The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-10-09
Farming on Rented Land.

In most of the Western States are
large bodies of unoccupied land owned
by wealthy corporations, firms or in
dividuals. Some of them were pur-
chased for specializing purposes, and
some were acquired by the foreclosure
of mortgages. In many towns there
still remain unsold school lands. These
lands yield no revenue to their owners
They are generally heavily taxed, for
the local Assessor has little mercy on
spectators and non-residents. If they
contain timber it is subject to the en-
croachment of trespassers. The grass
that grows on these tracts of land is
generally harvested by the neighboring
farmers, or is devoured by their cattle
while it is still green. The land may
be advancing in value on account of the
improvement of property in the neigh
minishing.
In these same Western States, and
often in the immediate vicinity of the
tracts of land spoken of, are men cul-
tivating farms which they nominally
own, but which are encountered, in
many cases, nearly to their full value
The money secured by these farms was
obtained at high rates of interest, in
many cases too high to be paid by the
profits derived from cultivating the
land. The farmers, when the land is
encountered in this manner, have not
the means to conduct their business
with profit to themselves or to the adj
vantage of the land they occupy. AS a
rule, if they pay their interest prompt
ly and make provision for the payment
of the principal at maturity, they well
nigh ruin their farms by over-cropping
with grain. In the meantime they and
their families live in the enjoyment of
few of the comforts of life.
1t is certainly very pleasant thing
for farmer to own the land he cult
Yates. 1t is also pleasant thing for a
merchant to own the store he occupies,
for mariner to own the vessel on
which he sails and for the mechanic to
own the shop in which he works. Any
person will be likely to take better care
of his own property than of that be-
longing to another, and there is, ac-
cOrdingly, economy in owning the
premises one occupies in any kind OF
business. If, however, a person has
not got sufficient capital to carry on his
business in proper manner, and at the
same time to own the premises he oc-
cupies, it is better for him to rent the
latter than to allow his business to suf-
fer. Many prosperous and compare
lively wealthy merchants and manu-
facturers recognize this fact by not only
doing business but living in rented
buildings.
A large proportion of the farmers in
this country, especially in the West,
have not sufficient capital to conduct
their business so as to render it profit
able. Capital is as necessary to a per-
son employed in agriculture as to one
engaged in commerce, transportation
or manufacturing. Ownership of the
soil is by no means essential to excel
lent and profitable husbandry. General
agriculture, horticulture and stock
raising are in much more advanced
state in Great Britain than in this coun-
try, though it is very unusual there for
farmer, gardener, or stock-raiser to
own the land he occupies. Some have
even claimed that the superior agri-
culture of Great Britain is chiefly due
to the circumstance that the farmers do
not own the land they occupy. BY rent
ing the land they till, they have all their
capital to invest in stock or to use in
conducting their business,
With rare exceptions a farmer can
rent land on much more favorable terms
than he can hire money with which to