The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-07-19


asleep. TO keep the earth looking 50 fresh
and green"
We left the cars at the little station and
soon were riIing over roads In the most
perfect condition We called at one place
where there was quite comfortable house
and barn.
This is one OF the farms I ment.,ned."
said the agent.
While the duke and the agent were
walking about talking business. inter.
viewed an old man who had been cultiyat-
ing the corn.
sSir." asked. 'can you tell me how
this land came 20 be In the MARKET"
Yes, sir" said he. this was once my
home came here from Ohio when land
was cheap. | bought this hundred and
sixty acres OF land, paid part down, and
gave mortgage for the balance. put on
improvements rs fast a. could. / worked
my farm carefully. and for a few years
everything went we'll Then times became
hnrd. crops were not good, and what
could sell brought "A very low price. But
good crops or poor, good times or bad. the
interest on the mortgage kept growing all
the time. We began to live more careful.
ly; wife would make one hundred dollars
do the work OF three In living and cloth
ing We kept less help and worked early
and late but 90 no purpose The time
came when the mortgage was due, and the
interest had accumulated until II ate ur
ali there was over the mortgage. Then
the place was sold Now, here am ten.
ant where hoped 10 be the owner"
Where do you place the blame Of your
unfortunate circumstanccsY
1.-THE scarcity OF money IL the first cause.
That makes hard times. | can raise just
Us much wheat 10 the acre when II brings
one dollar per bushel rs when IL brings M.
" cents With the dollar ] can meet my
obligations With half a dollar | must
raise twice as much grain, or fail. The
price OF wheat indicates, l think ! may
safely say, the rise aud fall Of money. Low
prices make good times for money loaners
and bankers who are willing TO secure
themselves by mortgage on our real
estate, and help rs by loaning money nj the
moderate rates Of from one, two, or even
three per cent per month. II the men
whose only business Is 10 deal In the cir.
culating medium of the country are per
mitted 10 increase or decrease the quanti-
~ as they please, they have the advantage
over the laboring and producing classes.
When farmers are In debt, and money all
the time growing scarcer, there Il no hope
but 20 sacrifice their homes for much less
than their real value. Large tracts Of land
are being obtained by spectators In this
way and held at moderate prices This
tempts rich foreigners to invest large sums
OF money here. They are willing to wait
for the time when they can realize good
profits on their investments while in the
meantime they secure good income by
leasing their lands To tenants"
You seem familiar with the important
topics Of your country / said.
Yes, SIR" he replied. III am member
of the Farmers Alliance Club; that
keeps us posted on all that concerns ms as
farm ~
Then you are opposed 20 foreigners
coming here and buying lands'" ! asked.
II am. We have no lands for people
who only care TO bleed u.s." he said yehe-
mcntly. "Any man that wants a home
and will come here and live ON the lands
he buys. am ready to welcome
lyon have large land monopolies among
your own people" said.
"We have, am sorry to say. But ON
motto should be- No American land mon
opoly, either foreign or domestlc!"