Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-05-24

ways expect to have it.
We expect to ray from $50 to S per
head for grown stock pasturage. If We
hire ii. and the westerner expects 20
ray from 81 to so per season per
head. Two hundred lbs. per acre is only
fair gain per season. Some OF the best
as 500 lbs. per acre. Now what is that
30 lbs. or 500 lbs. worth: What does
it cost you? Where can YOU get it SO
cheaply and uniformly as here in the
East. and why are We not taking advan-
tage Of it: Who asleep?
The Opportunity Of the East.
Why should the East pay tribute 10
the extent Of billion dollars annually:
II the returning soldier looked over
the conditions Of the West that are pre-
vailing in the districts that supply the
East with its poultry. pork. mutton and
beef. he would find the advantages lay
with the East as an economical propos-
ton. He would find that the western
country could raise no larger crops ot
corn. clover or fodder of any kind; tina.
labor was higher and harder 10 procure:
that interest rates were higher; that
freight rates to markets were higher;
that schools. neighbors. climate. and
most OF the materia' comforts that 60 TO
make Hfe pleasure would be lacking:
and that the initial investment in the
plant or farm in the East was one
tenth what it would cost in the West
Then why such depression of farm
reversed. as they were 80 or 30 years
ago, then there would be some excuse:
that is. if land in the East was 10 times
as expensive, then il would be up to the
returning soldier 10 weigh the disad-
vantages of the West-isolation, lack Of
schools. high freight rates. genera,
frontier conditions-with the advan-
tdges of the comparatively th:chly set
ted communities o: eastern farms. He
would then look around and figure it
all out as to whether 1t was going to be
worth while to go out into the western
country. with its exposures and disc M
forts, to make a living.
To our way of thinking it is only
state of mind. If the East conta 'nei
nothing but vacant farms ard could .e
boosted by the same spri. that pre-
walls throughout the country west IF
New York state. - years would see rea,
estate increase tentold. and the East
would be spoken Of as the garden SPOT
O. tie country"
And why not 1t is and WHY no. adj
nit it? -ou can raise beef, pork. NUT
ton and poultry cheaper per pound. or
a~t
mere in the East than it can be raised IN
the west. Now why do we continue
saying to ourselves. The West has IL
beaten. We cannot compete That
may have been true p years ago but not
tcday. You can buy farms in New
England. with buildings included. for
less than the tenant farmers in the
corn belt pay annually for land rent
Ger acre.
Under such conditions how can tee IT,
turned soldier give the West serious
consideration? What abou. the oonor-
tunities on his fathers farm, Why =
II ne cannot see that the golden oppor-
t'ni'E Is right at his door? The answer:
iou cannot see a rainbow except at
distance"
II the advantages and opportunities cf
| me Last were carefully cataloyued nv
western real estate dealer ard de.
scrloed as he would describe his bu,d.
ines in California under the name IF
he Ne" Land of Evangeline." it
would be such tempting reading that the
entire East would be ready to emiera,e
Until they found it was a descrintion =.
their own town. county, state and
country,
Every farmer should be a booster for
his town. his county. his state ard ~.
country. Then New England woull
take a new lease of life and the farms
would be crowded. and the cites wou,1
nave fresh supplies coming in aailv ~
Parcel post. and New England womb
rave millions to spend which the west
ern country is now taking away from
her.
Ley all boost the East and the est
ern conditions.