The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-13

counsel for our farmers. An uaprecsd'
ented wave Of prosperity is sweeping
over this country. Our farmers read
about il, but they do not experience it.
The wealth Of this country IS the mar
vel OF the civilized world. and yet oul
farmers in this immediate section
scarcely get the crumbs that fall from
the rich mans table. Why is this
The self seeking politician may try &c
mislead the farmer by the plea that his
poverty is due to the unwise policies Of
political parties. but this is fsllacy.
The poverty of the farmer is due tC
the unproductiveness Of his land and
the low price of his products The I'M
productiveness Of his land is due 10 III
different cultivation and Inadequate
fertilization. and the low price OF his
products is due TO the fact that he
sticks almost exclusively to corn and
wheat, in which he cannot compete
with the rich lands OF the great West.
Our farmers cannot adequately fertilize
their land because the proceeds Of the
crops they persist in raising will not
psy the bills. There has been COM
plete revolution in every other depart
ment Of industry. and hence the pros
psrlty Of the country. II the farmer
should insist upon using the old spin
ming wheel he would be counted a
crank, and yet. his slowness in con-
forming to new conditions. and his
aversion to any change in the agricul'
tural routine. adopted by his fathers a
half century ago. is almost as singular.
Our farmers must diversity their
crops. They must do more trucking
and less corn and wheat raising Their
farms are within six hours Of four great
cities with their millions Of mouths to
be fed.
But in addition to this, capital is
ready to come to your very doors. and
give you a rich reward for your toll il
you will only produce what capital
needs, and what your soil and climate
are specially suited for We refer to the
sugar beet.
Capital came to your doors a few
years ago and said to you give me
pickles and l will make it more prof.
table TO you than raising wheat and
corn. " There were very many doubling
Thomases then. Now it is conceded to
be paying crop.
The Hon. G. " Koiner, the Commits
sioner of Agriculture. Of this State,
made a special trip last October to
Nebraska, to investigate the sugar
beet industry Of that State. and be has
published a pamphlet since his return
aud this is its closing paragraph:
This is the golde N opportunity L be-
lieve and l trust our farmers will avail
themselves Of it, and secure the erec-
tion of factory at Fredericksburg and
show to the world that Virginia has
advantages over other States in grow.
ing sugar beets. at less cost aud more
profit "
The farmers Of this section may avail
themselves of the golden opportunity
of which Mr.. Koiner speaks, by sim
ply agreeing to raise the beets as the
farmers Of Nebraska and other States
have done.
As pickle factories have gone up in
this vicinity to utilize the pickles, so
will a great beet sugar factory go up
here to convert the beets into sugar if
the farmers will only agree to furnish
the beets. Our farmers can't get their
hands on the capital. with which this
country is gerfowing, unless they will
raise what capital wants Mr.. Koiner
says in his pamphlet that one fac
tory in Nebraska, visited by him, pays
out between October and December.
1850 900 for beets and labor. What
bright Christmas our farmers would
have with this sum in circulation
among them every fall