The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-09-14

A pamphlet lust issued By the de-
partment OF agriculture shows that
the man who SIX years ago for pure
" speculative purposes, invested his
money in middle west farm lands, las
realized good returns on the invest
menL The pamphlet makes no refer
ence to such investments being de-
signed solely to show a PROSPEROUS
condition in agricultural cOu.iuunitiSs,
but the foregoing deduction may be
drawn from the published facts Farm
investments have always been regard
ed as pre-eminently safe, and when it
can be demonstrated that, in addition
70 this, one can make so per cent on
an investment Of six years standing,
there seems to be no good excuse for
sinking money IN wildcat mining
schemes and tOntine enterprises.
The general increase in farm val
ues since 1900. throughout the entire
United States is placed at One-third
but in many sections OF the middle
west and south il IS much more than
that In some parts Of Texas the ad-
vance is given at 100 per cent The
average increase in Minnesota is
shown to be Is per cent; in OklahO-
ma, 80 per cent; in Iowa 80 per cent;
in Missouri, 40 per cent in NebraS-
ka, so per cent, and in Kansas 81 per
cent Generally speaking. the newer
the state or section. the greater the
increase.
The above facts appeared in a daily
newspaper recently, which gave the
increase in the value Of Kansas farm
land at 81 per cent, taking the state
over But what Of western Kansas as
a lifting power in raising the 81 per
Il cent? Within the last six years, yes,
in less time that that, the price Of
an average OF about 400 per cent Less
| than six years ago, fine, smooth quar-
| ter sections Of land could be purchas-
/ ed in Sherman county for $500 quar-
| ter; the same land now is worth $1,000
to $500 per quarter. And IL is still
/ going I'D The reason il has gone VI
| so rapidly is because the farmers are
/ making a success where they used 70
| make a failure In a GOOdland res
| taurant the other day, a man who had
! not lived here long. but long enough
/ to draw valid conclusions. said to the
/ writer What stumpS me is that your
land is sold so low, when you are rails
1 ing crops here on SO land that is ev-
/ cry bit as good as the crop now raised
on $50 land farther east" Well, the
! price will 90 higher as more people
/ know this very same fact as to crOI
/ production What keeps il back is
/ the aggregate showing Of production
! which is relatively small on account
| OF sparse settlement Sherman county
l hasn't been touched yet, and with Z
normal rural settlement this county
will roll up the yearly wheat prOduc
I ton into the millions The country /!
I great, but the farmers are few
/ Successful wheat crops, which have
been the rule since 1897, are assigned
as the principal cause Of this advances
in the value of farm lands. In thi
period there have been several phe
nOmenal crops, and the series through
out the wheat belt has been unbrOkeI
by even partial failure On the 9th
CT hand. the corn crop has been verl
little, il any, above normal, and TIT
live stock industry has not hOurisheC
as it has in other periods Of equa
/ length within the last few decades
| However, wheat has saved the day
and whatever the cause, the mere fac
\ that farm lands are increasing IL
price, showing that the demand 70
them is increasing, shows a health!
condition Of the country in general.