The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-08-27
THE MOBILES COUNTY FAIR.

WoRfHINGToN. MINI. AUGUST q, 1891.
THE MOBILES COUNTY FAIR.
The notabe harvest of 1891 should
be celebrated by means Of the best and
largest county fair at WOrthington
ever held in Southwestern Minnesota.
This county is prepared, as it neve,
was before, to make an excellent show
OF its capacity and progress. Apples
such as no tller state need be ash
smed OF, are hanging profusely in ou,
orchards, the Inns, in some cases, being
prOpped up to prevent their breaking
under the weight of fruit. The plum
trees are bearing we'll. All the fruits
have been fairly productive. Tue i'm.
mense cabbages, pumpkins, squashes,
etc.. will compare with those of any
county in the union. The wheat, corn,
oats, rye, barley, potatoes, fax, etc. :,
will present. rich variety and a quality
unsurpassed. Mobiles county can make
splendid show of fine horses. and the
most approved breeds of cattle, sheep
and hogs. With such q richness and
variety of production the fair of 1891
should be a splendid one.
Let our farmers make display that
will forever fix the fame of the soil and
climate for productiveness where it
ought to stand. A good fair will ad-
vance the price of Mobiles county land
at least s. per acre above it's present
selling price. Never mind about pre-
miums. Let them he secondary in your
thoughts. Let ak determine to show
what the county can d". Let there I've
unanimity and enthusiasm, and all
will reap good results.
BENEFICIAL VESTlGATION.
If the Farmers alliance will carry
out in a proper manner the project
which it is said has been formed the re-
suit will be valuable. The proposition
is to make a carful investigation of the
methods whereby eastern money is
loaned to western borrowers, particu-
larly to western farmers, and to de-
wise. if possible, cheaper methods than
are afforded by the loan companies. If
the investigation is thorough it will
have a powerful educational effect. 1t
will correct a great many misconcep-
ti0ns that are widely entertained.
There are few subjects about which
there is so little popular Information
az this very one which it is proposed
in Kansas to investigate. In the first
place it will be found that the loan
company has operated, upon the whole,
to the great benefit of the western far
mer, securing for his use capital which
be needs and which he could not other
wise get. A mechanic, clerk, trades
man or other person in Vermont or
Now York, who has saved up $500 or
$1,000 cannot spend 500 or more to
come west and personally look up a
borrower, to investigate the value of
his land, its title, etc. The loan COM
pany is what does all this and provides
means for securing confidence that
the business has been properly looked
after. It thus makes available to
western farmers unnumbered millions
of dollars which they could not have
had otherwise. The borrowable fund
In the west would have been vastly less
or in other words the western interest
rates would have been much higher.
1t Is q fact that the effect of the loan
companies has been to reduce greatly
the interest rate. Another thing that
will appear is that great part of the
money which western farmers get the
use of is not loaned by rich people. but
by people who are comparatively poor.
1t represents the small savings Of east.
ern people who would much prefer, il
sure of getting it back, to loan it tc
western farmers at 6, or per cent
to depositiDg it in the savings bank a,
home at only 8 or per cent. In man,
cases the western farmer is fal
wealthier than the eastern lender Wit
has mortgage on the farm. And il
will be found, furthermore, that nov
the profits of the loan companies upol
the average are not 50 exorbitant al
many people fancy. There was tim,
when large profits were really or ap'
parently made in the business, but il
did not last very long. Competition j,
very sharp, and has narrowed the mar
gin of profit. Many companies hav,
gone out Of the business because o.
small or no profits. Some of the NOR,
shrewdly and conservatively managed
companies are still making handsom,
earnings, but more of the companie
are not 50 fortunate. But it will b.
we'll to have the details of tho business
investigated by the farmers. the NOR
thoroughly the better. It is q legiti
mate business, and the western farme
has been. with the eastern lender, tn
main beneficiary. . BY. it the forme
has got lower rate of interest and tn
latter higher rate than before th
loan agency furnished tho means TO
bringing them together. In Rrea
many cases when the farmer has dis
covered the eastern creditor who ow,