The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1920-04-23
TAKING STOCK"
Should Sentiment Always Have
Precedence?

taking stock" of oneself is peri
odical duty, probably not always prac-
ticed, and is as necessary as taking
stock of your household effects or your
"store goods" The right minded man
will do this. In unmolested moments
he gives way to deep meditation; he
gathers his thoughts to ascertain if
brains, energy, and ability are syncS
pating properly, working together on
lines that answer to an ambition that
looks for satisfactory return.
If there be a deficit, his endeavOr
should be to discover the leakage. 1t
may be that he lacks the nerve to go
into retrospective analysis, or fails
in initiative that will prompt him to
throw his horoscope in the future. I'm
less he can do these things he will
never be able to pull himself out of
any "rut" in which his condition has
placed him. He must take stock"
"Stock taking" leads to modern-day
efficiency, and is demanded of every
worker if unsatisfactory conditions are
to be overcome. In the case of the
farmer 1t may be that he is working
a "too high-priced farm; interest and
rent may be an overhead" eating up
the profits. There may be other rea-
sons why profits are not shown. 1t Is
just possible that he is sacrificing
profit and encouraging loss because
of sentiment, but he does not realize
that this is the cause. The farm was
his birthplace; reared upon it, he
knows every nook and corner of the
old place. He fshed in the brook,
hunted squirrels in the woods, hid in
the bayfield,, grew to manhood upon
the place, courted and married and
brought up his family there. These
are ties that commend themselves, and
why shouldn't sentiment have a say?
To many this will appeal. But are
these good reasons to continue? Does
not one owe it to himself and to his
dependents to "take stock" and put
into effect action that will bring bal
ance on the credit side of the ledger
the balance that will bring happiness
and give a comfort far greater than a
mass of unpaid bills and house full
of worry, and a devotion to sentiment?
Should he not look around for more
favorable conditions, which may easily
be found?
Reconstruction is said to be thief.
In this case the axiom is undoubtedly
true. To allow the adverse conditions
under which you may be laboring to
continue may keep you for years long
er in the present unsatisfactory posi-
ton.
There was a man at Brazil, Ind,
who I made weekly visits for up
ward of a year to the office of the Ca
madam government at Indianapolis,
Ind, and from the agent secured all
the information he possibly could as
to conditions in Western Canada. But
he lacked decision, did not take
stock" or if he took it, failed to act.
This was fourteen years ago. He lived
on a small farm, which gave him a
mere existence, and no promise Of any
thing more. He is still on the same
place and no better off today than
then. He had a friend working in a
glass factory, who also had but little
means. He became interested in West
ern Canada. He possessed, though,
spirit and action. With the impulse
thus prompted he moved to Saskatche-
wan and took up farm. Today he is
the owner of a splendid section Of
land, has plenty of money in the bank,
and could retire with a handsome COM
petence.
That which has been the good for
tune Of the Brazil glass worker, who
had taken stock" and profited by it,
may be that which will follow any 9TH
err of like temperament and firm wish
to erect for satisfactory future.
Western Canada submits for consid-
Grafton and approval conditions in ag-
ricultural lines that are exceptional.
There is land there that annually pro-
duces about the same return as any
other farming land, and it can be pur-
chased at but a portion of what the
place which has not been a source of
profit can be sold for. A section in
stead of quarter-section, worked IN
der western conditions, with no more
effort, solves the big overhead" ex-
pense. The social conditions, which
are an important factor in deciding on
a new home location, are ideal.-Ad-
vertisement.
Those Girls.