Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-10-13
UNCLE JACK FORGIVES JASPER

never write you another line, or in- vite You to join me in the good things of this life. Not that I love you less, but you have such selfish ways and stubborn ideas that would vex saint. But time is a great healer and l am persuaded from a standpoint of du-.s' to give you another chance, provided you will knuckle down and fudge fair I wanted you to join me in trip to the older state where we could see new things, study objective condi- tions and talk Arkansas. As you did not come, I got hot under the collar and made the trip alone Be- ing a stranger and one of a kind, i had to do lots of talking to hold my own. The trip from here to St Louis was made during the night, hence little did I see, but the day found me on the other side of the Mississ- ippi river, speeding my way through Illinois and Indiana and thence through Ohio and north again to the Lakes. After passing East St. Louis began the grain fields. It would be better to say one large field, cover in the several states. Here and there could be seen small villages and beautiful farm houses the soil of the country is very rich as rule. chinery, the harvesting in like man. ner. One man and span of horses. cultivating from so to 100 acres. Some statistician said the United States could furnish bread for all Eurpoe. I was disposed to doubt this to some extent, but my mind has been reconciled and I will say in ad. dition and then sOme." l inquir- ed the price of these lands to find the range of values from $50 to S2OO per acre. A majority of these lands are no better than our val ley lands, that sell from $20 to $50 per acre You ask why such differ
 ences exist. In tna lrst place tho entire country has ben improvar to a high state of cultiva.;, n, with 6. necessary buildings fer tat; coaif2rt of man and beast. Th@ highway, are laid out as a rule on section lines by engineers who established grades and drainage. These coun- try roads are all laid in crushed stone and cared for by special tax, supervised by regular board O. commissioners. A pair of horses can draw a load on such roads with comparative ease, besides the wea: and tear on the vehicle is of little consequence Steam railroads connecS with most all of the towns of im- portance and of latters years tEo electric or interurban roads are as handy to the country people as the ordinary street railway is to the western towns. The principal cities have interurban lines that point in all directions and are so arranged by schedule as to arrive and depart every thirty minutes. This method of travel has become very popular due to convenience and cleanliness and is less dangerous to life. The farmers are very much in favor of these lines as they haul light freight and perishable products, enbaling the farmer to ship as of:el each week or day as suits his convenience. Some of these electric lines are of great length, noces s.td.in,: the com pany to carry bl sgago dining and sleeping cars. Tak.ns int, rnnst l. aration all the advantages both To- cal and foreign and you ar, not surprised at the price of lands. A few years ago Illinois had consider
 able low and wet lands. By sys- tenn of drainage, such land have all
 been reclaimed and are considered the choice lands of the state. The sociability of the people as rule is not like that of the South. In fact you are impressed with the idea of selfishness, you can make some excuse for this as the seasons are short and a certain amount of work must be done by the farmer in a certain length of time. There tore you can only state your hIs!- ness and get an answer in the nega- tive or affirmative. That eleman representing the commercial and in dustrial lines are we'll informed as to conditions in the southwest and