New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-12-04
MIR. Polk on Public Lands.

6ce We shall issue tomorrow morning as usual.
MIR. Polk on Public Lands.
The suggestions of the Message with regard TO
our Public Lands point TO changes which will not be
improvements. Mr.. Polk assumes that the lands
some time since surveyed and still remaining unsod
80 remain because they are of inferior qualitythat
is swampy, sterile, or difficult to bring into cult
walton; and he proposes that the price be reduced
in order to let the poor buy them But here are
several errors. So long the Government shall
bring into market some Ten or Twenty Millions Of
acres per annum, while the demand for settlement Is
but One to Three Millions of acres, there is no way
OF escaping heavy and increasing surplus OF survey
cd and uusold lands. But this does not prove the
lands of bad quality and if it did it would be ques
tiousble policy TO tempt poor to settle them
while there is abundance of the best quality for
them at ten shillngs acre, at which rate almost
any hardy single man can save the price OF an eighty
acre homestead out of the proceeds Of years faith
ful industry.
The best locations being appropriated by the first
settlers in new region, it by means follows that
the remainder are bargain at the present
price than those first taken were OF the price
For the settler finds roads bridges mills, stores
inns markets. &c.-oftcn of rude sort, indeed but
still great conveniences-where the first settler found
none but had to make every thing for himself do
without it. We doubt whether tho last thousand
acres in q township provided they be. suscepti.
bic of cultivation are not really better tn shi
lngs per acre when taken up than the ii rst were
Take an example: We know wild lands in Chau.
tauque which. twenty years ago, were held AT two
dollars per acre. Those same lands, In the same
=! III. loIl
four TO five dollars per acre-quiIe an advance But
when sold at So per 1t was richly worth $40
per acre to clear them of timber TO leave them
fit for cultivation, land very sturnpy al that Now
the lot we have inview held at SIS per annum would
readily be cleared ofwood for the wood-that is
little village mills, ashery &c have sprung up near
it, where the wood can be sold for enough to pay for
cutting and hauling it. OF course, the land is well
worth sl2 TO clear now il was So twenty years
ago, though the prospect of keeping part OF ii in
wood in either case. renders SIS or Sc now about the
fair equivalent for So then This case illustrates
general principle
But the real difficulty with regard TO Westert
lands is of another kind and requires very different
remedies from those suggested by Mr.. Polk Let ny
roughly sketch it;
=
miles wide, runs a fine mill stream belted by timber
Tha, timber that water-power, essential 10 the
adjacent prairie wiihou, them the prairie is value
less. The lands surveyed and offered for sale.
Aspecuaior or club of spectators have traced them
all out long since; and they jump in at once ana en-
ter oil the lots embracing water or timber, at 81 IS
per acre, They are now ready to sell mill at
$1,000 each or timber nj $40 TO $50 per 10
commodaie and encourage the settlement OF the
prairie. But at these their lots 60 ofvery slow
ly; for new Corners prefer 10 make corner them
selves rather than 10 be corncred by others Still
they advertise superb timber and water.lots nj $40
per acre with abundance of prairie beside i, to be
had for 81 IS. Mr.. Polk proposes that the Govern
raent lands 80 choked of market shall be sold a.
ter FIVE years exposure at lower and again at lower
rates, SO as TO ensure their settlement But whowil
profit by this We answer. mainly the monopo
hsing Spectator The longer he holds his wood
land, the more valuable ii becomes by the gradual
decrease in the price of the prairie His present high
price is based upon the abundance OF neighboring
low priced prairie, which appreciates his woodland
vet does not rival It. Now reduce the price of the
prairie 10 eight six, five, and at last to two shings
per acre and you increase at every step the value
of his wood, land you render it and more valu
able than similar Government wood land, more re
Gently surveyed and surrounded by prairie which,
still held at 81 25 per acre, new sheep-tarmins
settler says, thousand acres of prairie FOL
my pasture. meadows and tlage, and with it eighty
acres Of wood land if buy the latter of the spec
sulator at $40 per get my prairie for so cents
but if buy in u newer region directly OF the Gov
eminent must pay 81 25 rmy prairie, or $3.50
In place OF s5o0'-Such is TIE effect of Gradua
ton so long the Public Lands are made merchan
disc Of and there is help for il, We believe the
actual settler would be induced TO postpone buying
MS claim, hoping TO get ii al graduated price and
that II would work mischief every way The abol.
lnon OF the stringent provisions of the present Pre-
empuon law would operate in the same way. The
law allows Presumption to settlers bu, forbids its en-,
ployment 10 favor Spectators. Aboshnc the re-.
strictions would sweep away this distinction.
ON kindred topic, Mr. Polk i. more happy
After stating that the Rents collected on the Leased
Mineral Lands lover One Million acres,J 50 far a,
returned amount in all to less than onetonrtA the
cost of collecting them, he recommends the aboGor
Of the Leasing system. There would seem LITTLE
room to doubt the wisdom ofthat suggestion unles.
the system can be made 10 work rather better thar
hitherto. Twenty six Thousand Dollars expense
in collecting Six Thousand of rent property wortl
over Million, ought to satisfy even our Govern
ment which would seem TO have an aptitude .o
such specuahons. But while the policy of selling
out the Mineral Lands instead of Leasing them il
such way would seem unqussdonable, we do no