Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1920-03-19

farmers. There could be larger pro-
portion of farmers to total population
If each farm were self-sufficient and
produced no surplus of consequence
but today the average farmer pro-
duces many times what he consumes
| Of some things and is dependent for
! his prosperity upon their profitable ex-
! change for other articles which he
uses. There should be, and in the long
i run there will tend to be-. no more
farmers in the nation than are needed
| to produce the quantity Of products
which can be disposed of at profit.
There will be farmers enough it the
business Of farming is made profitable
and If rural life is made attractive and
healthful. The consumers must be
willing to pay prices for farm products
, which will enable the farmers to pro-
duce them and to maintain satsfac-
tory standard Of individual and COM
munity life. The nation also must be
prepared to omit nothing to improve
the countryside. 1t is of the first In
portance that satisfactory schools, with
lens Of rura! life, be provided, that
good roads be constructed, and that
adequate provision be made to give
rural communities the requisite SAM
tary and medical services, Including
hospital facilities. When these re-
auirements are met, we shall not have
to concern ourselves as to the number
of farmers and the adequacy OF our
agricultural production. There will
then be no difficulty in retaining in the
rural districts sufficient number OF
contented and efficient people. What
we need is not back to the land prop
uganda, but an acceleration of the
movement for the Improvement Of the
countryside which will render the
abandonment Of farms unnecessary and
the expansion Of farming inevitable.
Expanslon During War.
'There is reason to believe that a
considerable expansion in farmland
area occurred during the war. The
acreage devoted to the, 10 principal
crops increased 10.1 per cent from
1914 to 1918. Accordingly, the crop
area per capita increased from 3.22
acres in 1914 to 1888 in 1913. or 3.4 per
cent. This expansion, probably result
ell in part. from the use for crops OF
land normally devoted to other pur-
poses, especially to pasture: However,
II seems to indicate that the farming
Industry has more than held its own
during the period. This conclusion TO-
confirmed by an increase not only In
the per capita production Of nearly oil
the important crops, but also, accord
ing to recent report, In the number
Of cattle and swine per capita. More
over, estimates for milk. eggs. and
poultry indicate an increase. in per
capita production during the war. In
view Of these facts, it probably would
be unwise to stimulate large increase
10 the per capita farm acreage ut the
present time, especially where such an
Increase would have to be effected by
utilizing land which is inferior or
which would be made available at q
heavy outlay for, Drainage, irrigation
or clearing.
Land Settlement Problems.
AT present various private agencies
arc engaged in promoting land settle
ment. Many Of them are honest IN In
tention, promise and practice; others
keep within the letter Of the law but,
through exaggeration and indirection
Of statement, create false impressions
In the mind Of the settler. Many viO-
late no canon Of fair business practice,
but their interest il in profits, and
they do not pursue policy calculated
to develop q profitable and wholesome
community life. Only few have made
careful studies of the conditions Of
successful settlement and developed
their business with view to the set
tiers progress and success. Practi-
cally all are seeking to realize the
highest possible price for their unde-
velOped holdings, and the settler Is
compelled to face the problem Of ad-
1ustment to pioneer conditions while
carrying burden Of land value which
often represents, in part, the capital
fzatiOn of future increase in earning
power. .,.g
1.-THE intending settler Of small
means is rarely able to distinguish be-
tween the good and bad methods Of
selling land In new regions. The more
inscriptions the land company the
more lurid Its advertisement and the
more extravagant Its promises. Set
tiers often are induced to invest all
their savings in land not suitable for
successful farming, to purchase more
land in relation to the capital available
for depelopment than they should, or
to undertake projects the cost Of clear
INK or reclamation Of which will prove
to be prohibitive. The results IN many
instances have been tragic failures af-
ter years of incredible bardships, waste
of capital and Of human lives, discour-
agement Of intending settlers ana in-
fury to the business Of legitimate and
well-meaning land concerns.
1T would be desirable. IL govern.
mental agencies, by systematic did.
should furnish reliable information to