Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-28
APT ILLUSTRATION OF HOW
LANDOWNERS AND RENTERs
ADOPT POOR POLICY.
OWNERS SEEKING BIDS
FROM PROSPECTIVE TENANTS
Land Permitted TO Run Down and
Rsnesrs Nave to Hustle 70 Make Ends
Msse-Farms Rented BY Different
Tsnants From Year 70 Year Show lt
&C. E. Wilssn's Observations.

Special to Times Republican.
Melbourne, April 2S.-Said farmer
the other day: Il have rented this
place for one year. It was sold year
or so ago and the owner thinks he will
want 1t himself next year, so l will
probably have to move. This farm has
been rented on the one year plan for a
good WHILE" he continued, "looks like
it too. doesn't it?" And to be honest
about the matter it certainly did. This
old machinery has accumulated. those
piles of brush ought to be burned and
some tree trimming wouldn't hurt the
appearance Of this place. The condi-
ton Ct the fields is the same-running
down more each year. ] like to see
things looking different but it will
keep me busy making my rent off
these worn out hills. can't spend
much time Strengthening UP for in ten
months I must turn 1t all over to an
other men. When found out must
move again next spring I went to see
a man who wants a new tenant for
next year and when told him why
had come, what do you suppose ne
said? He asked me what would give
him for the use Of the place. Wants
bids. you see. and 1t is very likely the
highest bidder will get that farm, and
for just one year. Then he too will
have to put in all his time SHINING
that farm and letting everything go
toward dilapidation as fast as 1t may.
for he has bid high and must pay his
rent. In deal of this kind the better
class Of farmers are at disadvantage
with the others too. for it is the more
inefficient ones that are willing to I'M
dertake to pay the highest rent. Thei,
we renters are largely responsible for
this state Of affairs too. We overbid
each other where we ought not. When
man learns what somebody else has
offered for q farm and doesn't know
where he can find farm in any other
way he will offer a quarter an acre
more for the sake of finding home
for his family. II this renting business
won't regulate itself 1t ought to be
regulated by law. This one year rent
Ing Of farms ought to be prohibited
by law 1t would be better for the
land owner, the tenant, the land and
the next generation Of farmers"
A one-time farmer, now a stock
buyer, made six mile trip to see a
man who had some cattle for sale. He
didn't buy them. Came back disguised
and remarked: That's the great mis-
take of the average farmer. Holding
on after his stun has been made At for
sale in the hope. or fear. that the price
may go q little higher" Then he told
about the man who raised 1900 BUSH
els Of potatoes. was offered 10 cents In
the field in the fall at digging time but
put them in a pit for spring price Of
a dollar. Finally hauled out rotten po-
tatoes enough to cover two or three
acres of groAnd. OF another man who
held his calves for $50 tho offered SIS
for them in the fall. He finally got his
price after heavy wintering expense.
He went on relating case after case
Of the same kind and concluded:
when 1 was farming did the same
thing buff l ever get into that game
again I'll play it differently. When I
get a reasonable offer I'll let loose
of what is ready for market an let
the price go up afterward II it wants
to double
Hog cholera killed large percent
age Of the stock in this section last
fall and 1t is told of some farmers in
one neighborhood that they scoffed at
the idea Of fascinating the animals to
keep them. from dying. AS the disease
threa tened herd after herd the owners
would rush their stock to market and
one farmer noted for his ''traf-
Ticking" tendencies would wait around
the stock yards Of his station. select
the finest specimens that came in, buy
them from the deader, take them home
and vaccinate them. It wasn't long
until he had plenty of hogs, evidently
healthy ones. to sell to those who had
lost or sold their own at sacrifice fig
ures, This was too much for some
of the 'unbelievers'' and they actually
sought to get promise from the deal
er not to sell this man any Of the stun
except at the highest market price.
A little more than two years ago
there lived in the city of Antwerp a
Belgian family Of three, father, mother
and son, the latter about 13 years OF
age. Not one Of them could speak
word Of English at that time. The
father accompanied shipment OF
horses brought over by local inn
porter and later sent for his wife and
son. Last week the son, who is work
ing for a farmer near Rhodes, said in
perfectly plain English. GO up and see
my father. he will take the daily
Times-Republican." OF course that
father was promptly interviewed and
he did subscribe for the paper He Is
able to read 1t and the wife reads
some too. II any foreigners ever
caught on" quicker than the Julius
Grimmonpre family the writer of this
would like to know when and where
the circumstance took place.
| G. z. WILSON.
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