Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-01-14
FARMERs WILL PROFIT

ahoOubeOahy Will.
FARMERS WILL PROFIT
In this connection, it is opportune
to say that the American farmer is
certain to reap larger profit from
the chaotic conditions which exist in
Europe than any other class OF
tradesmen or citizen. So far as our
manufacturers are concerned, while
new markets are abundantly beckon-
ing to the United States, yet, on the
other hand, for several years to
come, the splendid trade which we
enjoyed in Germany, England, France
Austria and Russia on our manufac-
tured products is certain to remain
demoralized--and thus we will be
fortunate If we do not lose more than
we can hope to gain in new fields,
with whose needs we are not yet ia
miliar. and to which 1t is certain to
require some years to adjust our
selves. ~
II is the American farmer, how
ever, who has no complications ahead
OF him, and whose flour, pork, beef,
mutton and other foodstuffs must be
depended upon to make up the short
age which is already looming big in
the distance because the harvest
fields of the most fertile sections OF
Europe have been converted into a
shambles for the contending armies.
Exports of breadstuffs from the
United States in November were
valued at $40,250,000 or almost four
times as much as in November OF
1913, while meat and cattle exports
amounting to nearly $14,000,000, or
gain of over 20 per cent over 1913.
and this despite our miserable ship
ping facilities on the high seas.
In the light of these facts, was
there ever a time when the farmers
of low. and other Corn Belt states
can view the future with as much as
surance, or when they can so we'll
afford to treat fairly every other
great industry in the nation as now?
Putting 1t in the terms of sound
business policy was there ever time
when they should do their part to
the end that American labor may be
profitably employed in all the great
channels of industry, and that our
transportation system may be kept
up to a high point of efficiency, SO
that 1t may adequately discharge the
heavy shipping burdens which will
undoubtedly descend upon it in the
not distant future?
RAILROADS AND LAND VALUES
No other single agency in the ma
ton has had more to do with the
advancement Of land values than
have the railroads, and as evidence
of this fact the proximity of farm
to the market almost invariably fixes
its selling value. In no other state
has this been more true than in Iowa
the richest agricultural state in
the Union, with per capita of farm
wealth which in amount and equity
of distribution is not equalled by any
other commonwealth. AS between
the man who bought Iowa land
twenty-five or thirty years ago and
the man, who bought Iowa railroad
securities at that time, who has had
the best of it? And yet, did not the
men who furnished the money with
which Iowa railroads we're built, con-
tribute tremendously toward the
great enhancement in land values
which has taken place in this state?
Would this enhancement, which
amounts to hundreds Of millions of
dollars, have been possible without
the railroads?
In round numbers. Iowa has about
35, 100000 acres of farm land. Ac-
cording to the u. s. census reports
there was an increase of ITO per-
cent in the value of Iowa farm lands
from 1900 to 1910 period of ten
years. During the four years which
have elapsed in the meantime 1t can
safely be estimated that the increase
has been brought up to at least 100
per cent. Perhaps, taking the state
as whole, farm lands have enhan-
ced somewhere around $500 per