Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1906-05-04

THE DEBF-RIDDEN FARMER.

\; hs5 ~. = eeueTs azette, stock jour
nal published at Chicago, has been
devoting onsiderable space Of late to-
the question Of immigration to this
state and peculiarly Is not only OPP.
posed TO the same. but distorts the
truth in order to impress the outside
world with the Imaginary dangers Of
locating in what it designates as the
semi-arid region.
What the motive Of the Breeders
\ Gazette is in taking this unwarranted
and unre bile stand would indeed
be difficult to determine. If it be for
Z the purpose of preventing the farmers
Of the older states from migrating to
North Dakota. the Gazette exhibits an
4 abnormal amount of ignorance con
corning actual conditions III this state
!. or resorts to preyarication in a man
\ ner unworthy Of a respectable journal.
Among other things the Gazette
u claims that the villages in the semi
&
i arid region are poverty stricken. and
& that the old settlers are In debt and
ithout the means or ability to pay.
4 From these false premises it is able
to reason that the opportunities in the
{ older states Of the middle west are
superior to those Of North Dakota, and
!: that the farmer who is seeking a
change Of location would do better to
invest in the high priced lands Of these
states than In the comm rcially cheap
+ lands Of this state.
TT may be true that many Of the
J people, especially the farmers Of the
state, are in debt during the first few
years Of their residence. There is a
reason for this, however.
5 The vast majority of them come here
with but little Of this worlds goods.
They have lived SO long on the high
priced lands Of the states mentioned
by the Gazette, and have received So
little enumeration above the rents
they were required to pay, that they
have nothing LEFT but energy, which
the cond itions under which they lived
have abnormally developed. They
could never hope to own a foot Of land
did they remain in these older states.
They come to North Dakota and with.
NO more money than it would require
4 to pay the cash rent on farm III their
old home they purchase quarter or
I half section. and begin farming upon,
their own resp possibility.
They go IN debt for seed. for ma
chinery. for stock. and often for their
living expenses. In this particular the
! Gazette is correct.
But when the. harvest time comes
1 and the years labor is turned into
4 money the current debts are paid out
Of the proceeds and "a considerable
+ slice IS taken off the farm debt. The
& process ls repeated for few years,
the debt against the farm gradually
growing smaller until the last dollar
is wiped out. and that even around a
\ North Dakota farm freside is gath.
4 cred the happiest family on Gods foot.
stool. The farm is paid for and the
home is. their own. The broad acres
that have yielded up their wealth to
accomplish this end belong to them.
They sit beneath their own roof tree
4 and are the dependents of none.
During these few years they may
! have lived in a house more useful than
ornamental and ION the evening OF the
lifting Of the debt from the farm they.
plan for a new home where they may
have the luxuries as well as the COM.