The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
STILL ROOM FOR THE SETTLERS.
Splendid Opportunities Still Abundant
 and Inviting In the West.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean. The impression is rather general that the Western plains are nearly all occu- pied, and that there is now little room or chance on them for the young man who wishes to Ego West and grow ur with the country"
 The impressive figures of the shrinkage of the public domain and of the rapid growth of population in the Western states, continually repeated by the press, are responsible for this impression. It is correct enough as far as it goes. It's error Is that it does not go far enough.
 The time is indeed, at an end when a man could go West and get valuable lands for practically nothing. That sort of chance" has passed away. But in the current Outlook Charles Moreau Harger shows that there Is today in the West another, and in some ways better, ''chance" for the settler.
 The prospecting work has been done. It's lessons have been learned. The new farmer In the West does not have to ex- pertinent as did his predecessor of thirty years ago. He finds all about him men who can tell him In day the facts about climate and soil conditions that the po- neer had to learn for himself through painful toll and costly experience.
 And the lands are there on which to
 
 farms-not cattle ranges, but cultivated farms-in Kansas is 240 acres; in Ne braska, 246 acres; in Okla ahoma, 251 acres; in North Dakota, 343 acres in South Da- kota, 362 acres; in Colorado, 2S4 acres; in New Mexico, AT acres, and in Texas 426 acres. As the average size of farms in Minnesota is TO acres; in Iowa, 151 acres, and in Missouri 119 acres and as none re- gard these states as crowded" it is evi- dent that there is room for many more settlers in the West. The average Vest ern farm is too large for one fanny to handle. and those there readily make room for newcomers.
 It may be said that to get new lands in the West now takes money, whereas the pioneers could get lands without money. That Is true, but on the other hand the Western settler of thirty years ago could get nothing cheap but land. For everything else, and especially for money to develop his land, he paid the highest prices. Now the farm loan that costs over per cent Is the exception in the West. If land is not free, neither is it dear, If bought with good judgment while money Is plenty and cheap. In fact, the new settler of good reputation and who looks as if he meant business is likely to be somewhat pestered by loan agents.
 And the isolation which was such a burden to the old settlers wife has passed away. The new settler does not have to haul his produce twenty, thirty and even more miles to market. He is close to well-appointed stores and the postoffiee. Quite often the rural mail | carrier reaches him as soon as his house is built. His children do not have to go unschooled or grow up without religious instruction. He has neighbors to coun- sel and advise him. He can do in Ave years what it took the pioneer ten or if teen to accomplish.
 These are the general facts that justi- fy MT. Hargers contention that there is today a larger and a better "chanoe' ir the West than there was thirty years ago, and that there Is still plenty of room for the young .man who wishes to take Horace Greely's well-known advice.