Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-07-08
PRACTICAL TALKS
TO THE FARMER.
By Hon. F. D. Coburn.
A Glance at the Land Situation.

been the important industry, fol
6y It humanity is fed and clothed
Christian or barbarian, white OF
black or of other hue, all depend
upon the soil for raiment and sui
Slstence. Hence in all time land
has been held in highest esteem
the one asset indeStructlble. II
Ssrated as the safest and most con
Servative investment, and, as the
basis of wealth, will always be 50
regarded. With the passing Of Il
uIblic domain and the almost sim
uItanedus advance in the cost OF
living, interest in farm property
In America has been sharply
heishtened. In fact to such a
degree has this attained that the
desire for land has become cpl
6ennic.
Whatever is left of the free gov
crnment land in the United States
d, in the main, not adapted to ge'
eral farming being either too wet,
tho dry or too rough. Some areas
will be reclaimed by irrigation,
and some by drainage, yet such
additions to our productive area
vii comprise but a small fraction
Of the whole, and the day OF the
pioneer hOmeSteader has gone by,
IN Its cOurseJ the occupancy OF a
great country. This does not mean
that our agricultural lands are
anywhere near under cultivation
or fully developed, as in Kansas,
for instance, only fraction over
a third of the states area, practl-
caIly all arabic, is under the plow
But 1t does mean that land suit
able for farming can no longer be
bad for the taking.
Many city men, tiring Of urban
existence and the inceSSant strug-
gle tOmake ends meet, turn to the
land as a panacea for their trOub-
les, while the farmer on the high
priced farms of the corn belt, mo-
ed by visions of going further
West and making second fortune
Through increase in values, is like
wise an active factor in the realty
markets These are the two bag
classes making business for the
land SchemerS. Even at t e pres
ent and increasing prices prOduc-
tive land must be a good invest
ment. There will never be more
of it, and as population increases
twill inevitably become more and
more a coveted treasure. Owing
to this acute situation the hlgh+
ways and bywayS are pOpulOuS
with land boomers, and the land
huugrv are everywhere.
While this land getting fever Is
so high, proper enough in its way
a word of caution may be pertin-
ent. This is view of the fact that
on every hand are put forth IN
pretentious dress, bales of expen-
Siye and seductive literature, pre-
,Senting most extravagant claims
some of which are impossible OF
fulfillment.
There are lands and lands. Som
represent excellent bargains, Sple
did opportunities and great pOssl
bilities, for use or as investments
and they are not confined to the
west, the wilderness, the sandhill
or the sagebruSh. Others bOugh'
at whatever price could mean
,naught but disappointment. Their
are agents and agents, As a elias
they are reliable and responslbl. !,
men; there are some, as I'm all
lines, who are sharks and sharp
ers-g gray wolves hanging on tn
TANKS of a respectable business
It is well to consider the agent
and pretty safe to avoid the proI
ositiOns that make the acquiring
of a tract so easy" that one ms
vels at the philanthropy of thel
promoters. 1t is well to bear i
mind that there is no more "ge
rich-quick" chance in agricutur
than in other legitimate bus
neSSeS.
All parts Of the country Offe
excellent opportunities for inves
ments and home making, and son
may present advantages not po
sessed by others. Today the hig
priced rich soils of the cOrn-be
may be as cheap" as land
the sO-caIed newer regions. 1t
well for the prospective purchas
to investigate the distant region
but at the. same time he shoul
not be deaf to the knock Of opp
tunities at home. If some of tt