The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-12-01

its regular annual meeting in Seattle,
November IA, there were less than
thirty present. It's purpose is, as Presi-
dent Shoemaker said, not to clear the
land, but ito furnish the brains" for
the movement that is destined to con-
vert our wilderness into a garden.
This is most commendable and much
easier than digging stumps! It's OBJ
ject is to show the farmer how profit
able it is to take land at $40 to 5000
per acre, clear it and raise crops for
the market Another most commend
able move, since it is to be assumed
that the actual farmer knows little or
nothing of the profits now available
as compared with the philanthropic
gentlemen who, secure in their cozy
offices, have ample time to study out
the matter Incidentally it may be
observed that they, each and all, have
land which, unable to use, they are
willing to SELL!
At the original convention there
were. besides politicians repairing
their fences, agents with engines to
SELL devices to burn out the stumps,
and promoters of schemes which it
was alleged would enable the horny
handed son of toll to clear his land
and leave a healthy profit from the
waste products. All of these involved
that the farmer man dig-up the money
to pay for the experiment suggested
by the teeming brains" of the I'M
selfish gentlemen who onered for a
price their services.
One enthusiast has plan by which
he thinks he can take the stumps and
roots from an average acre, and from
the tar, creosote and charcoal realize
a net profit of $1,000! His plant costs
only $4,000, and can handle an acre
every fifteen days. Here is the chance
of a lifetime for any thrifty tiller of
the soil who happens to have twenty
score twenties jingling in his jeans!
He will have to move quickly, though,
for it is evident that as soon as the
inventor Shows" it's possibilities to
the trusts, they will gobble up another
opportunity from the workingman.
Here is a chance to make a million
and half from every quarter section
and have the land left Who says the
day is gone for the poor man?
The Association proposes to have
some tens of thousands of booklets
printed as soon as it gets ten thou
sand setting forth all the
marvellous possibilities Of our soil and
eliminate-after the stumps and roots
are removed 1t will point out clearly
that some men, some time, in some
places have netted themselves $500 to
$1,000 per acre. 1t was not clearly i'm
pressed on the mind of the writer
wheuner it would be as explicit in
pointing out that there are others who
have and are realizing considerable
less in gross receipts.
The Sound cities have been built up
by the lumber trade, the Alaska gold
fields and the foreign commerce, which
latter Jim Hill now threatens to take
away if he is not allowed to give IA
vors as he chooses. The lumber bust
ness is in plain sight of the end. And
what would be the result of sudden
stoppage of the golden flood from the
Northland-or If it should increase
fifty or a hundred fold?
The final, permanent prosperity of
the Sound country rests upon it's posi-
ton as the distributing center for the
Inland Empire, and for the products OF
the Orient; upon it's agricultural re-
sources, mines and the manufactures
that will naturally result from the
above. The more quickly and cheap
ly the land can be cleared and placed
in control of the actual tillers of the
soil the better for every member of
the community from the bootblack to
the banker. Every cent of increase in
the cost of clearing the stumps and
roots, whether in the form of interest
or unearned increment to the land
owner lessons by so much the pros
perity of every other member of So
ciety, since civilization exists because
of and to the extent that there is an
ennitahle exchange of services be-