The Monticellonian., 1916-03-02
HARD PROBLEM FOR FARMERS
One Thing to Own a Farm and An other to Be Owned by a Mort
 gage-Cautlon Is Urged.
By S. C. MuIER)

1By s. C. MILLER)
 Renters have shared in the general prosperity of farmers during the past few years. and many of them have caught the spirit of ownership and are anxious to try farming on their own account
 This is one of the most laudable am bitions in the world. Every man who loves farming always has, down deep in his heart. longing to own some land upon which he can make home and work out his fortunes
 But it is one thing to own g farm and quite another to be owned by a mortgage.
 Lack of capital is the rock upon which so many farmers go to pieces, and while it is not easy to discourage a man who has set his mind on buy ing q farm, still I cannot help urging the greatest caution.
 If a farmer is obliged to go heavily into debt for his land in the first place, the interest charges alone are ! a heavy drag upon his resources.
 If he has no capital left after mak- ing his first payment and getting in his crop he will constantly be pinched for ready money and, therefore, forced to sell his crops at the earliest possi- ble moment whether the market Is right or not
 To put all his money into the first payments on his land and have no surplus cash to carry on his business is to run great risk of losing his land and his labor.
 It now requires good deal of money 10 properly equip a general farm. Horses. machinery and stock of all kinds is high, and the farmer who goes into business for himself needs more capital than ever before.
 If he is obliged to sell his hogs as soon as they are ready, or rush his corn to market the moment it Is hard enough to harvest. or sell any other product under necessity without be- ing able to take advantage of the best prices. he will be greatly handicapped In fact, he will be constantly working against himself
 It idCh Ol ItduN lllOHty ONti dlu above the requirements of the farm also keeps his family in a state of hardship which is distressing, and if he has boys and girls these hardships will eventually drive them from the farm
 It would seem. therefore, that 1t would be much wiser for the renter, if he has a good contract with a de cent landlord and is doing fairly well, to continue to use his capital in his farming operations on a rented place. rather than invest it all in land and attempt to carry on a business for himself under the great disadvantage of having no capital.
 If he Is without money he may be able to buy on credit but he must pay the highest price for everything. Moth ing talks to such advantage as ready money. and the farmer who has cash i to pay down for his implements, seed or live stock. always gets the best l bargains.
 The farmer without capital is al ways, therefore. obliged to earn more from his land in order to keep even with his neighbors, and he is, there fore, working practically to no pur- pose in large degree.
 Of course the high price of land in the great middle West has advanced rent charges until, in many cases, the renter is unable to make a decent liv- ing Naturally one would suppose that the price of land advances because it is more profitable to the producer. but this is not always the case.
 If a good farm in the Keighborhood is sold at high price. every other farm around it is at once advanced. no matter whether conditions justify t or not, and the renter is obliged to pay more for the use of it.
 The problem of whether to own or rent land is not an easy one; but the man who continues to rent, and can add to his capital every year, keeping out of debt and maintaining his credit, Is, in our opinion, better off than the man who goes deeply into debt and is obliged to struggle for long years, and suffer great hardships, to win in- dependence.