Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-05-06

c. A. Lisle write His Advice
to Would be California In
vestors living in Iowa.
received your kind letter a
few days ago and | thank you
for the news it contained. |
also thank you for the compli-
ment you gave me in asking me
to speak to the readers of the
Times again. l will admit that
I have not fully kept my pro-
mise but | plead as excuse two
reasons. First all the people
here agree that there is some
thing about the climate that
develops the disease known as
dizziness" and confess to hav-
ing been inoculated quite seri-
ousIy. Second-all California
letters for publication are ex-
pected to be very largely de-
voted to reciting the wonders
and glories of this widely ad-
vertised land of sunshine and
incidentally to make compari
sons that are unfavorable to
Iowa. You see Pm in the di-
lemma which the preacher
found himself when asked by
some of his devoted members
to preach a sermon on the con-
dition of those of our friends
who have gone before and he
replied that he could not do it
for the reason that he had
friends and was interested in
both places so could not afford
to make comparison.
The people out here are all
boosters especially those who
own property (all of which is
for sale) and if should attempt
to describe farming conditions
as see and interpret them L
would be denounced a "knock-
er" who is trying to keep Iowa
people from coming out here to-
buy some of the stuff being of
fered as real farm land. To
me there is very little real farm
land in Southern California and
| have come to this conclusion
after very careful investigation
To be real farm land it must be
possible for the farmer to re-
ceive jfss- recompense for his
labor psh can afford to work
AaA.'S...,. X. put in long hours if
en- his crop is marketed he
can feel that he has been well
paid for his labor. Very natur-
ally the first thing an Iowa
farmer thinks of in connection
with California farming is the
growing of oranges for he sees
the oranges in the stores and
the color of gold attracts him.
The delicious taste and odor ap-
peal to him and then when he
reads the following accounts of
how easy it is to care for an or
ange grove and is given state
ments, sworn to probably, of
men who are engaged in rails
ing oranges, he is liable to feel
that he is very foolish to be
spending his days farming in
Iowa. have yet to find the
farmer who is raising oranges
who can give me the figures to
prove that he is getting value
received for his labor. The
same is true as to lemons, wal
nuts and olives. | do not want
to be misunderstood as to the
wealth producing capacity of
these products of the soil, but
/ want it understood that in
my judgment the man who pro-
duces them is not receiving his
share, and so is not making
money. believe that the
same may be said Of every crop
that is produced here. | talked
with a merchant, whose name
is familiar with many Times
readers, and he told me that
after ten years of business deal
ings with farmers of all kinds,
he could not name one who had
really made any money except
by selling his land. | have
talked with many merchants
who have told me the same
thing in substance.
| am not writing this to dis
courage Iowa farmers from
coming here for it is a good
place to come to if one has a
surplus of cash and wants to in
vest some in sight seeing and
the enjoyment of a season of
well earned rest. 1t is a glori-
GUS sightseeing country and as
for resting it can't be beat.