The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-03-30
BION II. BUTLER.


SANFORD, March 27.-Every day the
forces that are pushing North Caro-
,ins forward show an increasing en-
arev and resourcefulness. A day or
+p,p ago a. man in the bank or san
ford was talking to the bank ofhclals
about the future of the county.
nave lust received letter. he said.
"from q man who asks about a small
farm with buildings on, and l don't
inst know OF anything that would
auite suit his purpose, and l guess l
will have to turn him down.
Turn nothing down." said the
banker You write to that man ana
tell him to let ynn know how big
N he wants. what price he wants
and then we will make 1t for him III
thirty or forty-five days il he is In a
hurry if We cannot find one already
made for him.
THAT letter came just at the
psychological moment. Lee county
has been planning things. and in
ciphering around to find out what to
do the Lee county plan has shaped
up in tangible form. In the last
1hree or four weeks meetings have
been held by the people which the
Sandhils Citizens down at Southern
Pines calls singing class. The meet
ings have developed into the Lee
County Boosters Club. This boosters
club is unique. 1t is composed
Of -will-may-come" MEM
bers. There are no enrOllmentS. no
dues. no regulations. no formality, no
restrictions. no localities. nothing but
q chairman and secretary. and all
the people who will attend. Each
meeting is complete In itself. the only
continuing factor being a few COM
mittees that are charged with looking
after a few simple plans, and all Of
Lee county is getting stirred up. and
farmer is discussing Lee county plans
with banker. and merchant is going
over the plans with railroad man.
and schoolmaster Is talking with law
yer and doctor. the women's clubs
planning with the mems clubs. and
they are all planning for something
shat will bring results.
The club meetings have started out
on the basis Of what are we going to
do about it? One philosopher an
nounces that Lee county has land
enough not in use to take care Of a
hundred thousand people. He tells
the advantages of thickly settled COM
munities the conveniences that come
l" nei"hborhoods where farms join
each other, the increase in revenues
Irom used land as compared with the
scarcity OF revenue where land is not
used and the question comes up, what
are YOU going to do about It.?
.. ihe answer is to get more settlers
4heh comes the question Of how tC
ett them, and some philosopher asks
Why the county is not already filled
win people and some one answers
because the resources of the county
are not known and that suggests pub
H''N as one OF the means for secur.
lne people
- Where are yon going to put then
a. YOU Set them" asks a member
an" mat fetches up the farms Ques
u"It So committee is appointed
and that committee proceeds to ask 1t
Sel and everybody else a lot Of uues
IONS Why are there no small farm.
'"'apieE How can we get small
-'Iua: And various, practical ant
-''PI3etl"al answers come floating II,
Vast Areas Idle Land.
rom the mass Of suggestions ha
.ird down the nucleus Of the Lee
c"uhlS plan, and it had it's first re
I" ia the answer TO the man in tn
o'iN who has written to his inquire
.'S us Lee county will find him :
''l" or make him one. The farm
-''hmittee has been looking over tn
"h'y and finds thousands OF acre
I"hd as idle as it was the morning
".'et creation. That land is the frs
hllal for farms But hundre'
FeS OF wild land in the middle Of
'9I mas no more attraction for
-" VINO wants a farm for immediat
fh man hundred acres Of land o.
oottom or the sea, and the farm
,llttee concludes that farm is no
co,uneh or unimproved land. SO th