Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-14
WILSON ANSWERS A FARMER
Explains Where he is Benefited by the
Increase in Value Of Lands,
OMAHA LAWYERS ON NTl-lNIUNcTloN
Monument to Memory of Colonel John
VI. StOtsenburg of the First Ne
brRslSR in Arlington Cemetery
Has Been Completed.
fFrnm a staff Corresrondent.l

CTrom Stan Correspondent
WASHINGTON, March 13.--(Special Telo-
gran.)-Congressman Kennedy lately re- !
ceived a letter from j. f. Drabek of Flor |
ence, Neb, in which he asks how an in |
crease in the value of farm lands viii !
benefit the average farmer This inquiry |
Mr.. Kennedy's correspondent says, has |
been prompted by reading OF the report of
the secretary OF agriculture wherein the |
general statement is made that farm lands
in Nebraska had increased Is per cent i'm
value. He also desires to know what ad-
vantage this increase was TO the farmer
and what difference 1t made II he continued
to live on land and own IT,
Realizing that this was a matter for Sec
rotary Wilson, Congressman Kennedy
transmitted Mr.. Drabek's letter to the sec
retary OF agriculture with request for an
exposition of the reasons for the state
ment. Today Secretary Wilson sent a
lengthy reply TO Mr.. Kennedy. which is
exceedingly Illuminating and conelusive-
What good does It do a farmer TO know
that his farm will sell for $50 or 800 oer
acre rather than for 80 or so II he does
not care to sell?" asks Secretary Wilson.
He says he has heard the question many
times and cites that people residing IN a
new country who decline to contribute 60
/
raised the question again and again. The
only reply the secretary can think of is
| this:
"A thing is worth what II will fetch. We
bought our lands In Iowa from the United
States government at 81. .25 per acre away
back before the homestead law. The same
lands now will sell on an average for S75
per acre. The man who paid 81 % per acre
may raise the same question. How much
better off am l now when my land will sell
for SO per acre than ] was when / paid
1.S Tor it7 The land is worth more or
nobody would pay $40. 1t will produce
more. II the owner gets tired, as a great
many farmers do, and moves to town he
can rent for more. II he desires to sell
and go west or go into another business he
can get more. These are the answers that
present themselves to my mind.
COnSratuIates His QIeatIoner.
1T is impossible continued Secretary
Wilson, ito prevent those splendid lands
in tho Mississippi valley from rising in
value. In my report I tried to state facts
with regard to the increase in value Of the
lands. did not go into the philosophy
presented by Mr.. Drabek. But desire to
congratulate him that his land has gone
up in value. and I desire to congratulate
the people of Nebraska that they know
more about the way to make those lands
productive than they did when they were
worth less money. The acre is a more val
uable acre ard the Nebraska man knows
more than he did about making his acres
produce, ! venture the prediction that the
Nebraska man will continue TO learn how
TO make those lands still more valuable
and that they will continue to go up in
value, They will double their present prices
In his life time. very likely, and after he is
called tn his reward they will go on doub-
ling again, because they are the best lands
in the world"
! Omaha Men on Injunction Bill.
) Mr.. and Mrs. T. ]. Mahoney and c. C.
. Montgomery of Omaha arrived In WASH
I ington this morning. MT Mahoney and
! Mr.. Montgomery are here in relation to
the anti-injunction bill. hearings on which
will be heard tomorrow by the house Judi
ciary committee Mr.. Mahoney represents
the National Manufacturers association,
while Mr. Montgomery is secretary of the
' Business Mems association OF Omaha.
: Monument to StotsenburE.
n The monument to the memory OF John
$ L. stotsenburg, colonel of the First Ne
n braska, which will preserve the memory
+ of the soldier who fell in the Philippines,
g has Just been completed and erected at
Arlington at cost OF $1,1OO. The statue
e is of the simplest but most imposing in
y the nations burial ground. 1t stands six
and a half feet high and is of polished
dark Quincy granite. The bronze tablet
, on the front was Donated by the War de-
paTtment. Colonel Stotsenburg was killed
while leading his regiment the First Ne
braska volunteers in the fight at Quin-
qua, p l., April q, 1899.
Msuor Mattar. n. f,.os..u
Senator Gamble today introduced a bill
3 increasing the limit of cost of the public
T building at Yankton, S. D., TO $Sl, 500. This
7 increase is made for the purpose OF the
d placing OF exterior lamp stands addi-
tional lock boxes and other minor improve
g ments.
i The bill setting apart certain lands in the
5 Black Hills. S. D., to be known as Battle
x Mountain Sanitarium reserve, passed the
/ senate today. This measure has passed the
> house and now goes TO the president fol
e approval
! The senate today passed the Nullard,
Is Kinkaid bill appropriating 10000 for ths
o purchase Of site and the erection of a
Il public building at Kearney Neb.
!; William T. Richardson has been ap
pointed postmaster at Mynard, Cass county
& Nebraska, vice Minnie Cox. resigned
o The postofiices at Princeton. Neb.: Whit,
8 City Ia; Corsica, Herriek. Hutton. River
d side and stickney. 8. D.. become domesti,
/ money order offices April .
n Complete rural free delivery service hai
q been ordered established May l in Jack
3 son county, Iowa, making a total O
twenty routes.
William S. Richards OF Iowa. a clerk il
the. ONCE Of the auditor for the State de
partment. has been selected as disbursini
~. clerk OF the Treasury department. He
a friend OF Secretary Shaw.