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Page 4 The Colborne Citizen Wed.Sept. 11,1974 citizen editorial Careful consideration 1 is called for Colborne Reeve Delbert McLaughlin has recently found himself to be the subject of a tempest in a teapot. Being Reeve of Colborne is not such a lucrative position as to afford a man the luxury of disregarding any other means of providing an income. (No $850,000.00 transition payments for a retiring reeve.) To be able to get things done, a person must understand how things are done, and Reeve McLaughlin certainly fulfills this requirement. While the recent Tri-Homme proposal would benefit Mr. McLaughlin personally, this is not a reason to reject it out of hand. Nor is it at this stage, a reason for Mr. McLaughlin to resign. If Council carefully considers the pros and cons of the proposal, and the reeve abstains from voting on the matter, the function of municipal government and the interest of the community will be best fulfilled. Thankyouforthe warm welcome Thanks for the reception. Being welcomed into a community is a good Over the next few weeks, we expect to increase the volume, and improve the quality of our coverage of local events, and hope no one will feel their organization is being neglected by the paper. With a larger staff working in the community, we will be able to attend a major portion of the meetings, shows, exhibitions, presentations, etc. that are a part of the daily life. Please, let us know of upcoming events, preferably with a couple of days notice, and we'll make an effort to have someone attend. Imperfection is the working climate of a newspaper, and we'll no doubt make mistakes. When we do, don't go away mad. Let us know, and we'll correct them. Our office is open 9:00 to 5:00, Monday Congratulations for a hard worker The Colborne and Cramahe Recreation and Arena Committee and Wayne Ring must be congratulated for the work they have done with the youngsters and youth of the village and township over the summer. Any money spent on the summer programs by the village and township was well worth it. During the past summer a great number of children enjoyed an excellent playground program, good swimming instruction and probably one of the committee's greatest achievements - a successful youth centre. The younger children are easier to amuse in the long summer holidays than the teenagers who always seem to be asking "what am I going to do during the holiday." The recreation department found the answer for a number of these young adults. through Friday, and you're welcome to drop in, call or write to discuss any ideas, gripes, projects or concerns you may have. This ring-necked pheasant appears to be posing for the photographer. The picture lOne foot in the furrow' Spokesmen for the agricultural industry have been saying for a decade or more that farmers are adapting to new methods and even new ways of life quicker and better than most other sectors of the economy. It may be significant that most of these statements are coming from people who are not farmers such as university professors, sociologists and even half-baked farm writers. The statements, though, have a ring of truth that is difficult to deny. Farmers are adapting. Farmers have increased productivity to a far greater degree -- and with much less fanfare -- than big business. The monumental changes in methods of farming have come about quickly and easily. Farmers are notoriously taciturn. They let other people make the noises and simply go about their business. But big businesses have hundreds of high-priced help who do their shouting for them. Only recently have the two major farm organizations -- the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the National Farmers Union -- become a little more militant. Many other farm organizations are beginning to do the same thing. An increase in the price of beef, for instance, gets immediate quotes from beef men these days. Although major daily newspapers continue to ignore the nitty-gritty happenings in every day agricultural circles, they at least carry major stories on price increases in all sectors. Eugene Whelan's pleasantly ugly countenance was seen in many daily papers a few weeks ago when milk prices paid to farmers were increased. The big controversy over DES in American beef was also considered news. But this kind of coverage only comes when prices are involved. Few editors bother to carry any information on why farmers need more money at the farm gate. It was a most pleasant surprise in early August, for instance, to hear a spokesman for the beef industry on CFRB, the most-listened-to-station in Canada. He predicted great changes in the cattle industry, especially where the so-called exotic breeds are concerned He mentioned Maine-Anjou, Limousin and Charolais. "Some will stay; some will go, but the buying public will reap the benefits of these experiments in improving Canadian beef," he said. "Farmers who are seriously engaged in the agricultural industry are not afraid to experiment. They are aggressive and innovative." He also said that Canadians are still getting a bargain when they buy beef and he made his point in telling fashion. Thirty years ago, he said, a workingman had to labor two or three hours to make enough money to buy a pound of beef. The average hourly rate at that time was pretty low. Today, the average rate of pay is so much higher that it takes only about half-an-hour's work to buy a pound of beef. The major reason for this is because farmers have become more efficient. In spite of the tremendous increases in input costs, farmers have been able to remain competitive. They have adapted in a manner nothing short of miraculous. How many major industries can make the same statements? Very few. The farmer must compete on an open market in most cases. Automobile companies, for instance, know exactly how much they are going to get for the finished product before a wheel on the assembly line begins to turn. Not so in farming. The vagaries of weather, of fluctuating world prices, the ruthless price-setting by multi-national suppliers combine to make farming a precarious way to make a living. Yet the farmers of Ontario keep right on producing, rolling with the punches, getting up off the floor to keep trying, always innovating, leading most nations of the world in agricultural ideas. Sure, they have learned to be vocal. They have been called chronic complainers, sponges on society, because of subsidies and guaranteed floor prices and so on. But I submit they don't do any more complaining than union officials or company executives who would have you believe that nobody is making any money these days. If farmers sound as though they are constantly bitching it is because they have good reason.