Year: 1879

The Year.


The year of grace, 1879, nov drawing
to its close, Will occupy an important
position in the general history of our
country, and will acquire more partlcu-
larly still greater prominence in the fu-
lure history Ct the Waila Walla valley and
the city of Waila Walla, by resson of the
considerable advancement we have made IN
the acquisition Of population, in the de-
velopment of industries and in the essen
tials which constitute the sum total of the
wealth of our material interests.


The dying year has been marked by a
magnificent harvest of the different spe-
cialties of earth and every section Of the
Union; even the ever-aggressive and ire
pressible chopper" refrained from making
his annual raid into Iowa and Nebraska,
and the in coming rush of fleeing blacks
crowded him out of the classic cake walks
OF bleeding Kansas.


Our own section has experienced an
unparalleled harvest this year, for not
only was there a larger acreage under cul-
tivation than ever before, hut in the az
gregate the average yield per acre was
also higher, and in spite Of difficulties and
lack of transportation facilities, and the
large amount of cereals still in the hands
Of our farmers, and merchants, there never
vas more money in this country than at
the present time, and in no community is
1t more extensively distributed. The i'm
mense expectation of our cereal crops Of
this year is good advertisement Of this
section, and one that cannot fail to prove
an important factor in attracting capita
hither, by drawing attention to our agri-
cultural resources, our isolation, our hun
dreds of thousands of acres of government
and railroad lands Immediately available
for cultivation, our healthful climate, and
our lack of and facilities for constructing
manufactures. During the preceding
years of commercial depression through
out the entire country this section has
been in state of transition from the
hardships and amenities uf frontier life
into higher scale of civilization, and
with the completion of the process of ev-
olution we witness the Inauguration of
railroad and other enterprises, which are
TO advance us still further into more i'm
portant position IN the industrial world,
and the dying year will be conspicuous in
our history as being the time when our
citizens awoke to find that themselves and
their section had acquired a notoriety in
other fields which made it famous as the
great desideratum OF the immigrant and
the capitalist. The time for which we
have all so patiently waited, the time
when We shall have railroad comm.lhica-
tion with the great East and with tide
water, Is now near at hand and assured
by the activity with which surveying par
ties of the various companies who are in
terested in our development have been
pushing their work are tokens that the
great reward of rapid transit is about to
crown the patient patience of our people
In territorial politics the notable event of
. .he year is the assumption of its proper
position as the lea'ling portion of the ter
ritory by the counties east Of the Cas-
eades, an advantage which must inure to
our benefit and facilitate our development.


in national affairs the leading events of
the year, after a splendid harvest, to
which everything else is subservient, is
the resumption Of specie payments, which,
together with the partial refunding of the
national debt, has placed the credit of
the country above par in the financial
centers Of the world, and materially as
sIsting in the 'boom" of reviving indus,
tries which, like tidal wave, is sweep
ing over the length and breadth of our
wide land, the premonitory symptoms of
whose approach are perceptible in this
country by the activity which marks the
construction of our initial railroad enter
prises. Thus it will b. seen that the year
1879 has been as the dawn which should
give us heart of grace to grid up orr loins
and enlarge the sphere of our energies
for the brilliant day and brighter times
which are now near at hand.


As this is the last issue during the pres
ent year the STATESMAN congratulates its
Eeaders upon the advent of good times,
and hastens TO express the wish: "may
many years of happy days befall them,
each and all, individually and collect
lively"