The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1921-09-15
IOWA FARMERS
ENVY DAKOTANS
Hawkeye Agriculturists Laboring I'm
der Greater Handicaps Than
Flickertail Residents
CONDITIONS ARE D1sCoURAG1NG
Trying to Raise Enough on $40O Land
to Pay Interest

day afternoon from a motor car trip
through central and, northwestern
Iowa. This fact in itself isn't Of so
very great Importance, because it is
more than likely that some of. our
readers wouldn't miss us if we never
came back, but we're like q certain
negro during the civil war. He was
retreating with more haste than dig
nifty when soldier asked him why
he was running. TO keep from get
tin kilt" replied the dusky warrior.
"Well," said the white man, nobody
would miss you if you did get killed.
i"M Mebbe so, boss, 5mebbe so," answered
the coon, "but ah'd miss mahself."
Having heard great deal about dis
couraging conditions in our local farm
ing community, we took occasion to
become Informed regarding the situa
tion down, there. Iowa is undoubted-
" the best farming country on earth,
as far as the soil is concerned, and
crops down there are better than they
have been for years, corn and oats
being especially good. Very little
wheat is raised there, but those. who
did plant the cereal this year have
been rewarded with substantial yields,
many fields going as high as 40 BUSH
els to the acre. Farmers estimate
that corn will go between 60 and 30
bushels, while some Of it will beat the
latter figure. -.
It must be remembered, however,
that this corn is grown on $400 to
5000 land. Up here in North Dakota
we have corn that will yield from S5
to As bushels, on land that could have
been bought early last year consider
ably under $l00 per acre. Figuring
the difference in the amount Of money
invested, our farmers have much the
better Of the deal. Many men down
there are either renting or holding
equities, very small proportion own
ing their. land outright. The man who
owns d quarter section 81 $4OO i3iid
is all. right, but the equity holder who
cannot realize enough from his crop5to5
meet interest payments is in a bad
way. The cash renter is no better of, J.
though those who rent nScrop shares
may be able to pull through.
One man we met has an equity in
80 acres Of land which we would con-
slider mighty! rough, but he seems to
think it is, the best ever. Yet the
I land is mortgaged for $18, 700. Just
imagine paying interest on that out
of the crop raised on such q small
farm at present market prices. He
is in doubt as to the outcome he
needn't be. 81 5f 4 4
It is safe to say that this instance
is duplicated 10, 900 times right in that
one state. Many Of the farmers have
suffered great losses on cattle, having
bought feeders at certain price, fed
them corn for several weeks, and then
sold them for less than they paid. In
fact, conditions are so unsatisfactory
that one newspaper last asked,
SIS Iowa solvent % OF course it is
solvent, but doesn't that sound like
some OF the questions that have been
fired at the people Of our own state
! It is just as hard to borrow money in
Iowa as tits here. # you don't be-
lieve il just slip down and use your
powers Of persuasion on some Of their
! bankers. {. Il; .,s 3: q
We met lot Of nice people while
we were away and when it came time
to leave we almost decided that Iowa
is as good q place in which to live as
North Dakota. We. were convinced
that the Iowa brand Of hospitality
will not suffer by comparison with that
Of the people Of any other state. But
more Of that later. is's iss al
While the farms are highly devel-
oped, the towns have suffered. The
state is constantly losing population
because men Of moderate means have
learned that life; is too short to spend
it acquiring ownership Of a $4O0 per.
!, acre farm, and they are looking to-
ward North and South Dakota as.the
land of promise. The rent on. the
average Iowa farm will almost buy,
a good home In this country. .sy$S,.'
It was our fortune to come very.
4 near being caught in the storm which
hit the Sioux Falls country last Fri;
day night: We were hitting the high
places; near hardwood, Iowa, bent
upon making the South :Dakota me-:
tropolis before calling it i; day hut
just al we. passed d particularly fine
farm home we noticed q great white
roll Of clouds extending clear across
the. sky When we had passed the,
i grove the wind hit us III the face and
we back k-traeked about ~ fast a. any
thing we ever done In our He. Run
! ming the car in the lee of Is sled We
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