New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-07
Replu by The Tribune.

l. 81 asserts that the establishment OF
the Free Land principle will immensely reduce
the raiue of the lands now owned by individuals
throughout the United States-by ralue meaning
price, of course. He will not contend that
Hodges or Dodge's farm will produce less Grain,
or Cheese or Meat, Fruit, after than before the
passage of this measure-that its Timber will be
rotted or its Grass stunted thereby. Nor can he
plausibly contend that the crops will not COM
mand as good price, since even now the staples
of the Far West compete scarcely at all with
those Of the Old States, and are in fact largely
purchased and consumed by our seaside farmers.
If there were ten times as many families as now
producing Grain and Meat in the Prairie States,
Vegetables, Fruits, Milk, Poultry, &C., than now,
and probably at higher prices, as the West would
consume far more Fabrics and Wares than at
present, and 50 give additional employment to
Eastern Mechanics and Artisans. 1t is not, then,
the intrinsic ralue but the market price of farms in
the Old States that Free Land at the West is
likely to diminish.
2. The objection, then, amounts simply to this
that, throughout the Old as well as the New
States, the proposed Homestead Act rW faror
those rho need Land at the expense Of those hare IL
tosELL. That is the whole case. And the actu-
al case is not even so broad as this because
great many and-seekers are confined by their vo-
cations to Eastern localities, and must buy there
if at all, no matter how cheap Land may be at the
Far West. We, for instance, are now looking for
a few acres for family residence in the hot
months but must have it within a short distance
Of this City; and this is the case with thousands
who hare bought and tens Of thousands who rH
buy in the neighborhood of this City, Boston, Phil
adelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, &C., &c. And,
as the more rapid settlement Of the West would
naturally increase correspondingy the Commerce
and Manufactures Of the East, the demand for
ands in this way would be increased rather than
diminished by the passage of the Homes stead Act,
and their price be graduated accordingly.
3. Away from the Cities, the tendency depre-
Gated by s. would to some extent be realized
that is, cultivators owning no lands and having
slender means would be attracted to the Free
Lands mere strongly than they now are to those
same lands selling at ten York shllings per acre.
But it must not be forgotten that the difference
not wholly nor mainly .factitious. So far as the
farmer consumes his own produce, its es sential
value may be said to be everywhere the same
that is, bushel Of Corn or tun of Hay will weld
as much nourishment in Iowa as in Vermont. But
with regard to all that is to be turned off or sold
the difference is very great. Every busheI of
Grain, or Vegetables, or Fruit, brings more in
New-England than in Illinois, because Of its prox
unity to ample markets, while the products Of H.
lInos must be transported many miles to find such
markets, and consequently must be sold by the
producer at the price in such markets, less the
expense and risk of reaching them. Suppose the
average value of Indian Corn to be 37t cents in
illinois and 62I in NewJersey, and IN acre of good
Com land in Illinois, capable of producing 6fty
bushels per acre, 10 worth Us, then an acre Of
just such land in New-Jersey is worth $50, even
allowing money to be worth ton per cent. psr an
mum. Suppose IN acre in Illinois that win yieId