Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-06-05
WHAT TO 90 WITH THE MONEY.

WHAT TO 90 WITH THE MONEY.
Were one 10 listen 20 the croakers Il
might easily be claimed that farmer,
have no money. But they do have 1
nevertheless. Active farmers sll srouns
have been getting ahead somewhat, saw
ing up some money and laying by 4
! measure OF surplus. While the incress,
has been neither great nor rapid vet IL I:
there all the same. The savings bank:
tell that story unmistaksbly. The In
cIe,se Is still going on.
What To do with the surplus money Il
question that our well-to-do farmers
are having TO meet. When two per cent
government bonds sell at six per cent
above par; when our savings banks pay
but three and half per cent interest
and cannot long continue 10 pay that
when four per cent city loans are quick
y ,sStn by the savings banks at twenty
collars premium, and when two and
three-fourths per cent temporary state
loan Is taken AT par by these same peo-
pies Institutions, farmers will certainly
see that the question Is already before
them OF where they shall place their sur
plus sccumulstions and secure measure
of increase from the investment.
We firmly believe that the place for
the farmer 10 invest his sccumulstions Is
In his own business. The fact that n
farmer has been able 10 more than meet
his obligations Is proof that be can make
an investment In his business earn al In
crease. No superior shrewdness is re-
quired 10 make = hundred dollar farm
investment return its owner even NOR,
than the banks are placing TO it, credit
Some years ago dsiryman well known
to the writer, after having met, through
years OF sharp calculations, all outstand-
ing obligations, found himself in pos
session OF measure OF surplus. As
MAS the practice OF all hands around him
this he deposited In the savings bank.
After time, In making some calculs-
tions on his business, he found that the
money already invested In his farm
operations was paying him far more
than his bank Investment. IL his bush
ness WAS paying him better, he reasoned,
than the savings bank then why not use
the capital himselfs and he drew his
money and put il into his farm opera
lions, finding his profit in so doing.
There are many WAYS In which farm
ct can use his money 10 advantage In
his own business.
The first that may be named Is 10 en-
large his operations. There Is hardly =
limit 10 which this extension may be
carried BY the man who has the means
with which 20 do it. Not that more
lands must De acquired for the limit OF
intensifying production on any measure
Of land has never vet been measured by
any of our farmers.
An equipment Of the farm with the
best appliances, and enough for carrying
on sll its work TO advantage, will psy.
A single DAYS work with superior hsr-
row will doubly pay the savings bank
interest on its cost each year. The same
NAV be true OF threshing machine. A
shredder owned by the writer more than
psys years interest on its cost each
dsy IL is used. A self-binder and corn
reaper may come into the same list, sc-
cording as the line of operations on the
farm calls for their use. Convenient
and abundant water supply, both for the
house and for the stock, paws richly on
the investment. Fortunately this feat
ure IL receiving wide attention, much
20 the credit of our enterprising New
England farmers. Thorough drainage
OF land, TO which too little attention has
been given here In our state, will return
far higher rates OF interest on the cost
than can be realized through ordinary
channels.
These common opportunities for the
further employm ment OF espitsl, still open
on almost every farm, make room FOR
the profitable use Of large measure OF
the accommodating surplus earned on the
farms. That they are worthy OF more
attention than Is now bestowed upon
them we fully believe. And, further,
every condition points towards the GER
tainty that the advantages OF these In
ysstments In the home and its business
are becoming greater and more certain
each wear Is IL passes. Rates OF Interest
are gradually and surely being reduced,
and lust In that ratio investments In
land and its attachments are growing in-
viting. Comparatively considered there
Is a bright outlook 10 the active, intelli-
gent farmer for the investment OF bis
earnings In his own business.-Msine
Farmer.