It all depends what your looking for in these rods, if your only looking for something to fish with and to replace your modern rods then maybe not, they are old and modern materials have an advantage, mainly lightness and durability, modern rings and maybe better at specific jobs.
But I am looking for something to invest in, something that looks nice, an interest in angling history, a nice little hobby to while away some time in old shops, and so on. I enjoy putting them in auctions and going along and have an afternoon looking at whats going on. Sometimes I meet some interesting people with the same interest, sellers and buyers. And occasionally I like to fish with them as well, I still think they make good fishing rods and fish better in some ways. But that is just down to how your comparing them and what with. I don't own any top range expensive modern rods so maybe I am elevating them a bit or a lot! At the end of the day I just enjoy the whole package and not just rods, anything old fishing, floats, stuffed fish, reels, books, the lot, and split cane rods are part of it all.