La Grande evening observer., February 02, 1916, Image 2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1916.
LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER
PAGE
SHERRY THEATRE Tonight
A Reserve Program v
EVERYBODY COME
We will give you a good Entertainment
MMfl
BREWER
GOOD ADVICE
"STATJp IRRIGATION CONGRESS
HEAD SPEAKS.
Farm Week Program Hears Fruitful
Address on Irrigation, w
'3. W. Brewer, president of , the
State Irrigation Congress, was ; ono
of the prominent speakers yesterday.
Mr. Brewer returned to Portland last
evening and will not be here for tne
rest of the week. He said in part:
Irrigation has passed the stage of
experiments, insofar, as results ore
concerned. In -fact, irrigation is one
of the oldest institutions of which we
have a record, and all irrigation is
alike except in the methods of appli
V cation. The results obtained through
bringing together the soil, the water
and the sunshine are always the same.
Experiments and demonstrations in
this state have shown us beyond any
) doubt, of the real value commercially
of reclamation by irrigation. Since
ithe early settlement of the West, the
Mormons have made a"success of irri
gation in Utah and much of their
great wealth is attributed to- this
form of reclamation. For the , most
part, this has been through their own
efforts and they can look back with
pride upon their accomplishments.
In this state where one time there
was only sage brush and scattering
bunch-grass, a region marked in our
old geographies, "The Great Oregon
Desert," now is raised the finest crops
of alfalfa, clover, grains and root
crops, where the cow and the hog have
come to stay and where land values
have risen from nothing to $100 per
acre, where formerly the coyote and
the jack-rabbit were the onlv inhab
itants, now populated by a contented
people.
To give a concrete instance of this,
let me cite you to one of the principal
irrigation projects of Eastern Oregon.
'' Ten. years ago this was all govern
ment land without a house or cultivat
ed acre and with no- taxable property.
The cost of reclaiming 50,000 acres
of this land was approximately one
and one-half million dollars. Today
the value of farms on this project is
estimated at two and one-half mil
lion dollars with 1,500 people living
on the land and fully 5,000 supported
by the products thereof. This area
last year produced over $300,000 In
crops. (Where lands previously were
without value, today are worth from
$75 to $125 per acre. What has benn
done here is but indicative of what
' can be done in many other portions
of Oregon. The eyes of the East are
turning westward and there is going
to be a demand for our lands if we
can but show where there is an op
portunity. There are many problems
here to be worked dut.
Too little attention has been given
to the development of our agricul
tural resources. But few people of
r .,11.. nnKr,n nnnnrhml.
x ties that can be found in the state
and many of us are inclined to view
only the things that are within our
limited horizon instead of looking at
the state as'a whole. Wihat benefits a
small community has a corresponding
v benefit on the state at large. The
improvement and cultivation of land
in any section increases the taxable
property of the state. Increased pro
duction means increased wealth.
Oregon has 60,000,000 acres of
which less than 5,000,000 are actually
in cultivation. Five million more, now
held in provate ownership, are classed
as tillable. There are 16,000,000 acres
Coff
ee
A good meal costs con
siderable; coffee, good or
poor, very little. Then
whereas the economy in j
poor coffee if it spoils a
meal?
The airtight tins in
which Schilling's Best is
vacuum-packed which
carry every particle of its
fresh, prime-flavor sealed
in for you have made
fine coffee so economical
there's no excuse for poor!
Moncyback, of course.
Schilling's
Best
of unappropriated government land,
probably 25 per cent of which is till
able. Of this last area nearly one and
one-half million acres are irrigable
with water availble. On much of this
semi-arid area are thousands of home
steaders striving to keep body and
soul to gother and in many cases with
nothing but disappointment. and dis
mal failure staring them in the face.
In all literature and letters sent out
by the Chamber of Commerce pros
pective homesteaders are advised
that they should have sufficient cap
ital, say from $1000 to $2000 before
attempting to take government land
if they expect to make good. It
takes capital to make good on a
homestead and few men with capital
will endure the hardships necessary
to procure a tract of land under the
government laws. Yet our lands can
not lie idle for ull time, some solution
must be found.
It is very probable that portions of
this area will in time be profitably
used for the growing of grain under
scientific dry-farming methods, but
the larger area will be only made pro
ductive through the application of
water. To do this, is going to re
quire capital, a capital larger than
the farmer or the local community la
going to be able to secure. Some
means must be provided, some secur
ity offered and such safeguards must
be arranged as to attract eastern cap
ital to , our reclamation projects.
Cheaper money must bo found for the
farmer with which to properly . stock
and equip his place. The workman
without tools and materials cannot
build 'a house, neither can the farm- I
er without stock and machinery build
a home for himself and family. There
fore, as these conditions confront us.
we find these two items of the great
est importance, money for recliima
tion and money for improvement. The
first must be secured in some manner
whereby, big capital can be interested,
the second by a workable system of
rural credits, either through the Fed
eral Government or by the state itself.
