Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1914-12-23
CHEERFUL OUTLOOK
FOR NORTHWEST
FARMERS IN THE RED RIVER
VALLEY HAVE REASON TO
FEEL HAPPY OVER THE PROS
PECTS FOR THE FUTURE

me editor, being out or copy ana
wanting something spicy and right
"hot off the griddle", strolled over to
the office of the Pioneer Loan and
Land Company this week to get an
interview with w. A. Knapp. You
know w. Ais the "big noise around
the Pioneer Loan and Land Com
pany" and a fellow that "does
things.
We found him with his feet under
his desk in the rear end of the COM
pany's Office on Johnson Avenue, sur
rounded by tables, covered with sam
pies Of wheat, corn, clover, alfalfa,
the samples of the 1914 crop. Busy,
well, yes-we saw two abstracts of
title, several deeds, some contracts
and a few insurance policies piled up
in front of him. "Hello--John P.
Come in! Glad to see you," was our
welcome. After explaining our er-
rand he asked what kind of an inter-
view was wanted and started in as
follows, as nearly as we could catch
his words because Mr.. Knapp is a
very rapid and enthusiastic talker.
Yes, business is good; while we
have not sold much land the past
year as in some other years, still, our
business has been the most satisfac-
tory of any. since | have been in the
business. ...4.
by that, mean. that we have
sold to more men with money who
are coming here to locate and will
help the country. Now let me en-
phasize one thing-the amount of
good that these men will do this
country and the rapidity with which
they will do it, depends entirely upon
the encouragement they get after
they come, especially for the first
year. If newcomer and his fami-
ly is given the right hand Of fellow
ship by his neighbors and told, "this
is the best country on earth and that
he can accomplish anything here that
can be accomplished by any man, if
he only goes after twill help a lot
in fact, it is the whole thing. Dis
courage a man when he first comes
and it takes him two years to find
out that some one has lied to him.
And why knock? This is the grand
est country on earth-we have the
finest climate, the best land and the
best class of people in the world-af-
ter twenty-three years residence
here, know that to be fact. And
as to our opportunities, why, Broth
er Mattson, with two-thirds of the
world at war, our opportunities are
unlimited. These countries must buy
every blessed thing we have to sell
and are going to pay a big price for
it. There is no other state so IA
vored as Minnesota in this particular.
However, our best opportunity is
through better farming and
more up to date ideas. More clover,
alfalfa and corn will mean larger
heads of wheat and more bushels per
acre. !, Stock raising should be our
watch-word, as at the present prices
of our lands, we can sell stock on the
markets at st. Paul or Chicago and
have profit of from $40 to $35 per
head over the feeder on high priced
land. But right here let me empha-
size the fact that in order to reap the
benefit, we must have better stock,
thoroughbred stock, if you please.
Every community should have sever
al good thoroughbred sires, and every
man should start his herd with one
or more thoroughbred heifers. Every
stack of straw in this country should
be fed up and put back on the land as
fertilizer. A page on that, Bro.
Mattson, could write a page on
stock. You are on the right track
you talk it in your paper and it does
lots of good-go on. Opportunities,
again-why hundreds. The other day
the restaurant man told me he bought
his eggs in st. Paul, and I came near
dropping dead. Just think, and we
have the finest poultry proposition in
the land! Why, we give absolutely
no attention to poultry. Now if one
will build modern chicken house,
then build low, long shed out from
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