Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1877 — Steady Faced Prosperity. [ARTICLE]

Steady Faced Prosperity.

The shrinkage in stocks and the various securities . thsi fluctuate with the exigencies that affect th* money market, occasioned iu a great measure by watering, "gutting,bulling, and bearing, and the other devices of the gamblers of Wall street, New Yoik, and tbe other great commercial circles of tbe country, has turned the attention of monied men of late to farm property as a safe investment for capital. It U true so large an interest is not expected on landed estate as upon that class of securities that are constantly fluctuating in value. Nor should real securities like land draw so large an interest, since the security is absolute—one that cannot be destroyed. The withdrawing of investments from one direction, or various directions, tor investment in another, is the key' or result of psoics. Investors become dissatisfied in flush times, with the low rate of interest which land brings, and put their money in various enterprises, which, for a time, apparently go on swimmingly; bat, in the end, the change certainly comes, and with tbe fear of loss there is a disposition to turn back to the security of land. In all this, farmers are not exempt. The skies are bright; they are not satisfied with the four, five, or six per ceut. their farms arc returning on the capital invested, and they are tempted to speculate. They perhaps mortgage their farms, paying all the way to ten or twelve per cent, for money; business is overdone; hard times come on; a panio strikes the land; interest is in default, and the farm that would have continued to pay a legitimate, if low interest, on money, is sold from under the owner. This i* tbe whole history in a nut shell. Panics are occasioned by a spirit which seems inherent in humanity, to want to do that which they see their neighbors doing. Tbe farmer's life has been called a humdrum one, while in fact it is not so; his labor pays a legitimate interest; one as good as others founded upon legitimate industry. If he gets his living by his honest labor, and from tour toaix per een«. upon the vulue of his land, it is as much as other sate men get from investment in government and other absolutely safe securities. It is j steady faced prosperity, and this is the Und of prosperity that nmkes peoples and nations rich. —Prairie Farmer. - j i