Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1913-02-13
A NEW JERSEY VIEW
COULD NOT RENT A VIRGINIA
FARM

am taxing the hoerty 20 write
your at this time because of six Z
words that I saw in an item in your :
paper. The Virginia Gazette. and
they are found in the article under :
the heading Planning Another :
ColoniEing Scheme" They are these
words. "a thing devoutly to DC
wished"
Mr.. Editor. have made two trips
into your state to try to find home
for myself and family and have failed.
and the reason l have failed is TO be
found in another article on the
Teditorial page of the same issue Cot
Jan. 23rd. 1919 which am sendind
in this letter marked for your special
reading.
There are thousands OF acres of
good land in your state that are idle /
and the owners will not rent It TO any |
body. so they have told me. They
say when asked to rent. we don't
: want any tenants. we want to sell.
. Then they ask a price in many cases
entirely too high for the amount of
{ cleared land they have and talk Of
] the timber as If that was Of more
y value than all the clear land. But
they fail TO point out a way for a
s man to make a living while be is
i clearing his land and getting his first
crop ready for sale. Just think of
}. man having to buy 300 acres in
/ ioFdc1-,o ees 50 ACES ciesred and
pay $1,000 TO $4,000 for it and
ie half cash at that. Then have to buy
le teams, tools. feed and live 3 TO
n months before he can get any returns,
2. say nothing about seed and fertilizer
and transportation 10 the farm. Il
you will look az the fact as il is yot
can see why you have run dowr
=, farms and farm buildings going e
: ruin. lean buy 3 story brick housl
of nine rooms here in this city 70
A $1,000 TO $500 with a payment 0
a $500 cash and have ten to twelv
;. years to pay balance in and it is i
good repair. That is why good me
D will not come. l will be glad TO rer
= a farm of 100 acres TO 100 acres c
= clear land that can be rented reason
: ably. and for a term Of years 10
in a respectable. healthy location.
There is one thing that I notice
in a part OF your state that vas i
A great many OF the men drank mo
or less and that all along the road {
both sides that travelled there we
Of rum bottles scattered all along Il
ev. way. which is a very bad sign
carl find and it does not point to hiC
rett morals. but found on the other tr
nice the opposite which was very gratif
ing 20 me. Now. Mr.. Editor. q
last not trying to say anything tina
ter think you do not already know.
the you devoutly wish to get peoI
to come to your section (and !
tier, lieve you do you must give then
d to chance to come and then a chance
make good when they get there. q
;,s the way TO do that think is TO r
or sell them farms at a reasona
o'N figure and then help them by civ
j. as the necessary help otherwise {
Us. they may need and not see To
and come and spend their last dollar v
you and then you look on and
them starve out and move away
'sSN the lack of help. Now I see {
are you have cannerieS wanting men
feel contract tomato acreage. That 10
ioing good and It should receive pror
Mr. response. The Gamers here surr
seed and in some places plants
the farmers 10 help them. Try
OILY plan. Look up some Of the colo
ing schemes of Alberta. N.
and Canada, they seem 70 DC doingg
Iews. work and meeting with much succ
,ds - Hoping you viii receive this le
in the spirit in which il is WI
e1"in that of kindness. and hoping
some day I may have the plea