The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 153 



county, state and nation can no longer afford to let men individually 

 hack away on the old-fashioned land-clearing methods. 



If a settler is an asset, it is a business investment to do such 

 things as will get him started economically and efficiently and, as 

 in this day and age, he won't come unless we do make conditions 

 attractive, we have no alternative. The successful, present-day 

 colonization methods tend strongly toward paternalism. 



The colonization project must be liberally financed in order to 

 enable selling with small initial payments and deferred payments 

 extended over a long period of years with reasonable interest. The 

 average immigrant has little money and what he has can be utilized 

 best for the operation of his farming efforts rather than for large 

 payments on the land. If the land is not good security for the de- 

 ferred payments, especially with the colonist on it and improving 

 it every day, the project is not worthy of consideration. 



Again liberal financing is necessary because at least one-half 

 and in all cases as much as possible of every farm unit that is put 

 on the market should be cleared and ready for crop as soon as the 

 colonist locates, and experience has demonstrated that if part of 

 the farm is fenced by the buyer and a house and barn built, which 

 he can pay for in his deferred payments, that is a great attraction. 

 It also takes money to carry on the demonstration work which 

 will guide his efforts most efficiently. 



Schools, churches, stores and community centers all must be 

 made available in one way or another. It all takes money and 

 liberal financing is justified and of utmost importance. 



Another fact that must be given due consideration is that the 

 land-selling business has been developed by specialists into a busi- 

 ness in itself. It might almost be termed a science, and the land 

 owners individually and collectively will sooner or later appreciate 

 that success depends upon either paying for considerable costly ex- 

 perience, if they handle the sales themselves, or must pay a fair 

 price for the expert services and the tediously built-up organiza- 

 tions of those who have specialized upon land-selling. 



The problems of organization and administration which con- 

 front each land owner individually are very great and no one of Co-o Deration 

 you can afford to study them out alone. Therefore, I hope this Jsjecessary to 

 meeting will not close without some form of co-operative associa- Best Results 

 tion being inaugurated. 



