Local Farmers Back From West

Hello, Folks! — I've heard it said that the condition of a man can best be determined by how he takes things two at a time, — pills or stairs.

—o—

Broad mindedness is just high mindedness which has been flattened out by experience.

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A Smile is something that adds to your face value.

—o—

I am sure a lot of us have had thoughts we would like to express and along comes someone and takes the words out of our mouths and says it better than we can. Charles B. Shuman, President of the A.F.B.F. recently did that in an article in the Nations Agriculture. He entitled it, "The Risks We Take." Here is what he says:

"We have always had prophets of gloom and doom who see little good and much evil in our American social, economic and political system.

"We are also blessed with a relatively small group of rabid radicals who would discard proven methods and ideas for almost any new or revolutionary panacea.

"Fortunately most of our citizens have held fast to those democratic principles and rights that were so well established by the founders of our Republic.

"The Constitution and Bill of Rights set forth the guarantees that assure our political freedom. While no such formal document spells out a bill or rights to protect our economic freedom, experience and the success of our free choice system have demonstrated certain rights that are essential to our continued progress.

"It is commonly recognized that freedom to choose and the individual incentives thus generated are necessary ingredients of the successful system that has made us the world's leading nation. Less well recognized is the fact that for each economic and political right there is a corresponding individual risk and obligation.

"The risk to own property is contingent upon the use of the property in such a way as not to injure the rights of others. Ownership also carries with it the risk of loss as well as the opportunity to profit. The right to choose a vocation brings with it not only the responsibility to engage in work which advances the general welfare, but also involves the risk of business failure.

"The right to save or spend the earnings of capital, management or labor is accompanied by the risk of unwise choice or poor investment. The right to contract, the right to buy and sell in a free market, the right to work and the right of the individual to opportunity all have their corresponding risks.

"...eliminate risk or its cost it can only be transferred or spread over many people. If all risks were transferred from individuals to the public in general it would be necessary to almost completely eliminate all chance for profit and the opportunity for individuals to earn in proportion to their effort and ability.

"The radicals and pessimests among us who, becoming alarmed at occasional business failures and price declines, advocate government intervention to eliminate all risk are actually striking a blow at freedom and individual opportunity.

"The price for government guarantee against loss of job, business failure or market decline is the elimination of opportunity for the individual.

"Yes, freedom and opportunity come only to those who are willing to take risks — but that's how the world's most successful nation was built; by individuals who valued opportunity more than security."

—o—

Once women were said to drive men to drink, now they lead them to it.

—o—

Wesley Pierson and Enoch Peterson went on the Farm Bureau livestock tour to Montana the middle of September. They report a very interesting trip. They left Minneapolis the evening of September 14th in a special car aboard the Milwaukee Hiawatha Olympian. Upon arriving at Harlowtown, Mont., the group was met by Montana ranchers. They were treated to banquets and lodging at the expense of the ranchers and shown around various ranches.

They visited the Harlowtown, White Sulphur Springs, Two Dot, Big Timber, Forsyth, Billings area. This is all mile high country and noted for it's excellent cattle and sheep. The mountain peaks around the area reach a height of 10,000 feet.

The idea of the tour was to create better understanding between the ranchers and farmers of the two states.

—o—

Beans — a vegetable which someone is always spilling.

Fond Memories Of Cold Snow

Hello Folks! Just a year ago we visited Virginia City, Montana. I hadn't heard of the place before, so I wasn't too excited about going there, but this was our vacation and it was hot in the Gallatin Valley where we were staying with my in-laws. We left early one morning. As we looked westward we could see snow capping the mountains over which we were to pass. With the temperature over 90 degrees in the valley it would seem good to throw a few snowballs.

Virginia City is not on a main highway. We left No. 10 and took state highway 34. It is a new road and very good except for a few miles that is rough and gravely. As we climbed the mountain range the temperature became very comfortable; finally we even rolled up the windows. We got very close to the snow but didn't get to throw any snow balls.

Virginia City lies right in the heart of the Rockies. A gulch goes right through the town along side the street (there is only one street). The sights we were to see that day I will remember for a long time. Virginia City has a fabulous history. Silver was discovered there is such quantities that is became a boom town and, at one time it was one of the largest towns in Montana and its capitol. As happens in any boom town prices were exorbitant. Most of the equipment and clothing had to be shipped be stage over poor roads from Salt Lake City, 300 miles away.

Most of the mining was placer or surface mining. Huge equipment was moved in to do the work. The results of the big machinery is still evident as whole hillsides were moved to get at the silver.

A brewery was built and was the next largest industry. A theater was established and New York players were engaged to perform. Of course when the silver gave out everybody got panicky and the town was deserted overnight. Values dropped to nothing and nearly everything left as tho the proprietors had just stepped out for lunch. Hauling costs were too high to warant moving anything out. I'll tell you more about Virginia City next week.

—o—

"Why won't you marry me?" he demanded. "There isn't anyone else is there?"

"Oh Edgar," she sighed, "there must be."

—o—

Sometimes we hear the argument that our surpluses are not so high and that we should prepare for famines just as the pharoah of Egypt did under the direction of Joseph. I think it is a good idea to follow good examples whenever and wherever possible, but we should also analize the conditions and determine whether they apply to us or not. For one thing today we have swift means of transportation, we have knowledge of the use of soils, how to preserve moisture and fertilize them for maximum production. In other words our conditions today do not apply to requirements of ancient days. We know from past experiences about what the needs are for the days ahead, barring any unforseeable conditions. Production by irrigation can be speedily stepped up to meet urgent needs. It doesn't take much surplus to deaden the market and until we have good reason to build up wasteful supplies, I think we ought to keep them within proper bounds.

—o—

You can't kill time without injuring eternity.

—o—

Heaven must be in us before we can be in heaven.

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It seems that congress insists on limiting the flexible program so much that it won't flex off rock bottom. If it won't flex that means we could get lower prices than ever.