The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-02-10
HOW PEOPLE OF
IOWA DO LIVE.

prosperity ana happiness are the
cardinal prizes sought by every ma
ton, community and individual. The
preamble Of the Constitution sets
forth these two principles, primarily,
making them a sacred right of every
citizen of the United States. To know
the degree of happiness and prosper
ity reached by an individual, state or
community, it is but necessary to
know how he or they live. How do
the people of Iowa live? is asked by
every other state in the Union, and
the answer is given, concerning the
Iowa farmer in a government survey
of forty-six farms located in different
counties. Great Care was taken in
CLOSING average farms, in average
counties, for were the results of an
investigation of the farms in some OF
the richest communities given out, the
world would say, Incredible.
Though the government statisticians
have issued figures on the Iowa farm
er- other investigators have confined
themselves to the cities and the re-
suits are such that cannot be surpass-
ed by any other state in this great
country. There are no large cities in
Iowa, and there is no city that is not
situated in rich agricultural section,
for there is no place in Iowa that the
soil is not highly productive. This
being the situation of the cities OF
the state, there is none but has first
hand access to pure and wholesome
produts, such as vegetables, meals,
milk,-that which makes for health
and happiness, and all this at prices
that cannot be boosted because OF
freight and express rates, and various
other reasons.
Turning to- the Iowa farmer, the
investigators found that in the area
studied in Iowa the cost of board and
lodging on the farm for each individ-
ual was on an average 1921 a year.
This sum included food, fuel, oil
house rent and house labor, the items
being as follows: food $105.67; fuel
S14.24; oil. $1.31; house rent,$36.00;
house labor, $64.OO Total, s221.21.
The average for all the area of all the
states studied is sits. Thus the Iowa
farmer on an average county lives
1926 per cent better than farmers do
elsewhere.
But why should the people OF Iowa
live better than those OF other states ?
There is but one answer to this ques-
ton and that is that the people of the
state are wealthy, they can afford
more than the average necessities OF
life.
If the wealth in taxable property in
Iowa were distributed among the peo-
pie it would amount to $1,77S.98 for
each person, according to the biennial
report furnished by the state revenue
clerk The significant feature OF this
report is that there is an increase in
per capita wealth OF $417.3S in two
years. Figuring upon basis OF tax
able values being equal to sixty per
cent OF market values the actual per
capita wealth is $2,964.96 An adjust
ment of values brought about by the
state executive council places proper
ty values in Iowa at $3,957 S1S,546.
The wealth OF the people of Iowa
is on the increase as shown by com
parison OF annual reports, particularly
those made by DIR. Chapel, head of
the Iowa weather and crop service.
DR.. Chappel's recent report shows that
the farmers of Iowa are $27,365,079
richer than they were for last years
efforts. The total value of the 1913
crops was s43S, 157 ,440. The 1914
corn crop is estimated at 363,6S9,600