Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-09
.M|XUP ON FARMS.
SPECULATION IN LANDS LEAVES
~ MANY TENANTLEss.
Laos Buyer at High Price Frequently
Faila to Make Turn and Tenants Do
Not Want to Take Hold Of uncer-
tairty - Half Of Retired Farmers
Dissatisfied and Many Plan to Go
Back - Wilson's Observations.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
New sharon, Dec. "a mar whose
work keeps him in touch with the sat-
uatlon declares that so far as this To-
cality Is concerned, majority or the
tenant farms are yet without q renter
or the coming season. So many OF
these were bought last summer by
men who expected to turn them again
or who did sell them to others who
took them on for the same purpose,
that the last purchaser sill hoping 10
make a sale before March !, has not as
yet arranged for its occupation by
tenant and the prospective renter
himself, finding many objections to
taking charge of farm under purely
speculative ownership. is looking for
something more stable, and the conse-
quence of II all Is that a congestion OF
farm renting transactions such as has
not yet been experienced in this coun-
try Is certain to occur next spring.
Another unusual feature of the stu
alton is the fact that about half tho
number Of farmers who retired last
spring are threatening to go back be-
CAUSE THEY are HOl SdliSllct Will loNh
life. There is still another class that
is not satisfied, viz: The young tenant
farmer who sold off his stuff at what
he considered a fancy figure, moved to
town and nov would like to get into
the farming game again but finds this
impracticable because of the still high
er prices that are being paid for most
things that go to make up farming
equipment.
Notwithstanding all this and the dis
satisfaction arising from the recent
fall in the price of live stock and other
farm products many real estate deal
ers insist that when the land selling
season opens farms will be found
changing hands at another advance
over the prices Of last year.
There Is a fine example of prof.
teering." remarked the old shoemaker
as he pointed to a little pile of wood
beside a small dwelling across the
street Then he told the story Of a
young woman whose husband is want
ed on the charge Of desertion and who,
with a week old baby, was found to be
near the line of restitution in the mat
ter Of food and fuel. A local mer-
chant shouldered his share Of re-
sponsibility by ordering load Of wood
from a nearby sawmill outfit. Any
one who has tried green slabs as an
exclusive source of winter fuel knows
that they are not the most desirable
for the purpose, but this and a knowl-
edge of the attendant circumstances
did not deter the sawmill operator
from putting in claim for 81 for tho
little pile of wood that was a virtual
donation by the owner Of the logs he
sawed. "And the chances are" con-
cluded the shoemaker, that this man
has done his full share Of cursing the
profiteers."
Ray Scott, with his wife and child,
was on train which was carrying
them to town for a visit with rela-
tives. Scott Is a working man but he
is not busy just now. He Is d coal
miner. one of the force that until Dec.
1, dug coal in No. 9 Colfax mine. He
has had eleven years experience. He
had not a word to say in regard to
rights. wrongs, injustices or any other
of the kindred topics that affect the
present disturbance but he was will
ing to talk about his job and what he
made out of it. He said that in the
year ending November he had earned
1924. That he had worked every day
the mine was operated and that his
expenses for explosives, tools, ETC., had
averaged about 81 a day and to this
was added daily expense Of IL cents