Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-19
hide LIGHT UNDER BUSHEL
E. A. Benson Tells Ee5ra XIV Land Agents
Of one Importsnt Failing.
POINTS CUT NECESSITY FOR PUBLICITY
lays Real Estate Agents should Form
District ORGANIZATIONS to Adver-
tise Resources and Advnn-
taEes of Their state.

The morning session OF the Nebraska
Real Estate Dealers convention was occu-
pied with a discussion Of immigration
and Investment.
Under the general theme Of What Ne
brasak Has TO Offer and How to Offer It."
Willis Caldwell Of Broken Bow spoke Of
present crop, real estate and general bus
mess conditions in the counties Of Greeley,
Valley, Howard. Sherman, Custer, Hall,
Buffalo and Dawson. The speaker said
that corn averages from twenty to fifty
bushels per acre, winter wheat twenty to
forty bushels; rye, about twenty-five
bushels. He took up the question of al
falfa, which grows in all smooth valley
lands, yielding from three to Ave tons per
acre. He exhibited a photograph Of four
cuttings OF alfalfa grown on Muddy Valley,
adjoining Broken Bow, the first cutting
yielding three tons per acre. second cut
ting two tons, third cutting two tons and
fourth cutting one ton; total, eight tons
per acre. All the hill land that is capable
OF cultivation will grow alfalfa, yielding
three tons per acre. The Platte valley
from Grand Island west into Dawson
county yields large quantities Of ALFALFA
at the Soldiers home 200 acres in alfalfa
yielded a gross income in 1901 OF sos per
acre. AS an illustration OF income from
corn lands in the central district and
states Of Iowa and Illinois, the average
yield In the latter states is thirty
bushels per acre at IS cents per bushel,
making $10.50 per acre, with a rental value
OF ~, which would be 8 per cent on 800 per
acre. The central counties OF Nebraska
raise corn averaging twenty-five bushels
per acre az Is cents per bushel, a gross In
come Of 1925. a rental OF EOS, being 8
per cent on $40 per acre, these lands being
sold from $40 to $50 per acre. On a safe
estimate. figuring the actual product OF
the yield and growth OF grasses utilized
for grazing, the real value Of lands in
CENTRAL Nebraska is from $40 to $50 per
acre.
T. c. Patterson, from North Platte,
speaking for the west central section, de-
voted his time to showing the value OF iT-
~rigation to,western Nebraska and the cat
tie and grazing interests.
He was followed by Cyrus e. Watson.
state labor commissioner. who dwelt upon
the Importance of collecting facts as to the
agricultural and grazing business Of the
state .-.
Light of Publicity.
"How May Immigration TO Nebraska be
Promoted" was the theme of e. A. Benson.
D. He said that through advertising there has
Deen n neaVy tue OF immigration INTO
Conada. North Dakota, South Dakota, Mis-
souri, end Kansas, while Nebraska has not
secured It's share. we have advantages
which cannot be secured in any OF the
states named" said he. "There is a rea-
? son why we are not getting this immigra-
tion and that Is because we don't adver-
tise for II. ] have taken a paper pub
lished in Des Moines and l find two pages
devoted to advertising lands in the Da-
kotas. Canada and Missouri, while there
was one little 'ad.' from Nebraska. l have
watched and counted the advertisements. I
believe today there are more than 100 men
.~imdowa promoting Immigration to the Da-
Rotas and I dare say there are not three
men working exclusively for Nebraska. We
have hoped the tide would turn toward us,
but we have done nothing to turn 1t. I
ct have three suggestions to make, to be
carried out Immediately, because farmers
come between harvest and planting time.
First, / would advertise; form districts and
put money into a pot to advertise that dis
trict. Each county might form a district.
Let a sun OF 5000 be raised. Describe our
average farm at an average price and a
dozen farms can be shown, each generally
answering the description. A man should
be selected TO sign the Joint advertisement
and the responses which come to him
should be sent to the agents contributing
to the fund in equal amount. the other con-
.tributors being notified of the reference
OF all letters. Iowa and Illinois is the field
for our work. II one firm cannot send out
q man, let the dealers Of the county unite
to send out a man to advertise. Let the
commissions made on sales effected by this
man be divided between the contributors
to tho fund. VIZ.
Another suggestion is the formation of
q press bureau. Secure some man at a
central point, whose business 1t would be
TO prepare attractive reading matter which
may be published in the newspapers OF
the state about the advantages of the
different sections. Get somebody to cen
sor the matter and get out a bulletin. ]
believe the newspapers will cooperate. !
dare say that we do not know all about
our Town state and the result OF this pub
licity will surprise US"
Discussion of AdvertisinE.
d. L. Pond of lnman. L. M. Graham OF
s~tockxille. T. G. Patterson OF North Platte,
Willis Caldwell OF York county, C F. Hor-
ner of Lexington, A.fF. Ballah of Neigh,
F. M. Rublee OF Broken Bow and w. H.
Cowgirl Of Holdrege- participated In the
discussion that followed. Mr.. Cowgirl said
agents from Holdrege. Wilcox, Ber-
trand and Raglan formed a society. The
members contribute 5 per cent OF commits
sions to the fund of the society. All sales
are reported to the secretary. We accu-
mulated quite a sum Of money, which we
used in many ways, We are getting ready
TO send someone to the east. About octo-
Der l we p~rorated the surplus funds to the
members, because We had more money on
hand than we knew what to do with. We
fine members who attempt to plug deals
When a man comes to town nobody both
ers him. We sell when we can, but do not
worry him by sending him out with too
many agents. We understand one another
in our district now and have done better
business than ever before. Admission to
the association is upon the basis OF the
amount of funds on hand. II the amount
on hand Is equal to 800 a member the new
member must put up 800. Advertising Is
done in the Sunday newspapers Of the large