The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-18
LAND IS CHEAP
IN THE SOUTHLAND
Cheaper BY Half 7hau In The
Middle West
IMMIGRANTS ARE COMING
Agricultural Possibilities In South Are
Coming to Be Appreciated and
the Tide Is Now Turning
This Way.
MIGRANTS ARE COMING

From the Southern Zimmerman.
In the cereal producing section, in the
states of Illinois and Iowa, and, In fact
central west, good farm lands sell from
500 to 5000 an acre, and these are not
those acres that have their value from
the fact that they are very near to some
city or town. These prices prevail for
the land for its value as farm.
/ In the Canadian northwest and in the
southwest a quarter or an eight of
this is not an unusual price, while in
the south when land goes over 800 an
acre it Is due to some improvements or
other causes than the lands own fer
tility.
AS the railroads have been extended
through the west and northwest, the
farmers have migrated there. and now
Canada is very active in alluring set
tiers to the cheap and fertile lands just
across the border. The Canadian land
office estimates that between $2,500,0 900
and 100000 will be taken out of the
agricultural states of Iowa and Nebraska
into western Canada this year.
Last year the Omaha office booked
1900 emigrants to Canada. requiring S25
cars to handle their. goods, valued at
81, $4,000 Practically every one Of the
western border states has had a similar
| drain upon it's resources, and the middle
tier of states farther south are appar-
emily as fully influenced by the attrac-
! tiveness of low priced acres in Canada as
those communities living nearer the in
ternatonal border.
The influence of land prices upon move
ments of population is nothing new.
When the prices of farm products In the
t, east in earlier decades felt the effects
of western competition hundreds OF
thousands of farmers left New England,
| the middle states and the southeast for
the very western lands whose low cost
had helped displace them from their
earlier homes. They went in search OF
the cause which forced them to move.
In due time the price of western land
advanced and has now probably reached
! q maximum as a result of the high prices
| of farm products extending over series
of several years, Meanwhile all the
good and cheap lands have been taken
up and the Younger generation finds IT.
| self handicapped in the outset because
| of the immensely larger amount of In
vestment that must be made to put them
selves In a condition equally as good as
their parents on land from five to ten
times dearer than 1t was two decades
! ago Under these circumstances 1t is
perfectly natural that those who migrat-
I'd tn that country from abroad, reared
families on the western farms, and are
interested in PROVIDING for their children.
should repeat the Motley of seeking out
! farms where frontier prices prevail to
settle themselves and their children's
! families there with the proceeds of the
sale of their improved estate.
While the cheapness of the price and
| the fertility of the land are being so as
| siduously agitated among the farmers of
| the west-of foreign birth or descent.
i most Of them-b,t good citizens. 1t Ia
| time for the railroads running to the
| south tn be as energetic and enterpris-
| ing as the roads of the west have been.
! There has been q prejudice against SOUTH
! ern farminp that can now be wiped away
! ie this sections advantages ere only
shown IN THEW true light IF there ever
was ti-oe-wher the canal has attracted
! 80 much attention this way--for the
railroads. the landowners and commercial
organizations to get busv. 1t is now. As
| q place for a home-a,r the farmers are
/ home lovers-Canada with its rigorous
/ winters shor'd not stand an even break
with the south in securing the migrating
| farmer