Macon beacon., 1913-01-17
THE COUNTY FARM PROPOSITION.

numerously signed petitions against the move.
The present Board of Supervisors is likely to go
down in the annals of Noxubee county as the most
progressive and efficient board ever handling the
affairs of the county. Under their administration
new regime has been well begun and carried for
ward. 1t is believed that, assisted powerfully by
the broadminded and progressive policy of this
Board, great era Of improvement in economic
and agricultural methods and conditions has set in
in Noxubee county, A bad crop year in 1912 may
blind many people to the fact, but the county, and
its people in the main, are now in good shape.
Land values are rising and will continue to rise;
scientific and diversified farming is bringing better
results and not only increasing the amount and
value of our county's products, but rendering our
people less completely dependent on the production
of cotton and it's uncertain price; the dairyng in
dustry promises to be great source Of wealth,
and the establishment of creamery in Macon in
sures to half the farmers in the county an imme-
date and convenient market for all the milk they
can produce; never was stock raising in the county
so promising an industry as now, with the develop
nent of our hay fields and the freedom of the St.
Louis and Chicago markets to our cattle since the
tck-eradcation work. Last but not least, the
good roads which will affect for the good in every
line of business.
The establishment of county farm where the
poor of the county shall be kept and maintained
and which shall also be the place where the coun-
ty convicts are kept when not actively employed
ion the roads, seems to be strictly in line with the
progressive policy of the Board of Supervisors,
land supported by every economic reason.
The present poor house is believed to be we'll
kept and economically maintained, but it is not at
allSsef sustaining. 1t is dead expense to the
county. On farm many of the inmates could be
made useful especially if the convcts were on the
same place. The little incidental work, such as
cleaning up, washing etc., and much of the lighter
farm work could be done by the poor house in
mates.
Under the management of Mr.. Irwin Mauldin
the county convicts have done splendid work on
the county roads, for which Mr.. Mauldin deserves
very high praise To take the convicts from road
work and put them to farming would be poor
economy But without interfering greatly with
their work or the roads and bringing in results
worth much more than the time thus lost to road
work, they could be used in growing crops on a
county farm which would practically support them
and the poor of the county.
Space is lacking for going into details but a
few pertinent and impressive facts may be men,
toned, The annual cost to the county for fire.
wood at the poor house is something like $500. co.
This amount could be saved almost absolutely. less
cost of axes and the wagons used to haul the wood
both of which could be used for other purposes, if
a right selection is made in purchasing a county
farm. The amount saved on this item alone would
pay six per cent interest on the amount needed to
buy such farm. The amount of the board bill
for inmates of the farm almost all could be saved on
such farm. In addition poor people who ought
to be IN such an institution but are not now could
be taken in and could earn their own support.
That such farm, besides saving much expend-
ture to the county, could be made source of profit
is easily demonstrated. The clearing and ditching
OF the land, all of which could be done in weather
when road work is impossible or impracticable
would greatly increase the value of the land in
case the project after trial sh ,uld be abandoned
The cost of maintaining the convcts would be
greatly diminished and the produce of the farm.
besides that used, which could be sold would
realize enough to pay all the necessary expendi-
lures for both the poor house inmates and the con-
vlcts. This farm could be used as a demonstration
farm, fine corr for seed purposes and other crops
could be raised, all of which aside from the actual
value of the crops would be of great value to the
county. Purely as an investment county farm
would be of great benefit and great saving to the
county treasury. The scheme has been tried with
unqualified success in neighboring counties.
Petitions are valueless things unless the sub
ject matter has been much discussed and public
sentiment aroused. They are no evidence of the
wisdom or unwisdom of proposition no real evil
dence of public sentiment. Let the Board of Su-
peryisors investigate the matter of county farm
on its own merits and decide accordinr to +bo;r