The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-11-03
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 3, 1915.
BUY LAND, YOUNG MAN.

During the period OF depression
through which we have just passed
some of those who had invested hea-
vilv in lands became somewhat dis
conraeed. Others who were carry
ino considerable investments in realty
looked forward with hope to better
dav, having faith in the ultimate
value of the soil,' though there were
no apparent grounds for hope that
things would grow better at an early
date,
But with cotton at twelve cents
per pound, the complexion OF things
has changed. Already land IS
changing hands as, freely as before
the commencement of the war, and
the prices in most cases show that
nothing has been lost on these invest
ments, if only the people have had
the courage and patience to walt.
And this reminds us that the popu-
lation of the South, and OF TINS
state, this county, and your lmmeol-
ate section, is constantly growing
but the amount of land remains the
same. For many years the increase
in population was taken care OF oy
clearing the uncleared places, but
the lands are practically all in cultl-
vation now, and this holds little
hope for the coming generations:
For a time the great influx OF the
people to the cotton mills, which
were being built, made labor scarce
on the farms, with the result that
lands were not more in demand than
in several years Heretofore. But
the era of cotton mill-building in the
South is over for twenty years in
our judgment.
Therefore, there Will be a constant
ly. increasing number Of people who
will look to the farms for liveli-
hood. Numbers of good men who
were forced to seek employment at
the mills, and with other enterprises,
on account Of the low price of cotton
in past years, will look to the farms
again for an opportunity to better
their condition, as they become as
sured that, with new methods and di-
versi6cation, the farms offer an
opportunity which industrial COM
munities do not offer. This number
will be augmented by these who have
moved to the towns to educate their
children, when the schools in the,
rural districts have been made the
equal in efficiency to the town
schools, as they are fast being made.
And all this means that lands have
just begun to rise in value. The
people who have learned to raise
bale or two bales, Of cotton to the
acre Of land, know that it is worth
many times what it has been bring
ing in the past with the crude farm
ing methods. These people will seek
homes on such lands, and will be will
ing to pay the price which such
lands demand, and others must fol-
low. The young men who formerly
sought employment in the cities, but
who have found that the farms offer
better. opportunities for the invest
ment Of intelligent work and thought,
will be demanding homes in the fu-,
ture, and they will be willing to pay
the price too. ,.. L..
The thirty-fve thousand tenant
farmers in South Carolina, of the
white race, will not be content to be
tenants much longer; they will want
homes for themselves, lands of their
own; as will their sons and sons-in-
law; and the price will be bolstered
by them. And other causes will con-
tribute towards the coming of that
good time when only the man who
intends to live on the land and culti-
vate it, himself, will be able to paw
the price. We had as well realize
that land values have just begun to
soar, and that the time is fast pass
ing when even average lands, in point
OF fertility, will be purchased at less
than forty and fifty dollars per acre.
Now the lands should, as stated,
belong to the farmers. We all like
. to speculate in lands, because it is
slike buying dollars for ninety cents,
s.lf even average judgment is used; :;
sand we will continue to speculate.
: But no man will continue to buy
lands as an investment and seek to
, make an income out of it by working
it on shares with people who know
nothing of farming. The time was
when a man might allow one field to