| Show THE FARM MORTGAGE EVIL THE census bulletin published a few months ago stated elated that abstracts of of farm mortgages mortgagee were ob by the enumerators of the 1890 census the preliminary report had bad reference to iowa that state measures in area acres it was found that over acres of that area were covered with a mortgage indebtedness debt edness of over at first these figures created consternation inasmuch as it was inferred from them that one tenth of the state fatte was in the hands bands of money sharks special agents were appointed to inquire into this matter they found that about 90 per cent of this indebted nets ness was incurred by purchasing farms A man had not money enough to pur chase a farm outright and had to lot jet part of theorice the price remain as a lien to be paid off subsequently from his earnings if the report of the special agents is t correct then the mortgage evil is not as bad as at first supposed this system of part payment by mortgage Pre prevails vitis largely in cities and it is not regarded as indebted indebtedness new in the way of loans the farmers in kansas and in iowa claim that the indebtedness was incurred by reason of depression in agricultural products and that they are justified in repudiating these mortgages either in the way of cheap money or by legislation restricting the operations of the money lender mortgages incurred especially those given in the purchase of land should not be nullified to take such a stop step would be socia socialistic little or |
