Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-12-22
aUlE OF THREE
FAILED TO WORK
The Results of the Closing Year Show
a Better Adjustment Of Affairs
and Michigan Dirt Is In
Demand.

The fact that the price of land has
gradually fallen, during the last three
or four years, might lead some TO be-
lieve that the profits from the raising OF
sugar beets did not meet the expecta-
tions of many, and that the industry, sc
far as land values are concerned, is a
failure.
But we should not arrive at oonclu-
sions too rapidly; for by doing so we
frequently make bad blunders.
Let us look the question over candidly
and see what the real facts are. When
the factory was first built, and enthu-
siasm WAS at It's height. fortunes were to
be made quickly out of few acres of
land, thought many, and as a result
farms were in great demand and prices
rose high, higher, highest, without much
regard to whether the land was adapted
to the raising of sugar beets or not
I During the first few years many real
lied handsome profits from small. well
prepared fields, and were ready to stand
up for the industry through thick and
thin; bnt forgetting that the Rule of
Three will not work in the beet field.
they figured like this:
If two acres of beets will make me one
hundred dollars clear profit, then twenty
acres will make me one Thousand dollars
clear profit. But when they came to
foot mp the profit or loss, as the case
might be, they wondered what was the
matter. Was the Rule of Three out of
date or Were they out of date. oar was il |
the industry that ought to be out of date?
1t was only natural that the price of |
land should lower somewhat when the
first wild enthusiasm was over. But
the bare fact that real estate has de-
creased in value of itself proves nothing.
Considerable Land that is not adapted
20 the raising of sugar beets will be apt
% be lower yet. while the real beet land
will certainly rise, especially that
armed by intelligent and np-to-date
There was a time when the
'irgin soil of Michigan only needed to
'e tickled with hoe and it would laugh
With harvest. But now it requires
aithful work, good tools and brains. and
he more brains the better both for the
arm and the farmer. AS considerable
lumber OF our city's population depend
lther directly or indirectly upon the
eet industry, it is just as certain as
light follows day that the price of CITY
roperty would fall if no sugar was +,
here.
Well paid laborers occupying good
ONES are blessing to any city. as well
a source of profit to the surrounding
'untry. l know that farmers generally
INK that wages are too high. But are
ot profits enough higher to even things
py am inclined to think that if our :"
orkmen were more particular to do q
eir work in a first class manner. the ~
Tx OF wages being too high would soon =
lnish into thin air. pl
Almost everything depends upon our 4
borers. If they leave our city. houses al
e left vacant; and did you ever see a a.
ty where there was many vacant u
uses, but that you could buy for a
ng Is there any farmer who is ~
t public spirited enough to spare at -
'st few acres to help feed the big fac w
~ that is dropping the hard cash into
ur pockets? ne
The year about to close has been one :"
hope and fear. In the spring every -
e seemed hopeful, and business of all al
Ids seemed very promising. Then the 81
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