Uncle Sam has helped us in the past
and may help us again, but the Gov-'
eminent, at the present time, will at
tempt no big plans of development.
Other problems are demanding its im
mediate attention. Then what are we
going to do. The old saying is, that
"the Lord helps them that help them
selves." So we must come closer
home and endeavor, if possible, to
work out our own problems, to see
what Old Oregon can do for herself.
Quoting from an address by Mr. A.
L. Mills, president of the First Na
tional Bank of Portland, he says: "An
initiative measure should be present
ed, permitting Oregon to bond itself
up to, say 2 per cent of its assessed
valuation or in other words, to about
$18,000,000. It is not my thought for
a moment, that the state should make
a donation of $18,000,000 or any part
of it, but that the bond issues should
be similar in character to the Portland
Street Improvement Bonds. In other
words, the state which could borrow
money as low as 4 per cent on long
time bonds, would be directly respons
ible to the bondholders for the pay
ment of principal and interest but in
turn the lands in the district would
be alien to the state for whatsoever
bonds had been issued on that particu
lar district and that district in turn
would repay the state."
The whole state must look to the
farmer for production. There are iov.r
principal sources from which wealth
comes where the original producer is 1
found. These are from the sou, from
the timber, from the mines and from
the seas. In 1914 the total products
in the United States,' according to the
report of the Department of Agricul
ture, was approximately $18,000,000,
000,for which approximately $6,000,
000,000 was in actual farm products,
three and one-half billion in animal
products, and about $6,000,000,000, the
value of farm animals, making a to
tal of. over $15,000,000000 directly
and indirectly produced on the fann.
The mineral products were $2,445,000,
000, timber $684,000,000 and the fish
ing industry $69,000,000 making a to
tal of less than $4,000,000,000 from
the other sources, or only about one
fourth of the tot production directly
and indirectly from the farm. After
studying these figures, why. "should we
not encourage agriculture. Factor
ies we need and must have, ships to
carry our products are a necessity,
but why factories, if we have not the
raw material, why ships if we have
nothing with which to nil' them, let
us turn to that one field of original
production and get behind the farmer
in his work.
More than 1000 inquiries a month
are being received by , the Portland
Chamber of Commerce, the majority
of which are with regard to agricul
tural opportunities in the state of
Oregon. Shall we tell these people
about Oregon roses, about the grand
eur of the scenery, about the wonder
ful beach resorts on the sea shore, or
the gammy fish in our streams, rath
er should we tell them the things they
want to know. We should tell them
that farming is just as hard work in
Oregon as it is in Iowa, Indiana or
Oklpioma. We should tell them that
nnr farms will nrndur-i onlv as tho
tiller of the soil is determined that I ' a limited quantity oi wneat was
they shall produce. To do justrfce, we ' sold in Wallowa county when the ce
must tell the truth and the truth to real went to $1.00 a bushel a few days
Oregon should be all-sufficient. But ago, says the iRccord Chieftain. Carl
we can tell them opportunities tire ' Roe estimates that the sales were not
here for the man or woman who has far from 20,000 bushels. The price sag
a determination to succeed, who is ged after touching the dollar mark,
not afraid of work. We can tell them
of our climate and our soil but they
themselves must answer for the rest.
Can we not, however, through our own
efforts make things more attractive
for the homeseeker and make success
for him reasonably sure. He comes
to us unfamiliar with our soil, our cli
mate, our markets and our general
conditions, shall we s ay to him, "dig
it out as our forefathers did," or shall
we extend a helping hand. If ho
comes to us with the knowledge that
wore is someone to wnom ne can ap
peal in settling the problems thai
confront him, is there not more of a
chance that he will make good and
thereby, be a better and more useful
citizen. If every county would do s
Union county has done in establishing
a County Agriculturist and select the
right kind of a man, one who will be
a real help to the farmer, a man to
whom a newcomer can apply and know
that he will be helped, many of his
problems will be solved.
Practically every county that has
made a fair and impartial trial of the
County Agent is loud in the praise of
his work. Since the first of January,
four counties have made an appropria
tion and have engaged the services of
an Agrictlturist. This is indeed grati
fying. Some of the County Courts
have refused the petition of many
farmers asking for this work, on the
ground of economy. True economy
in our county administration is not
particularly the savine of monev but
seeing that every dollar spent buys
its dollar's worth. There are more
than 1000 counties in the United
States that now have County Acrenta
and by far the most of these have
taken up the work since 1912. The
Smith-Lever Bill passed by the
United States Congress will provido
the sum of $1,080,000 in 1915-16
I which sum will be increased ty $500,-
uuu eacn year until 1823 when the
sum to be apportioned will amount to
$4,580,000. This appropriation is
made and apportioned to each state
in proflDrtion to the rural population
and provides that a like sum is made
available from sources within thy
state. The true value of the Agri
culturist has been fully demonstrated
and the county gets the benefit and
is asked to pay only half of the ex
pense. Is it not worth a good trial.
