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7'TIio Strongest Memory is Weaker the Weakest Ink."

WN.mmSDAY. AUGUST 10. 1950

opportunity sun Knocking

.Thsn

While we receive many complimentary remarks from summer visitors, both on the attractiveness of our Province and the in- dustry of our people, it is well also to look occasionally on the other side of the picture, and note our shortcomings. This Premier Jones did with reference to our population at the recent Junior Farmers” field day. He saw no reason why this Island, by 1980, should not have a thriving population of 150,000, and he urged upon his hearers the necessity of studying the tremendous pos- sibilities of the Province in scientific farm production.

As far back as the year 1836 an gh- servant -visitor, the secretary of the Mont- real Agricultural Society, declared that Prince Edward Island, properly cultivated, was capable of supporting 600,000 souls. Our natural advantages were noted by many other authorities as being unsurpassed in the North American colonies. We suffered, however, under the blight of absentee pro- prletorship, and this, along with the bureau- cracy it' created, acted as a deterrent for I century on our progress and development. This fact was noted by the editor of The Islander newspaper in 1851, in commenting on our backwardness at that time. ”About I hundred years ago," he wrote, "this Is- land is said to have possessed about ten thousand white inhabitants. Fifty years later. and hardly a stick was cut in what is now the County of York, in Upper Can- ada; so recently as 1819, part of the land on which its capital, Toronto, stands was sold for half a dollar an acre. We select this county from the census of Upper Canada, in order to prove how untrammelled agri- .culture may enrich a new country, even when not very scientifically conducted. We select it, moreover, because the soil is not better than that of this Island, and because

- no navigable rivers flow through it, or near ' it, drawing wealth from the interior." . The Island's population at that time was 62,678, York Countyls 106,995. Our land under tillage was 215,386 acres, as compar- ed with York's 217,288 acres. The rest of our land was in wilderness, while York County had 93,326 acres in pasture. De- tailed farm production figures for both areas were cited, enormously to the ad- vantage of York County in most instances. ”The only item in which we can boast su- periority," said The Islander, "lain potatoes, " the most irrational crop that could be rais- ed. In sheep the average is a little in our favour, but it should be more. In cattle we approach near. Horses are about one- fourth more in favour of York. But the great and obvious advantage of the Yorkists is obtained by the superior industry and energy of the people. After deducting one- seventh for seed, and allowing five bushels per head of wheat, or of maize or pease, equivalent to wheat for human food, they have sti1ll1,200,000 bushels for sale, to say ' nothing of their oats, buckwheat and bar- . 'lw.n The editor went on to complain that while our misfortunes were due primarily to the leasehold system, indolence contributed 11: part. "Nowhere in North America," he 3; wrote, "does a poor man shuffle through life - with so little toil as in this Island, and with so few of the comforts which labour pro- cures. . . . To the disgrace of this Island, hordes of lazy and unlettered individuals are endeavoring to escape from the labour , of-honest industry, by subsisting on the fees I oloffices which tzheyare totally incapable lofdischarzinz-" , '- ” This is the reverse side of the picture, ' and does not take into account two import- 1 Int.-industries-fishing and shipbuilding- were flourishing here at that time. 7 v Bievortllelesg, it underlines the tardgness of i gggvn 0 generations in this Islan ,ln ex- ” -our unique opportunities in agri- production, which led our first ' ,; Walter Patterson, to exclaim to ' Colonial secretary in 1771: "In gllord, ,if.only. the proprietors themselves," this Island will, in a .. .. .,.b9.'h09Ixden0fAmer1c&-" iI'"os.msny years past our farmers have

x

.fl'Hl.: GTTARDIAET

3 concerned. Both Hitler and Mussolini re-

full

one of the first moves in national pre- paredness should be the elimination of the traditional weekend so far as the armed forces and other defence machinery are

peatedly took advantage of the knowledge that our national effort dropped regularly to a low point to launch their- surprise moves on a Satwday or Sunday.

An absolute reduction in free time is not. Of course. necessary or desirable, but should be staggered throughout the week so that at no time couldthe enemy depend upon all key personnel being blissfully off duty, and even out of recall. .

