The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-15

TIE SENTINEL Is interested in the farm
ers. They are its readers and it wants to
help them in any way that it can. Some
OF its readers know OF labor saving devices
that add TO their comfort or the profit OF
the farm. and of which many other farm
ers know nothing. Such device may be
some easy and quick wsy-some improve
ment over old ways-in crop culture, in
harvesting certain crop. in feeding, in
the dairy, in the home, or IL may be an
improved gate or fence. Nearly every
farmer has some handy device that all
farmers ehould know OF.
Now, the proposition is this: The reader
man or woman for ladies are not debarred
from the cOntestl who will send us Il de-
scriptioa or account OF the best labor
saving device will receive THE WEEKLY
SENTINEL for one year free. We will pub
lish as many of the answers as We can, the
one receiving the prize being placed at the
head of the column. Let every one send
In an account OF something. IL any one Is
not accustomed TO writing we will see
hat the punctuation, apitals and all those
wight when il appears in print. Send your
communications in within ten davs after
This appears. addressing agricultural Ed
itor," care The SENTINEL, Indianapolis.
ind Help your brother farmers TO a
labor-saving method in doing some little
thing on the farm, and at the same time
Try TO earn a subscription 10 the paper
that wants 10 serve you. Any improve
ment is what NO are after.
The Transportation Problem.
An agricultural journal that should
know better recently said that ''the real
value of & farm is shown only by its pro-
ductive capacity" Nothing is further
from the truth, and eastern farmers who
have gone out on line of a western rail-
road into a section of country that Is
fertile but that has no other communIca-
tion with markets than the one Afforded
By the railroad have learned this truth
thoroughly. The transportation problem
is an unsettled one. \ mans farm Ia
usually dependent for It's value in great
degree upon its proximity to a good mar
ket-nearest not as measured in miles, but
in dollars and cents. IL is evident that
land values are dependent in some mess-
ure upon the viii of powerful corpora
tions. In this progressive age the boasted
independence OF the farmer has been sunk
out of sight. The railroad that has been
granted the right TO condemn land and
build 4 road through a certain district be-
comes a monopolist in that il thus destroys
the chance for profitable investment OF
money BY other people in a carrying line,
the business being insufficient for two
roads.
The benefits OF the worlds progress
should become the heritage OF Us all. Fer
tile land through which railroad is built
should be worth to its owner just as much
az similar land living equal distance from
market on another line of transportation,
and each owner should be richer In net in
come than the farmer at greater distances.
But how does the case stand? Land
values depend upon the caprices of lew
men 10 whom public franchise hes been
granted. Farmers are made and unmRde.
Hundreds OF Car loads OF potatoes or corn
may be transported at fair rate one sea-
son and the next year may see an increased
charge of cents bushel. This amounts
10 g per acre for potatoes ard = is one
fourth OF q fair rental per acre for potato
land. A decrease OF % per cent. In cash
rentals is practically the same as a % per
cent. decrease in land values. III this is
accomplished by stroke OF the pen, and
farmers are pOwerless.
1t is idle TO dwell upon injustice with
no other motive than to cause Ourselves 20
chafe and fret. This is written with no
such object in view. The farmers are es-
pecialy interested in the transportation
problem. What shall they do? Two
things present themselves. First it is
legitimate demand that all CARRYING lines
that are given special privileges should be
under close governmental supervision
Rates should be so adjusted and con-
trolled that there be no favored sections.
10 which special low rates are temporarily
given, merely 10 stimulate the production
OF bulky or heavy farm products for
market on the line OF such a road. All
sections should be dealt with in perfect
fairness aud in view of the i'm possibility
OF a practical competition in most cases.
there should be come limit to freight rates
as there now IL 10 passenger. The United
States and many individual states aim
the righ. to do this but there is little ex-
ercise of such right
Secondhand most practical and effective
OF ell, go far as the individual farmer is
concerned-ths capabilities OF all farms
should be studied aud IL viii be found,
oftentimes that lees weignty or less
bulky products would bring a greater net
income. Vegetables are often raised or
shipped too far, only to drop oil possible
profits in the Golfers or carrying lines.
Do not misunderstood Us. The trans-
pOrtation lines are the most valuable
helpers TO farmers. They are developing
our country and afiordiag US markets.
The caution is for those who are raisng
bulky crops because such crops are
adopted to their land, without enough
study of their conditions and determi-
nation OF the question whether their dis
lance from market iustihes them IN pay
ing heavy freights and having TO chance
the prices that will prevail when their
products reach the market at the other
END OF the carrying line.
We follow the crowd; 1t is our way. Is
il not possible that you can make some
change il your farm is losing You money,
ene bring yoar land nearer market by
producing Bome less bulky and higher
priced article? 1.-THE transportation lines
are not leaving YOU any profit and Won are
dishesrteaed. whY not study out some
change by which your shipping bills will
be smaller and your risk comparatively
lees? Anybody can fsrm?" Why, there
are problems for the studious farmer
worthy OF IA good minds as ever engaged
in other business. Study ana planning,
hard thinking and experiment. "a we'll as
hard work, are the order of the day and
many viii win. Viii you?
ss-rafn Progucers apsve~cI