Evening times-Republican., 1911-07-15
CORN, PEOPLE AND RAIN.


That was q glorious rain that visit
eG Ida county SUNDAY morning and
its benefits We're not confined 70 the
corn. True Il is that the corn was
withered, dropping and in serious dam
ger from drouth. yet We repeat that
The benefits of the rain were not con-
fined to the corn
Saturday night the Ida county corn
crop was in serious danger the blades
were curling under the blistering rays
of the sun pouring down on a parched
and burning soil. Sunday that same
corn was revived. rejuvenated. vigor-
Gus in moistened, life giving soil
The deep. rich color Of health was
restored. the dropping blades OF the
night before were outstanding and full
Of life and strength. Where there had
been seeming certainty Of early blight
there was promise Of the fullness Of
fruitIon. The rain had saved the
corn crop
Yet not in the corn itself was 20 be
seen the greatest benefit derived from
the blessing Of refreshing rain.
Saturday the people OF Ida county.
farmers. business and professional
men. were disheartened, discouraged
and downcast. Business was stagna Mt.
gloom. Sunday what a change In
place Of gloom there was cheer: hope
was revived; despair had given way to
sanguine confidence: discouragement
surrendered to the certainty Of sue
cess.
No. beneficial az the timely rain GER
tainly was to the corn crop narrow az
its escape had been and however GER
tain its salvation, the greatest benefit
OF that glorious rain was not IN its
effect upon the corn. but in it's effect
upon the people.
HOW TEXAS BUILDS ROADS.
Ida Grove Record Eral.
Texas. much reviled from long suf-
fering Texas is building good roads,
hundreds, yes. thousands of miles OF
good. hard permanent roads, and how
do YOU suppose she Is doing it?
Iowa farmers are furnishing the
money. You don't believe It, Possibly
not; some people are naturally skepti-
cal but it is true nevertheless, and
here is the proof of it.
Ellis county. Texas, has issued good
roads bonds in the sum OF $544.OO0,
bearing per cent interest. due in
forty years and optional after twenty
years. These bonds as good as wheat
in the bin corn in the crib, or gold in
the United States treasury. have been
offered for sale to the banks Of Iowa,
and hundreds of banks in the state
have become purchasers of the bonds.
and thus the money Of Iowa farmers
has gone to Texas to aid in the devel-
opnent of that state and the enhance
ment of the value Of its farm lands,
while Iowa ts doing nothing in the way
Of building good roads and little of
practical value IN temporary mprove-
ment.
While lowe farmers founder In the
mud, Texas farmers ride to town on
rural pavements built with Iowa
money.
What is this law that enables Texas
! farmers to ride on hard roads built
with Iowa money? Simple enough. In
Texas any fifty land owners by petit
ton can require a special election to
create a special road district for the
purpose of building permanent roads
with borrowed money. If two-thirds
OF the voters in the proposed road dis
trict, which often includes town with
its farms, favor the building Of these
, roads the county supervisors levy a
special road tax on the property with
in the proposed road district sufficient
to pay the interest and return the loan
| In annual installments The board then
| issues county bonds for the needed
amount. running from twenty to forty
years at AZ to per cent. according
to the money market The bonds are
sold all over the United States and
Texas is building hard roads.
In the matter Of natural fertility and
resources. there is no comparison be-
tween Iowa and Texas. yet Texas Is
d1stanc1ng Iowa in public improve
mentS because she is willing to take
advantage of modern business methods
whereby she not only utilizes her own
surplus money but induces foreign
capital, much Of it Iowa capital to as
sist her in the development of the
state.
I Iowa has several lessons to learn
and she might well take her initial
course Of instruction from Texas.
Iii
| somstjmes . 0Isssjns.