Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-05-05
Are our Farmers Getting Rich?

"No!" Such would, without doubt,
be the emphatic response of every
land owner. There is depression
now in all kinds of business. Fail
ures are heard OF every day. Mer-
chants, bankers and manufacturers
seem to be suffering most. Those of
whom the newspapers speak usually
fail with liabilities amounting to
hundreds of thousands or even mil
lions Of dollars. 1t Is only of the
few, large failures, that we hear
There are thousands of comparative
ly small commercial houses which
are obliged to stop business and be,
gin again. The writer is not aware
that single farmer has failed. At
any rate there have been no reports
of insolvent farmers who have failed
and are settling with their creditors
by paying twenty-five cents on the
dollar. Doubtless there are those
who have heavily mortgaged their
farms and lost them; but when you
take into account the fact that the
farming community outnumbers by
tar the men in any other business, or,
perhaps, all the others taken together,
it will be conceded that the farmers
are exceedingly free from the worst
effects of financial crises. These are
hard times for farmers as we'll as
other men. There is no doubt of
that. Butt is one thing to be forced
to wear old clothes and be stinted
in groceries on account of "hard
times" and another to be turned out
of house and home and begin the
world anew. 1t is discouraging to
have ones we'll filled cribs of corn a
drug at twenty cents per bushel; but
it is not SO bad as to have 10 corn at
all nor land upon which to raise
more.
These reflections were called out
from hearing some farmers complain
ing that while their investments in
land do not bring them more than
five or eight per cent, bankers and
other capitalists receive from ten to
twenty per cent. on their investments.
Although there are disadvantages at
tending the occupation OF farming,
there are advantages which should
not be overlooked. The returns from
the soil are slow, but they are sure.
If the crops are poor or bring low
prices one year, then the probabilities
are that the next year they will be
better. The farmer feels the pressure
of hard times, but is seldom driven
to bankruptcy and utter ruin. Real
estate investments, and especially
farming lands, are always considered
as the safest of investments. Green
backs may be stolen; government
bonds are the prey of thieves and fire;
houses will burn; but land cannot be
either stolen or consumed. On this
account many capitalist are willing
to invest in eastern farming lands
which yield from three to five per
cent. per annum. The income is
small, but it is sure. The capital is
in no danger of being lost. Capital
lists are always eager to loan money
at moderate rates OF interest Oh farm
ing lands for security. If men de-
mand high rates of interest it is
usually because the borrower cannot
give satisfactory security. Under
such circumstances there is risk in
loaning money, and the borrower has
to pay more on account of it.
Now the farm is sure investment.
The man who sticks to farming, if he
possesses any capacity for business,
ultimately becomes well TODD. Far
mers never get extravagantly rich, as
do such stock spectators as Daniel
Drew. Neither do they become
bankrupt, as that wild Spectator has.
In the long run the judicious farmer
is sure of a competence, comfort and
home for himself and children. Is
he getting rich? In one sense, no.
The mere farmer will never become
Unfortunately wealthy. And yet every
good farmer may and will become,
ultimately, moderately wealthy. The
steady rise in the value of his land,
the yearly added farm improvements
and the income derived from fertile
fields all tend to make him, in the
end, an independent man.-Progres-
size Farmer.
Preserve eggs by quick dipping
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