EDITORIAL NOTES

"Your country needs you" is the ciamant cry from Ottawa these days. . . U

The Battle of Otterburn, Northumber- land, England, fought this date 1388 when Douglas defeated I-Iotspur, a memorable event celebrated in the ballads "Chevy Chase", and "The Battle of 0tterburn."

I O 0 Sunday Schoohteachers and religious leaders from almost every part of the world converge on Toronto this week for the 13th convention of the World Council of Chris- tian Educatiop.

A profit of s7,000 on over a million dol- lars' business in the first year is a fine showing for the Island Co-operative Services Ltd., for which credit is due to Mr. Dennis and Mr. O'Brien, the front line officials. O O O

The purpose of the proposals worked out at Ottawa is to enable both this country and the United States to make their maximum contribution of war material. Specialization is valuable to the U. S. and essential to us. I O 0

There is something very familiar about Russia's offer to Korea of two provinces of Manchuria. Russia herself succumbed to just such a bait offered by Hitler, as also did Poland and Austria.

The United States Congress has resolved to return to the Republic of Mexico a group of flags and other emblems captured more than 100 years ago. This is a good-will gesture which this country could well imi- tate in honour of the Union of South Africa. C I I The application of the "test and try be- fore you buy" principle led to New York potato importers settling upon Prince Ed- ward Island as the source of their supply of inspected seed potatoes. They got samples also from elsewhere, but only those from this Province "filled the hill." 0 O O

The Ottawa Journal goes out on a limb, or perhaps a mast, in the matter of flying flags at half-mast for mourning, and recom- mends centering the flag midway between the top and base of the flagpole. They are probably already deluged with correspond- ence from those who think that the flag should be hoisted to the masthead and then lowered one breadth of the flag. 0 O O

The Victoria Times sanguinely hopes that a by-law giving a pedestrian right-of- way against vehicular traffic at intersections will make it necessary for cars to give such priority to pedestrians. Experience here would indicate that the pedestrian will still have to wait his chance to cross when motor traffic is safely past.

' o o 0 When ftmds were being made available for the First and Second World Wars it was a frequent comment that the money could be found for war when it could not be found for peace. This time we merely continue to hear of rolling millions, but soberly realize that they must be diverted from other di- rections of public spending.

0 O 0

Egg prices on August 3 this year and previous years. The prices quoted below are for Grade A Large. At Montreal and Toronto the prices are those at which graded shipments are selling to wholesalers. At other points quotations are prices to shippers for upgraded eggs.

1950 1949 1948

Montreal . - 54 64 71-72 Tomato .. 51-52 64 70 Winnipeg 38 54 52 Vancouver 50 61 51 Edmonton 43 56 4'7 .... -........... 38 52 47 Charlottetown .... 47 63-64 60-61

Weight of Live and Dressed Poultry at Registered stations week ending July 22 July 15 July 8

markets. But there can be a dif- ference of opinion expressed, and

stands at the moment. it gives

" rim GUARDIAN.

CHARLOTTETOWN

The NeIgums

dlaoueeloh you-up -uqu..u..........”.2'."-'-"..': Ullordlaodouooollooeuus

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5h'r"N0W 11111 the foundation of the Provincial Building has been -trenrthenea and the work completed, attention will be given. It 15 1109911. to the copper drain PIP" ""9 411"! thgrsin water off the building. The wooden make. some in use there now certainly mar the appearance of this histor- ic building. .

The window sashes throughout the exterior of the building would ibelstrently improved by -a cost of pa n .

