Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-09

/ have been astonished at the gullibility
of some people and the colossal frauds
that can be perpetrated in the bounds
OF the law. There are plenty Of fines
for obtaining goods under false pre-
lenses and have known people punished
for obtaining money for pretending to
cure diseases by the absent treatment"
but when I hear the hard luck stories
of girls and men who have invested the
savings of years in land that is under
water or belongs to other people Won
der how the thing is Ilassed so as to
be within the limits of the law.
One thing that astonishes me is the
number of people who never were on
farm, or had even a pet chicken in their
lives who think that they can walk out
of a store or office and make a success
of farming or chickens
It may sound beyond all reason, but
here is one instance that shows that side
of the subject: A colony from Hacken-
sack, we will say as that was not the
place, came to Florida. They had been
told that they could raise three crops
on their land and not work as hard as
they did at home raising one, that the
woods would supply meat the first sea-
son and mighty little money would be
needed. Bookkeepers, clerks, stenogra-
pliers and teachers came and put up
shacks and began work. To show you
how little they know, I will tell you
that one man would get on the horse
back to guide him and another would
hold the pillow. Can you wonder at thel
failures2 They really had good land
and it's a pity they did not hire one
practical farmer to superintend them.
Another colony, and here's the pitX OF
it, bought land that has been under
water for months. They had never seen
Florida and when a man from their own
state bought land at almost nothing an
acre and sold it to them in 10, 20 and
SO-acre lots for hundred dollars, they
thought they had gold mines
Again the stories of eggs all the year
round, three crops a year and the Won
derful climate were the bats used. This
colony put up nice houses, brought down
dine chickens and really Intended TO hVe
as well as at home. The rains came
he chickenL had to be fed on the roosts,
The children had to stop school and the
things on the farm rotted. Fifty per
cent of the strawberries are gone, sore
head has put a stop to eggs and the
time spent in ditching the land is
wasted, for there is no slope to take
OF the water
Can YOU wonder that men with fami-
lies are almost desperate and that young
women who left good positions and have
used I'D their savings are wondering
what is to become of them?
Here is stin another colony. This time
they are foreigners; they, too, were at
tracted by the Ghree-crop story Many
put their all in the land, paid cash Tor
ii, and began to make imprc veIlenss'
Imagine their 81 TprisL and consternauoh
to find out that a mortgage covered the
land and a forel Iosure was liable 10
happen. 1 have been trying to find work
FOR one of their number, had one with
me last summer, and to each one asked
This question, Haven't you any sort
of titleY' NO" was the reply I'VE
were not to have titles for two years, or
when we I'm shed paying for 1t. then
asked about the titles of those VINO palo
cash and was told thai nothing was
said about a mortgage, and that only
about half of those who bought know
how the colony is being cheated. The
non.resLie aus are still sending IN money
Nv next fan many a poor man or wo-
man. to say nothing of the children, VIII
know the pangs of hunger. here 10
where the honest lawmakers could DO a
good Job Ant it may be that here Is
where the women may have 10 frame
some laws
vvi4b a woman at the head of the city
huving in New York, in other words, in
snector of the whole of its purchases,
there seems good reason to think that
as the years pass more and more fitness
land not sex will decide momentous
Questions.
President Taft voted for Miss Edith
Campbell in order to help elect her
member of the board of educational In
Cincinnati The president scratched his
ticket to vote for her, and the straight
appeal, "nine-tenths of our teachers,
&c nv,A hal M
the children belong to the womenkind
was the platform on which she was
elected.
DIR. Harvey w. Wiley says that the
hght for pure food was won by the
women. For % years the lobbyists
have prevented laws that demanded
pure food. The Federation Of Woman's
clubs took the matter up and every
representative Of the people in Wash
iington has had bombardment. Some
people tell us that high prices are go
ing to prevail until the women get
stirred up. -Four years ago both parties
made ali sorts of promises about the
tariff. Has there been any betterment?
If you pay what you did four years
ago for a garment it is only half as
good. 1 heard a man say that now he
put his steak in his pocketbook when
he took out the money to pay for it and
didn't know the difference until he got
home and found a nickle in his pocket
and that made him think the meat must
be in his purse.
Louise wants to know what I'd do
about the colonists. What advice 1 have
for prospective purchasers, how to buy
land, sight unseen" as the boys say
when swapping knives with broken
blades.
First, 1 would not buy land that 1
know nothing about nor would expect
to go on a farm and make living I'M
less 1 "neighbored" with a land owner
who had lots of experience Second, 1
would have every man who promotes
such schemes under a bond that would
cover all damages. He would have to
guarantee the land to be able to do the
things represented. 1 know that there
are people who won't make anything
anywhere, but it must be their fault, not
the lands. If they buy land it must be
dry enough to plant cOwpeas some time
of the year. Some people 1 know have
owned land four years and haven't had
that chance yet.