
elimination of one crop bids for sue
cess.
But the local situation is not the
only cause for advancing optimistic
forecasts for the year to come. We
have not been alone in experiencing
adverse times. The agricultural
sections OF the entire country have
been similarly affected and as the
result the nations attention has
been focused of late upon agricul-
tural problems, leaders in banking
and industry, in political and govern
mental circles have taken note of
the condition of the nations basic
industry and have arrived at re-
alization that such conditions can
not continue and the nation as a
whole prosper. Some of the great
est minds in America today are ad-
dressing their thought to solving the
farmers problems. Undoubtedly
this means better day and a
brighter year ahead.
prominent in the proposed treatment
of the farmers problem, an exten-
sion of long time credit for crop pro-
duction at lower interest rates, and
the perfection of machinery for mar
keting crops so that the ranchers
will secure a greater return for their
crops. The latter is the more i'm
portart of the two, the most needed |
and the most promising of results.
Important as these two proposals
are. however, the real curative pow
or lies with the people themselves.
They cannot expect some outside
source to continually minister to
hem, they must themselves seek to
better their condition, and they will
10 so.
Slow as has been the progress to-
ward diversified farming in the sec
ion, II is coming. Farmers in this
lection who came to town for vege-
ables. and thus paid tribute to Jap
.nese gardeners, are becoming few
IT. Farmers who MIXED tin cans
or their coffee are becoming ex-
inct, as they should. In the not
listant future they will be num-
'ered with the dodo and the dino
aur.
When the day comes that the
armer provides the bulk of his own
arder he will be we'll on the high
Dad to independence and the entire
ommunity will be fortified for the
eriodical visitation of depressing
conditions. for no scheme
8 yet has been devised whereby any
'eople can avoid entirely fluctua-
ions in business.
The year 1929, it is conceded wit
essed the low point in the pen
ulum's swing from the high mark
{ 1918 and after reaching an equi-
brium the trend of business will
o upward II will start this year
nd bring with II better times for
he ranchers and business men of
his section as we'll as other portions
( our land.