I am, Sir. etc., VICTORIAN.

ti-j TOURIST IMPRESSIONS Sir. -- Exploring the hills and glens of King's and Queen's we came 11 ii an old logging road through second growth molntain maple - that no-good maple in clumps of six to ten. seldom big- ger than one's snn. In fact, it never has a trunk. and is therefore not a tree. The big birch had been logged out, but the old road was full of in- terest-llke a trail through North- ern Ontario. Four kinds of those trailing "ground pines" or Club Masses - four kinds of Reindeer moss. and three of the flat green and brown lichens on old birch.- Dog-tooth lichen (Poltlgera), Lunswort (Pulmonarla) and Par- melia. And enough Goldthread (Ooptis trlfoiia) along the path to stop the coughing in all the then- tres on the Island. And the corn- farting taste of wlnhergvreen in those snowuberries (Phi ) has a nostalgic flavor, unfit for tourists. l-Ieatnerdale - true to its name - has many kinds of heather (Ex-lcacea). LI.mbs'.:lll (Kalmin Imsustlfolia) in all its beauty on the hills along Brown's Creek - and in the sprucey ravines - In- dia; Pipes (Monotrops uniflora) which means one flowered, one- turned pipe or Ghost flower --pure white - leaves and Ill. and yet 3 real flower with bees coming and golns. Another solitary heather bell is Moneses. and two others - Mossberry and Bearberry. At Daivay - the Blast Bear berry (Empetruuu with one sweet- scented Myrlca Gale borders the roadway and Marram gross holds the sand dunes - here - as in New zealand -- and the shores of the world. But the Life Guard dldnt know it or any of the plants round about - not even Flreweed, Pearly Everlasting, Orange Hawk- weed or even sand Fleas, Kelp or calrageen (Irish Moss). 1:. Rustico

in

men in selling was of frequent occurrence. all of which evil was at the expense of the farmer. If so. was there no other effective corredive that could be applied, apart from taking over and plac- ing upon the shoulders of one or two small groups of inexperienced , the A mmv of marketing our entire farm crop? The marketing of any commodity is not a hit or mix job. Sales- manship is an art, a science, and experience the most effective teacher. You cannot discard ex- parlance and substitute theory and be sure. It should be done grad- ually. I am. Sir. etc. J. A. GILLIES.

A NIGHTMARE

Sir.-JI..ut night. I had a bad dream

I planned to go back to Dalvay, wherein short time ago I had passed a delightful, restful after- noon. The road seemed unusually full of traffic, which grew more congested as we reached the North Shore. Ahead was a broken sky- line of buildings; soon. isolated houses gave way to closely packed homes,-clearly constructed in a hurry.-hotels, and stores, and an- ally the car was brought to I halt in a main street -crowded with holiday makers: a clash of radio programmes issued from parked cars, stores and hotels.

We left the car parked by the curb, so closely packed amongst others that it was almost imposs- ible lo cross from one side of the street to the other. It was easier to go on to the boardwalk that ran for miles along the edge of the cllm I stared about in bewild- erment. Is footsteps, hundreds of footsteps, trumped. tripped, and powered by. - '

The boardwalk was bounded on the seaward side by rails broken at intervals by steps which led down to the beach. Down there, the congerii was even worse. bsthers. Jun-bothers. deck chairs, coca-cola and ice-cream stalls. children tearing about with bench toys. and an incessant noise of talk, radios. shouting and laugh- ter. The sea seemed incidental to all this loud activity.

As .I stood looking down. with an echo in. my heart, I became

' of voices, ” t d con- temptuous voices nearby. and looked around to see a group of three or four men talking as they too leaned on the rail. 'And this is the place we dreamed about during the hot. tiring days in Montreal! This, is what we scrap- ed and saved to come back tol' "Why the heck.” queried another. "do we have to build a rowdy tourist centre like this, when we need more homes for our people. and when so many of our roads need paving? That sort of wank -would bring a better increase of prosperity than this horror.” "Yes," said another, "and why can't we build more good schools for our children? It's time to cater for tourlsts when we've supplied the needs of our own Islanders. Be- sides. it's becoming impossible to get enough labour on the land. and for building nowadays. All the young men and girls come in- to town here to make easy money in more exciting surroundings. This will change our good island life if it goes on." .

The conversation brought into my mind the opening line: of wordewottlfs sonnet:

"This world is too much with us,

never seen them A along the shore in front of that gay. red canopy Perhaps a Live Guard would be more helpful than a Life Guard. I am. Sir, etc, V. w. .1.

