Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-04-14
HARD PROBLEM FOR FARMERS
One Thing 70 Own . Farm and An
other to BE Owned by . Mort
eage-Caution 10 Urged.
(By &. G.. MILLER.)

(By q. 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
billions in the world. Every man who
loves farming always has, down deep
in his heart, a longing to own some
land upon which he can make q home
and work out his fortunes.
But it Is one thing to own q farm
and quite another to be owned by q
mortgage.
Lack of capital 10 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 a farm, still / cannot help urging
the greatest caution.
II 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 max
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 posi-
BILE 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 a great risk of losing his
land and his labor.
1t now requires good deal OF
money TO 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.
II he is obliged to sell his hogs as
soon as they are ready. or rush his
corn to market the moment 1t 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.
The lack of ready money over and
above the requirements of the farm
also keeps his family in state of
hardship which is distressing. and II
he has boys and girls these hardships
will eventually drive them from the
farm.
1t 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 q rented place.
rather than invest 1t all in land and
| attempt to carry on business for
himself under the great disadvantage
of having no capital.
II 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
| to pay down for his Implements, seed
or live stock. always gets the best
bargains.
| AO lACl WltuOut CdPltol I'D 6A-
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 a 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 xeighborhood
is sold at high price, every other
farm around 1t is at once advanced,
no matter whether conditions justify
Il or not, and the renter is obliged to
pay more for the use of 1t.
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 OF than the
man who goes deeply into debt and
is obliged to struggle for long years,
and suffer great hardships. to win in
| dependence.