The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-06-17
A WAY TO STOP A GREAT LEAK
Facts Worthy the f1Osr Earnest Con-
sIderation of All Garrett Countlans.

sIderati0n of All Garrett Countians.
Garrett county has 265, 22O acres of
land less than one-half of which is
under cultivation or is improved farm
land, viz. III, 31S acres. True several
thousand of acres of this unimproved
land is mountain land, not fit for the
pillow or harrow, but we'll adapted for
the sheep industry and should be put in
to use at the earliest day.
Much of this unimproved land is good
soil and adapted to farm purposes.
Statistics show that fifty seven and
fraction acres is the average amount
of land in Garrett county farm under
cultivation
I We complain of high taxation: Can
not we account for high taxes by the
above figures? We are paying taxes on
40, 902 acres of unimproved, non-pro-
ducing land In other words, we are
getting our living, paying taxes and
accommodating some wealth from the
products of less than one half of our
I possessions, and paying taxes on idle
property and possibly are under the
expense of fencing and keeping up the
fencing on the idle lands.
There is great need of more farm
land under cultivation. Garrett county
is sending yearly, in cold cash, over two
hundred thousand dollars out of the
county to enrich the farmers of Indiana
and Illinois 10 buy feed for live stock,
such as corn, oats and other grain.
These figures are not guess work, but
are actual facts, worthy our most
earnest consideration.
True, much of this feed is sold to
lumbermen and miners, yet very
large portion of it is sold TO farmers.
One dealer located in a farming com
community of Garrett county, sent out
of the county within the past eighteen
months the sum of twenty-one thousand
dollars for feed for live stock. There
were two other dealers IN the same
village who bought feed by the car
load.
Garrett county should produce this
feed and keep these two hundred thous-
and dollars at home. That we can do
it there is no question. Think of it!
The interest on 5000, 900 is $l2,0 This
sum, yearly, would build a few miles
of good roads or several model school
houses, or pay the expenses of the
Orphans Court including the salaries
of the Judges and Clerk and leave some
money in the treasury.
Need we say that if the farmers of
Garrett county would increase their
acreage of improved farm land, increase
the producing power of each acre now
IN cultivation, this loss would cease.
This $780, 900 sent out of Garrett
county would pay the general road levy,
the appropriation for public schools,
build the new roads provided for this
year, pay the expenses of elections, pay
off the court house bonds due this year,
pay for the supervision of assessments,
the appropriations for bridges and leave
at least $75, 900 in the County treasury.
Or, this $4,000 kept in the county
would pay the entire levy made by the
County Commissioners for 1915, and
leave in the treasury $64, l91 for new
roads and other purposes of improve
ment.
The Republican presents these facts
to the farmers of Garrett county for
their most earnest consideration. They
are startling facts. They Indicate
great waste or loss this county cannot
afford
There is no reflection cast upon the
farmers because this condition exists.
This article is written to awaken an in
terest in increasing the acreage of
cultivated land and securing if possible,
settlers to purchase land not in practi
cal use. We bespeak careful thought
full consideration of this article, hoping
that it may be the means of interesting
many of Garrett county's farmers in a
movement to save this large sum of
money for their own comfort and happi-
ness.
We should be producers and not buy
ers.