Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-24
HOW TO SELLLAND.

market, and actually make a proper dnt
lasting transfer of ii, may be useful
Hence l devote this article TO that sub
ject, promising only that there is mucl
more to say about it than can be disposed
of at this time.
l. Be sure that you have land to spare,
l take it for granted that one half at Least
of the farmers of Tennessee have toe
much land. Nevertheless, there may be
a few men who could proftably use more
than they do. l don't believe that in this
world, where so many are suffering for a
chance to do something, it is altogether
right for man to hold on indefinitely to
land which he cannot use himself, and
has no prospect of using. olive, and
let live, is maxim that applies to this
matter as well as TO many others. But
if you own land, it may be you are the
man whom Providence, by that fact, has
designated to subdue it and make it use
full to yourself and your fellow-man. But
If you cannot use it at all, or there is no
reasonable prospect of your being able TO
use it, practical judgment would decide
that in view of the certainty of its eating
some men don't know when they have
been eaten up, and swallowed down,
body, soul and buttons. Like the drunk
ard when kneeling down to a doctor, and
opening his mouth very wide, they ought
to get neighbor to inspect their condi-
ton. 81 don't see anything wrong" said
the doctor. ''Don't see anything wrong,
exclaimed the other. 'ENo," says the
doctor, 81 don't see anything wrong
whatever" ''Why, that is very strange, "
said the drunkard "YOu don't see any
thing wrong, and l have swallowed ten
thousand dollars, three niggers, and a
three-story brick house," If a man has
actually madeup his mind that he cannot
use all his land, and that it is doing him
no good, he has made good beginning
in this matter.
2. The next step is TO actually select
aud mark off the land you wish to sell,
and ascertain all of its valuable qualities.
This is not such "fool's advice" nor
advice suited to fool, as some men may
suspect. We mean business now, and
must know, with the utmost definiteness,
what we are about. Some men think
they want to sell land, but their ''think"
IS like the ''milk-siCkness, which always
prevails in the next county, and nobody
can find it. If you want to Go the thing,
decide the point carefully. Mark off
what you need and can use. Now be
sure to pick out the best for yourself,
and decide to sell, what you might know
nobody will ever want to buy. If two
men sleep in bed, it would be rather IN
accommodating if one persists in taking
his half in the middle of the bed. You
will not gain much Of a neighbor, unless
you give him chance to live, at least a
little ike yourself. Then again, remem-
Der he is to pay for it at some time, or
you lose your money. Now Two things
are true; one is, that people who buy
land to use, are generally poor enough
TO need it to use, and therefore cannot
pay the cash down. Another is, that
land that won't pay for itself is not worth
buying, and you had better deed it away
TO the Tattlesnakes, for if sold it won't
stay sold Besides all this, when you
have definitely selected and marked out
the land to cell, you can say to every one,
''TLere it is, go, examine, and see what
it is worth" 1t is to be presumed that
you know enough to know that you can
only expect a purchaser when you can
offer bargain. Men like to get bargains,
they 60. Don't be like the old paTsor,
the papers tell about. In his prayers ev-
cry day, he delighted to offer to the Lord,
to be used in His service, himself, his
children, and all his properly By chance
there came along a spruce young parson,
who was about TO go to the heather as
missionary. The young man wOoed and won
the old parsons beautiful and accomplish
ed daughter. Like an honest fellows as the
Scotch say, he "speered it at her dad"
that possession might follow conquest.
Strange to say the old man was highly
indignant. 81 cannot think of letting
my darling daughter go to the heather,
and think it very presuming in you to ask
for her, - Said the young man, ''Have
not often heard you dedicate yourself,
your children and all you have to the
Lord, and pray the Lord to take them"
"Yes, sir" said the old man, 81 did, l
did, but then did not mean my darling
daughter, meant my good for-nOthing,
drunken son, Dick. He may 60 at any
time" Dear farmer and land owner, be-
fore you turn your spare acres into hard
or soft dollsrs either, you will find that
are slow to buy rattlesnake
pastures.
8. You are about ready now to fix
upon the lowest price you will take for
your laud, and whether or not you will
take other property, real or personal, for
it.
Some men love to higgle-few buyers
do. Some men seem to think that the
only way to sell any thing is to ask
double price at first, and reluctantly re-
ceGe from their position. They say that
i. T. Stewart, Of New York, is worth
sixty millions of dollars. He made every
dime by the one price system, and that
the lowest. To-day he would refuse to
sell ont his whole stock, at a lower price
than his own figures. He has sense; if
you have not sense enough to see how and
why, | have not time to deal with you.
If you want 10 sell your land here in
Tennessee, remember, that in ninety nine
cases out Of q hundred you must sell so
low, as ali things considered, TO tempt
men who can get land for nothing in
Kansas or Texas. There the Government
gives the laad for the DlGn, and you
viii not scll until you are willing to pay
for your man.
o, if had time and space to show up
the importance Of this point, l cannot
help thinking that patriotic Tennesseeans
would be ready to exchange land for live
people, on very easy terms.
Only another point at this time. Don't
meet your purchaser when he asks GLOW
much DO you ask for your land 2" with
the foolish answer $50 many thousand,
cash in gold" That is as much to say, l
am afraid to deal with you sir, but if you
have gO1d, mind you, the pure yellow
gold, after ] have examined II l will take
the gold. You won't sell much land that
way. Say to him, | value you my land
at so much, but If you would like TO pur-
chase, / vii Try to meet you in price,
and times Of payment and to take III pay
me1t anything that you have that l can
turn into money If you let him know
also that you want neighbors, it will go
far TO bring him to your terms. Many a
rich man has secured q good Dcighbor for
himself and children after him, by taking
an old horse or wagon for what they were
really worth, rather than drive HIM off 10
IL. 6 II III