The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-09-08

individual and the nation. The invest
ment which offers the greatest returns
is farm land. Even in those localities
where land is now worth considerably
more than 500 an acre the price limit
is little chance to lose money on land
provided it is wisely invested. 1t is the
lack Of knowledge of what constitutes
good farm that makes land an IN
safe investment for the city man.
There may be some honest land
agents, but unfortunately they have no
trademark to distinguish them from
the other variety. To buy land with
out seeing it is painless way of part
ing with hard earned money AS for |
the promised profits, they usually find |
their way to the pockets of the land |
agent, leaving the investor a sadder |
and wiser man.
Between IJUU and 1906 the average
increase in the value Of the farm land
IN the United States was 80 per cent
Between 1900 and 1910 much of the
land in the western part of the Missis-
sippi valley doubled in value. With a
system of farming that keeps up the
fertility prices will go higher rather
than lower
The man who owns farm has con-
tinual opportunities to put his money
into better fences, better stock and
better buildings. He has opportunities
to invest in more land at home or far
ther west
| From a financial standpoint farming
offers opportunities to young men that
are duplicated in few other callings
Farming as profession is new, and
its ranks are still far from full. The
young farmer is not entering an over
crowded calling where he must COM
bine with his fellows and boost prices
unnaturally in order to make bare
living. In agriculture there are room
and opportunity for all. The country
is throbbing with the vitality Of a new
awakened life. The password is ambi-
ton, ard the reward is success.
1t is not the call of money alone that
is turning the ambitious young man
to the farm. \ calling that can offer
no reward but financial one is scarce
ly worthy of the name. The chief call
Of the city has been the call of the dol
lar combined with the call of the
crowd. Better roads and denser pop
ulatiOn have enabled the country to
offer q social life which is superior to
that Of the city. Higher prices and
scientific methods have enabled it to
duplicate the financial rewards of the
city. In addition. it offers to the young
man the opportunity to live the broad
, est. fullest life of which ne is capa BILE.
1t offers him u business he can call his
own and an independence which he
. could gain in the city only after q life
time of toll. The greatest need of
, most rural communities just now is
leaders-men who can demonstrate on
their own farms the possibilities OF
: scientific agriculture; men who under
f stand the possibilities and the need OF
. broader community life.
The stories of some Of the young
) men who needed the call of the coun
I try and gave themselves to the devel
: opment of their community read like
:. romances. A dozen years or so ago {
] little Massachusetts community was OF
: the downhill road. The nearby cite!
: had Slapped it of its strength and Wig
s or. Injudicious cropping had takel
t away much Of the fertility Of thu
e soil, and the people had lost all ambi
0 ton and were content to let thing
: drift from bad to worse. About thi
It time a young man. a son of one of til
\ farmers, graduated from an agricu
tural college. He received a temptin
It offer from the department of agricu
J. ture to take up work at Washington
a A brother in Iowa wrote him a glow
4 ing invitation to come to the fertil
20 lands of the middle west. He rejecte
l. both offers and went home.
n, The most optimistic resident woul
have laughed at the idea of there b.
y ing any opportunity there. But tt
u young man went to work. He did N
10 lecture to the neighbors or advis
IL them. He merely set out to show the
es what the impoverished land was G
" pable of. He made the old farm pa
and it's dilapidation changed to an a
ne of prosperity. His neighbors gradual
ie' began to follow his methods and
ne catch some of his spirit. The comm
nifty started to go forward instead
VI backward. AS soon as he could spa
We the time from his farm the YOU
Va farmer set about recognizing the V
ne lage school. He gave one corner
at
it'll #
II