Orwell, PEI. BENEFI1'.l'ING FBIOM CRITICISM

sir.-The campaign now being waged in this Province end. else- where, aiming at the overall or- ganization of agricultural produc- ers, to the end they may gain complete control over their econ- omic afilairs. is interesting if not indeed already the cause of con- siderable excitement. Nobody can take objection to the ultimate pur. pose of the movement, that of securing for the primary producer a greater share of the value of his products in the consum'

criticism as to the method em- ployed towards gaining the de- sired goal. widiout it being brand- ed an objection. As the matter

promise of becoming a etrugde for survival between two distinct economic philosophies: "Free En- terprlse",thM. system under which business has been successfully conducted for erstions back, on the one hand-with its challenger, the more modern "Co-operative Movement" opposing.

"Free Enterprise", as yet, has given no indication of senile de- cay. It's rootsare firmly ground- ed in the soil, with its giant arms extended to encircle an ever in- creasing volume of business, and it is doing so. Apparently it has no intention of sbdicatlng from its throne, or surrendering its crown in a one-round scuffle. On the opposite side of this imagin- ary ring we find "Co-operative Ef- fort". a stripling. comparatively in his teens, somewhat gswky, but cocky. muscular in spots but lanky vgd out of proportion, showing de- finite signs of undernourishmenz. not too well trained and an ex- tremely lopsided record of K.O.'s since he first entered an arena. He has "a following. some shouting encouragement and hopeful, oth- ers, who have been known to fraternlze with his opponent on occasions, dubious. His "seconds" are obviously nervous: they have asked for an amendment to the

rules, the referee is sympathetic waste our were,

and offers a handicap, but on com ' Nothing we have in Nature that dltion. But the ' gong sounded.- is ours.

the first round is over; the com We have given our hearts away, iertsnu put in their dine sparring a sordid boon".

Then I woke, wondering for s which 'd.roun. lueiiutloa brought

operative laost"'wn obviously on the defensive. first

Province . lb, )b, lb, approaching economic "combat is

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E95 so I might

Old Charlottetown (And P. In I-)

PROMOTING HOME INDUSTRY

From the report of I. Oommls- sion appointed to encourage Agri- culture and local Industry. tabled in the Legislature March 1D. 1868:

"Your commissioners held their first meeting in the Library of the Colonial Building on the 10th of August last. with the Hon. R. P. I-iaythorne honorary secretary. and Mr. Archibald McNeill acting lec- retary. At a subequant meeting; on the 12th of the same month, or- rangements were made for holding an Exhibition of the various ob- jects, the produce or manufacture of the Colony, in the Drill Hall and adjoining grounds, on the mu: and llth of October. and a show of horses and live stock. on Rmhfort square, on the second of the days mentioned. on the some occasion, prize lists were prepared and or- dered to be published.

"Although smaller displays of the same kind have been held in Charlottetown on former occas- ions, yet the Exhibition of 1867, the Commissioners believe, is the first attempt of the kind on n more general scale. Then, for the first time, the handiwork of our mechanics. our manufactures, and the product of the soil could be seen at a glance. and the work- manship of rival establishments could be compared.

"Fully sliveto theimportantuses such occasions may be made to serve, the. F issloners would suggest that I liberal grant should be appropriated to defray the ex- pense of holding local Exhibitions. That during two years, the said grant should be equally divided between the three Counties, and be placed at the disposal of com- missioners for this purpose; and that every third year a. large Ium should be appropriated for the purpose of a lrennlsl Provincial Exhibition in Charlottetown-of course affording every faculty for the transport of goods from other parts of the Island. , "It may seem inconsistent with the idea of a local nrhlbition to invite parties on the mainland or citizens of the United States to send their productions to Char- I ” i : nevertheless. the com- missione . consider that some great advantages may result to the people of Prince Edward Island by inducing agrioulturlstl to send grain and live stock, or manufac- turers to send cloths: implemen mskers to send their .. factions, not only necessarily to compete.- but rather to compare with simi- in articles of Island pioductlons. Few objects are of more import- ance to farmers than changes of seed of the best quality. and our insular position makes this object sh; but It would vary p. t , be attained if, at the Triennial Exhibmonl, prizes for the principal grains were offered, of sufficient amount to st- tract Canadian and other growers.