The Neshoba Democrat., 1921-06-02
JOURNALISM week At
COLUMBIA MISSOURI
IMPRESSIONS ON 4 S0JoURM TO UNIVERSITY
OF MISSOURI.

The magnitude of America cannot
be fully comprehended, we suppose
until one has seen it all. That is g
privilege that comes to but the chosen
few. We have seen that part of Amer
lea that lies east of the Father Of
Waters, and OF course, have had some
conception of that vast empire thai
stretches to the Pacific, but our eyei
were opened last week to new world
when we penetrated for few hun
dred miles the VESTS gigantic grain
garden. Missouri is one Of our rich,
est and most independent states.
Comparatively little Of her lands are
idle. The part that we saw lying
west of the Mississippi and north OF
the Missouri was most attractive.
Miles upon miles OF waving grain,
with only an occasional stretch Of
verdant woodland to add variety to
the picture. Oats, wheat. corn and
stock are the principal sources Of
revenue. The farms are highly de-
veloped, and the stock Is all pure.
bred. The horses and mules are
large .boned and sleek, and the hogs
and sheep fat, and everything that
lives about the farm looks as though
1t never lacked for food. The farm
homes are most complete, and the
barns are commodious and painted
red. The soil is black and stretches
out in a vast prairie. Riding several
hundred miles through Northern
Missouri and Southern Illinois 1 do
not believe we passed one farm with
an ungainly stump standing In 1t.
The oats and wheat, most of which
Is planted in the fall, stauds high at
present, aud the corn is just spring
ing up. There had been an extended
dry spell, and the farmers were cry
ing for rain. A heavy shower fell
the day before we left Columbis. and
farmer there told me 1t would mean
more than q million dollars to that
one county if the rain had been gen.
eral. The hogs seem t, run to Du-
rocs though many white Berkshires
are seen grazing along with white fac
ed cattle. The cattle all seem to be
pure bred Herefords or Black
Anguses. Everything that eats in
this part of Missouri is fsd from grain
and feed raised at home, aud the gen.
eral appearance of the farms and
country shows that they have profit
ed by it. Some OF the wheat and oats
was killed by late frosts, and about
25 per cent Of the fruit lost In the
same way.
1t will be remembered that we de-
scribed Florida's well-kept farms and
homes. The only advantage Mis-.
souri, has over Florida is that her
soil, in the general, is mus b more fer
tile.
Aside from the inspiration derived
from the beautiful farms st. Louis is
worth while. Two-thirds as many
people live within the environs oi
greater st. Louis (including East ST.
Louis with surrounding suburban
towns and country as live In the
whole state of Missis ippi. For TWEEN.
ty miles along the River greater St.
Louis extends with factories and
homes. st. Louis banking, whols.
sale aud retail houses are most In.
teresting part of the city. went with
Mr.. A. Friedman, President of the
N Neshoba Land Company, through
several stores and banks. We pa a-seo
through large vault doors to the safe
ty box department. OF bank In ths
Federal Reserve Building. The doors
gates and elevators are we'll guarded
The vault door, through which W,
made our way to the safety box room
weighed 20 tons, and yet the door wal
40 well hung on its ball bearing hing
IS that one could move 1t with ons
nand, and with little effort. Jus
stacks of bags Of money were beini
pushed around on carts, and Oh,
whole atmosphere of the place wa
one of absolute security. was showi
nere something 1 had not seen before
rhe desks where ole might wish h
count his money or write out hi
,heck are each closeted unto itself
and there are many Of them. Whel
one has finished his business, ant
comes out the door to the booth aut0
inatically closes and locks. and unit
the keeper on guard unlocks tn
door no one else may enter. This !
done out of consideration for man
carelessness. Should a man leav
the desk forgetfully leaving fe'
thousand dollars worth OF securitie
there he will find them upon his r.
turn either where he left them, or I
the hands OF the kee per, who TO