Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-11-06
NOTHING LIKE THE LAND.

NO404NV AxA6 / III AA42GNOs
"Stop selling your FARMS" was the
wholesome advice given by Mr.. J. j.
Hill to the Northwest farmers in his
address at Crookston. This advice was
born of Mr.. Hills intimate knowledge
of the resources and the possibilities of
development in this region. He knows
that the lands are really worth more
than they will be likely to fetch now,
and he wants to impress the farmers
with the ACCESSIBILITY of holding on to a
good thing.
The history of the progressive settle
ment of the west demonstrates the fact
that land is, after all, the safest and
surest asset. When settler takes up
frontier claim he finds hard work and
hardships before him. His lot, for
time, at least, is one of privation and
his task one that requires infinite pa
thence. But he has the certainty of re-
ward for his toll in the fruitful and
teeming earth; and beyond that, every
new farm that is opened, every new
house that is built, every mile of rail
road that is constructed, every improve
ment wrought by the hand of advanc-
ing civilization, adds to the value of his
holding. He is getting not only pay for
his labor in his crops and his growing
cattle, but he is the recipient of what
some political economists call "the un-
earned increment:" that is to say, of the
increasing value caused by the growth
of the country.
Iowa is now accounted one of the
richest states in the union. Farms in
some sections sell readily at from $50 to
500, and even more, per acre. Agenera-
ton or two ago the land composing these
farms was takenup as homesteads, pre-
empted at dollar and quarter an
acre, or bought cheaply from railroad
corporations. Some of the first settlers
got tired and sold out for song-but
those who hung on grew wealthy, and
they or their sons have now surplus
capital from these farms for outside in
vestmentS.
Southern Minnesota has been through
!, about the same experience and is now
in line with Iowa in the average value
of FARMS There is no reason why every
arabic acre in North Dakota should
not in time become worth quite as much
| as any Iowa and southern Minnesota
, land. Every reduction in freight rates
, and such reductions seem to be com
5 ing yearly-puts up the value of the
: farming lands a notch, as does the es
{ tablishment of every creamery or other
manufacturing establishment in the
: ncighboring towns. 1t is time for oul
;. farmers to come to better realization
} of the permanent value of their lands
2 and of the fact that they cannot leave {
t better heritage to their children than the
4 soil which is, after all. the basis of al
prosperity. The population of this ives
: tern region has only just begun to grow
9 Soon there will be no unoccupied land
/: Mr.. Hill is right in saying that Rec
1 River valley farms are worth more thar
e S25 per acre. So are farms outside the
valley. 1t should be remembered thai
the amount of land is limited, but the
S number of people is unlimited who
1 can say what good farming land inNortt
D Dakota will be worth twenty-five years
: from now.
r -.
e 1900 pairs of boots and shoes at les.
e than manufacturers cost, at G. j. Kellys
: The Great Steel Range "Malleable,'