Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-03-25

thsn In any of the others, and the farm
ers who have choice of SO many
markets occupy vantage ground. My
object in calling attention to these
things is to emphasize the fact, that
good farm in this locality is choice
piece of property, and when properly
managed will produce sufficient to rich.
ly repay the expenses of cultivation and
q good interest on the Investment which
1t represents
To my mind the chief value of our
lands is due to the fact that they are in
what Is known as the "Corn Belt. the
zone where Indian corn attslns its
greatest perfection. No other grain
yields food for man and beast so boun-
teously, and with 50 little labor, as indian
corn. Corn is easily king of agricul-
tural products, and 1t follows that good
corn lands are the most valuable lands
for agricultural purposes.
am aware that there are some parts
of the "Corn Belt" where the percentage
of good corn land is greater than in
Delaware County. This is owing to
the fact that the land in those sections
is more uniformly dry than 1t is here
with us. But duubt very much If
that is any advantage. Our damp or
low lands produce more hay and pasture
than the drler lands, aud this enables
our farmers to keep more cows and
stock Of oil kinds than can be kept by
the farmers in the dry counties. AS .
result of these conditions Delaware
County farms are kept In splendid con-
dition without the expenditure of q
dollar for fertilizers.
These are but few Of the reasons
why many land owners in this vicinity,
who cannot conveniently work their
own lands, had sooner rent than sell.
These are but a few of the reasons why
many other men had sooner have half the
income from good Delaware County
farm, than the entire product Of farm
in some less favored locality. But 1
must leave to others the completion of
the enumeration which have scarcely
commenced, and pass on to another
feature of the subject upon which l de-
sire to say few words.
have already said that considered
the business of farm renting beneficial
to the state. Every man who rents q
farm is an independent man, the owner
of at least q half interest In the business
in which he is engaged. Such men are
nation builders and nation defenders.
Rome in the days of her greatest Wig
or, when 1t was said of her that she sat
upon her seven hills and from her
throne Of beauty ruled the world, was
practically nation Of farmers. At
that time every Roman citizen was
allotted . certain quantity Of land, usu.
ally about six acres, which he was ex-
pecsad to cultivate with his own hands;
and the expectation was made good,
not alone by the ordinary citizens, but
by the greatest commanders and states
men in the country. And while the
Romans cultivated their own fields they
were invincible.
No state is insecure while consider
able number of her citizens are indepen-
dent sgriculturists. / need not go back
to history for proof to support this as
sertion. Those who can recall the
events of little more than thirty years
ago will remember what took place in
Paris about the close Of the great wal
between France and Germany. The
Commune, an organization of desper-
ately lawless men, took possession OF
Paris and commenced to turn the hands
of civilization backward. They Sc,
fire to public buildings and proceeded tc
destroy the ancient monuments and
treasures OF art in that hsndsomest city
of modern times. Paris in the frenzy
of despair was as helpless as child ir
the coils of the Commune. But out.
side of the big city there were legioni
of French yeomanry,and 10000 of then
went to the rescue and law and orde
were soon re established. Nations lik'
cities become decadent when thei
wealth producers lose their indepen
dence, when few persons think for AMI
exercise authority over very many. Il
these days Of changing conditions,
would be national calamity shoul
some great trust purchase all the goo
corn lands of the Central West, an
cultivate them with hired help, unde
the direction of seperintendents, th
same as most every other great industr
a in the cauntry is now being conducted
: Never wrote poet more truthful
. than the one who penned these lines:
i 'sIll fares the land to hasten ills pre-
Where wealth accumulates and me
decay"
For these reasons contend that th
state is benefited, and should foster an
encourage existing conditions pertain
. ing to agriculture. In every age Ii
. stalwart independent men, with Draw
!. and brain that smacked Of the contac
= with the earth, have held the scale
7 empire In their hands.
j BEING A GOOD FELLOW.
1t Is "a Losing Game In the Long Ru
l