Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-11-08
MAN WHO DECLARES IOWA AGRl.
cuLTuRIsrs ARE MAKING NO
MONEY STARTS SOMETHING.
TRAVELLING MAN INSISTS THAT
he PROVE HIS STATEMENT
hs Proceeds 70 DO So at Least to His
Own Satisfaction = Northern Iowa
Town Whose Farmers Aided Outside
Concern to Freeze Out Local Cream.
cry Now Sorry. For II.
Special to Times-Republican.

Alden, Nov Sin a village store the
other day an old man clasped his hands
behind his head, tilted back in his chair
and remarked: "The Iowa farmer of
today is not. making half dollar a
day except on the advance in the price
farm He had hardly finished the
sentence when TRAVELLING man retort-
ed: IF the farmer isn't making any
money these days I'd like to know who
is Surely some of the thousands Of
farmers automobiles are at least part
ly paid for. Splendid farm improve
ments are going up in every part of the
country. About one farmer in three the
state over owns land in the northwest
or in some other part Of the cheap land
country. When farmer pays a debt
or makes a purchase these days he
rency but with a check Why is all
money? These are pretty good evil
dences of prosperity. think"
The man in the chair acted as any
something and this in substance was
and universal prosperity whenever he
looked toward an Iowa farm.
with land at present prices the in
! come of every owner of a quarter sec
ton of land figuring interest at five
per cent on his investment ought to
be about 800 month without any la
Dor at all on his part. Such a man
works from twelve to fourteen hours
day. and say what you please about
modern methods making physical labor
on the farm thing of the past there
is plenty of the hardest kind of work
on the farm yet. AT public sale near
here a few days ago the highest bid
that could be obtained on a field of
corn that is good for yield Of sixty
or siXty-five bushels was SIS per acre
and at no time this fall has more than
$3.50 been offered at public sale for
| an acre Of corn in the field. There is 4
good deal Of labor and expense in
volved in the raising of an acre Of corn
| when you come to think Of it. The
process extends from the opening OF
the growing season to good while af-
ter it's close There can not be any
big money in raising beef or pork either
this year. or men would be more Gag
er to buy some of this cheap corn. The
yards are full of pigs this season. No
one that knows anything about the
matter will claim there is any profit in
raising oats in Iowa, this year or any
! other.
cit is true that many farmers in this
state own land outside the state, but if
you will investigate a little now you
will find that except in rare cases the
money that was paid on these lands
does not represent profits in farming.
a great deal of it was borrowed and
I know OF several farmers who are q
good deal poorer today than they would
have been if they had never invested
or specialized in outside land.
Good farms around here are being
rented for IS per acre cash for next
year. If everything continues fav-
orable the tenant can make living.
possibly some profit. but if prices go
much lower than they are now the pro-
fit will be mighty light one. 1 will
admit that the farmer is living better
than he did formerly, but not better
than those in other walks Of life. The
improvements that he is making are.
in general. necessities, not luxuries.
NO" he concluded, "the farmer is
not getting ready to ask for charlty.
but the idea that he is making lot Of
money every year by raising corn and
oats and hogs is an erroneous one. He
is earning every dollar that comes to
him as a result OF his labor"
During the month Of August of this
season a buyer in little town IN
northern Iowa is said to have paid out
$2,1O0 to surrounding farmers Tor
cream. A few years ago local cream
cry was operated but an outside con-
Germ offered a somewhat higher price
than the home institution was paying
and those who were dissatisfied with
tests. weights. etc. together with
others, who wanted better price. be-
gan shipping to the foreign concern.
OF course the higher price was paid I'M
til the local creamery was closed Tor
want of patronage and after that 1t was
different 1t is told that many men
in that vicinity would like to have a
local creamery operated again but 1t
isn't such an easy matter to start SUCH
concern very soon after an exper-
fence of this kind and the idle cream
cry plant is likely to remain idle Tor
some time to come.
c. f. WILSON