Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-11-18
Lands Values in the Middle West

A recently issued census bulle
tin, covering the farm statistics
of Iowa, throws light upon thu
causes of the drift of farming
population out of the MiddleWest
Following is a condensation of the
census report:
From 1900 to 1910 the value of Iowa's
farm land alone rose from 81, 1856, 752,.
900 to SO, 799, OPS, 900, an increase of 81,
542,273. 900, or 1927 per cent; the value
of all farms, including that of their
buildings, increased from 81, ,497, 555, 600
to 50, 253. 7l9, 900, gain of $1,756, ,164,
600, or 117.3 per cent, and the value
of buildings alone rose from $240. $685.
600 to $454. .694, 900, an increase Of $2l3, :
$4,000, or 89.8 per cent. The value of
implements and machinery rose from
S57, 1861, 900 to $95, 273,000, gain of
S37, 1912, 900. or 64.4 per cent, and ex-
penditurss for labor increased from
SIG, $4,000 to $24, 1921 900. or 81 per
cent. The total number of farms drop
ped during the decade from 22S, ,622 to
2l9,807, decrease of IL, l,815, or trife
more than per cent. The farm acre
age reported in 1910, is 33. 905, 900, COM
pared with 34.574, 900 in 1910. a de-
creased of $4,000 acres. or 1.9 per
cent.
The decade has wrought similar
changes, doubtless, in the agric-
ultural States grouped with Iowa.
With the prices of farm lands so
enormously enhanced, the cost of
farm labor higher by more than
so per cent and the outlay for i'm
plements and machinery larger
by Ga per cent, it is readily seen |
that the average Iowa farmer
must be, so to speak, a capitalist.
1t is true of course, that the
poor youth of exceptional pluck
and resourcefulness and establish
ed credit may win out there as
elsewhere, but the heavy outlay
required is calculated to lead the
average farm lad, searching for
his opportunity, to other States
and sections where lands are
cheaper and the cost of farm op-
Grafton not so great. Not only so
but many of the older farmers
have been tempted to take the
profits of their foresight and in {
dustry, either retiring with COM
petence or reinvesting elsewhere
to profit anew by the rise of values
certain to follow settlement and l
development of unoccupied and !
cheap lands. =
The decrease of farming acreage 9
shown is also of interest to the !
South. Possibly it is offset to !
some extent by increased yields 4
If the Iowa farms under modern
Methods, but the offset must be !.
slight by comparison with the l
growth of national population t
With must be fed from the farms. g
rhe loss of acreage in the Mid o
lie West will have to be made o
rood by other sections and the "
required by the army of o
which is constantly
must also be made in
ther States. All this has been
Understood in a general and some = =
What vague way, but the census n
igures present the facts plainly al
nd convincingly. There are, it 81
J seen, two classes of Middle o.
Western farmers from whom the =
outh may draw new population, Is
nd both aredesirable -thefarmer IL
7ho has sold his holdings at fancy el
rices and seeks opportunity of te
upon a rising land u
market, and the farmers son who y,
y
, bent on making a place for him ii
elf and seeks lands at prices Il
,ithin reach of his comparatively Ell
lender purse, or upon such terms
s give him a fair chance of pay
,g out" Middle Westerners of
9th classes are finding here in " "
[ississippi the opportunities they !,
eek. and it should be only ques-
on Of time when the process
raphically described by the cen
IS figures for Iowa will Ee repeat
/ in Mississippi and in other
..,4Lo,.r Ctotoc