The prices of land in our state is
something that should be given much
attention, not only by our commercial
organization but by all who are in
terested in the substantial upbuilding
of Oregon. I received a letter from
one commercial club a few days ago
stating that they vere conducting a
campaign to reduce the price of land
to a figure that would produce a fair
return upon the investment required.
To my personal knowledge, land ir.
that locality without water, had prev
iously been sold at from $150 to $300
per acre. In that vicinity the pri:
of un-irrigated lands was reduced to
$25 and $35 per acre.
' Lands are worth only what they
will produce. Land values should he
based on the actual production in dol
lars and cents rather than what was
paid for them or what Neighbor Sam
Smith sold for. Wo must always ke!?
in mind that the newcomer, in order
to be an asset to the state, must ba
given a chance. Many of them come
to us without any knowledge as to
land values, either from the standpoint
of the investment proposition or its
productive walue. Either by over
drawn advertising matter or under the
guidance of the real estate agent who
is looking only for the commission to
be derived from the sale, he is influ
enced into buying that which he does
not want or that which does not fit
his requirements.
The working i out of these great
nroblems are in the hands of the peo
ple of Oregon. Shall we "let good
enough alone" or shall we strive fo
something better. More cultivated
lands mean more people, mean more
produce, mean more factories, more
prosperity and more happiness. Let
us keep in mind the nroqressive spirit
of the West nor let it fail.
Inactive Kidneys
Cause Disease
"I shall not soon forget the benefits I derived
from the un of Foley Kidney Pills." Al. A.
Godfrey, Forest GroTe, Oregon.
Too much work and too little work
seem to have about the same effect
on persons past middle age. Proper
action of the kldneya la necessary to
good health. They aot; as a filter
and remove from the blood poisonous
waste matter which If permitted to
remain In the system leads to many
complications.
Many nervous, tired, run-down men
and women suffer from pains in the
back and sides, dizzy spells, bladder
weakness, sore muncloa and stiff
joints ana fail to realize that rheuma
tism, diabetes or even Brlght's dis
ease may result.
' If you have cause to believe that
your kidneys are weak, disordered or
Inactive you should act immediately.
Foley Kidney Pills have been used
by yotrriR, middle aged and old with
complete satisfaction. Thoy act quick
ly and surely and have plven relief
in cases of ten years' standing. '
SOLD EVERYWHERE.
Some Wallowa Wheat Sold
. then came back. Many farmers who
PIANOS
$187.00
Knabe
Sohmer
Ivors' & Pond v
Estey
Schumann
Bennett
Lester
Sterling
Other High Grades.
Pianos direct
No culls nor
position to sell
Richev Buildlncr
had been holding for a dollar immed
iately saw visions of still higher pricos
vhon fch'ftir mnrlr nmts T-ivflww1 o-nf or-s
still waiting, hoping for the realiaa-
.uu ui ineir nopes,
Oats and barley also are stronger,
manv sales beinn- mnrla r SMK n rn
Probably no great quality of oats
Will be shiDDled Oil as tlm lvn1 rl'nmnnH
will take up what is in the county.
42
Works;
THieQi
Advertising
The Evening Observer
Works diligently every day to serve the People in a way that
brings good results to both the buyer and the seller.
PLAYER PIANOS
$898,00
Knabe
Sohmer
Ivers & Pond
Estey
Schumann
Bennett
Lester
Sterling
Other High Grades.
RICHEY PIANO HOUSE. "
from factories.
worked-over pianos shipped from other
We do not buy from Portland retail houses, therefore we are in a
Oitlnn n anil n I
at right prices.
Call and examine goods and get prices before buying
nnnn.ita rai,.
iiiHiHiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiii miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiimriTWTW
There is considerable demand
barley for shipment.
for
Purchased Prize Cattle
Chas. Hunter and Hector McDonald
returned Sunday from Denver, Colo.,
where they had been in attendance of
the Western Live Stock show held
there last week. They report that the
show was one of the best that they had
For You
Is the Newspaper with a general circulation that carries your
business news to every corner of your trading district, carefully
and earnestly informing the people of the Bargains you are offer
ing, tho Farm that is for sale, the house that is for rent.
Is nothing but business news, giving the owner of commodities
opportunity to tell the public of their merit and price, and giving
the consumer opportunity to read at hu own fireside in a very
moment's information about intended purchases that would re
quire hours of hard work for himself and the merchants to collect
in any other way.
towns.
elsewhere.
i' New Building ., t
ever attended,' equaling the Chicago
show in the number of stock shown
and also in quality. Mr. Hunter pur
chased five Hereford bulls and Mr. Mc
Donald two. All seven of these bulls
were in the show ring and won rib
bons. These fine animals are expected ,
in on the freight tomorrow.The sales
of blooded cattle at the show run up
into millions Mr. Hunter said.
yThat
1