Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1857-05-06
Land Culture and Land Specul at ions
in the United states.

.
~ Very respectfully yours,
w. WILLIAMS.
Land Culture and Land Specula at ions
in the United States.
.,s From the Cincinnati Railroad Record,l
We live in time of extraordinary land spec
ulgton. Never before was there known such
an exodus Of farmers in the new lands of the
West. Never before has government given away
such quantities of land. Never were SO many
acres in the market; and never were prices of
wild laud SO well maintained. To experienced
eyes all this tends to one result, which sooner or
later must come-a bursting of the great land
bubble. We mean of the bubble which has been
created by making new towns on the frontiers,
and selling new lands at the price of cultivated
farms. ..s .
In this state of things it will be well to OK
anime the clements ON which the price of land
and the improvement of lands depend .
l. In 1850 we had the actual population of
the United States, and the actual amount Of
land cultivated, and the amount of products
The amount of products, deducting seed, give
a surplus for export Of only about 10 per cent.
We may fairly conclude, then, that the amount
OF land IN culture was about equal to what was
needed, and what the people, in their present
state OF civilization, are about to need relatively
in the future. We may assume, then, that the
amount OF cultivated lands cannot increase much
more rapidly than the population. In all prob
ability it cannot increase so fast; for the ten.
dency OF population now is to towns; so that
the proportion of agricultural population is di-
minishng. So, also, it is evident that the amount
of land sold cannot safely exceed the same ratio,
although it will be absolutely much larger. 1t
cannot exceed the same ratio, because the only
real ultimate demand is for farming land, and if
that ratio of increase be exceeded the dem md
ceases, the price falls and land becomes and is
a drug. ..
>. Let us now deduce these elements from the
known statistics OF the country In 1850 the
results were as follows
Population, 23,l9l, S76
Cultivated land, acres, 1902, GA
Uncultivated land, lSu5aS 600
Whole amount OF land owned by
individuals, 293, 5000
Ratio of dicenial increase of popu-
lat'on, 81 per cent
According to this We have the following an
nual increments of population and cultivated
lands - ...
Annual increase of population $4,000
Increase of cultivated lands, acres 3,955, 900
Increase of uncultvated lands, acres 6,Sl7 900
e. Aggregate 49,. r $50. e. z-lO,272 900
Ten millions of acres per annum is the total
demand Tor land at the present time. 1t is an
ascertained fact. 1t is the precise demand, and
no more. A great deal more may he sold but
if so, it must sooner Or later overstock the mar
ket. Such we hold to be the case now, beyond
question. In the year 1851 the sale of Govern
ment land amounted to 1000, 900 of acres, and
the land warrants to million more Since that,
i'll 1855 and 1856, the amount disposed of las
amounted to double that. To this we must add
a million or TWO of acres disposed of by rail
roads Thus we find that the annual sale of
lands by the Government Gncluding the land
warrants) is from so to 100 per cent beyond the
actual demand.
When we take this fact into view, in connec-
ton with the other facts, that population now
lends to the towns, and that the foreign mmi
grafton is now diminished, we can see at once
that there IS great lard speculation OIL hand.
When we come to town lots, the land bubble is
,tterly undetnable. Towns are laid out in Kan.
'as and Nebraska at every half dozen miles, and
Zach one of them is of course destined to be
The New York Of the West!
This land speculation is no new thing, nor is
IS result. 1t has universally resulted in the
bursting of the bubble, aud the prostration OF
'ales, and period of dizziness for years 10 come.
We do not certainly know that the crisis has
come; but we see signs of the coming stoin,.
Money is scarce in the country towns, where, at
his time, it ought to be plenty. The people
Who go west are excited and tanciful; town lots
IRE sold at prices at least four fold the value If
he towns were to grow as much it is imagin-
ID they will These are signs not to be mis,a-
Ken.
We write this not to decry the value of lands
,nt to point out the elements aud signs OF the
l,,, &c
he day. --..
Chc British. Premier and the United
States. a# @
Lord Palmerston, in the course Of speech
which he recently delivered at Tiverton, Thus
llluded to the course pursued by the American
authorities in China ..e.
We are often told to look to our cousins in
HE United States models of conduct, and
here are some things in which they might Just
is well look to US "a aush) but if we beg of
he advocates of the peace to address themselves
With "eyes right" TO the United States, pray
What did their commander do in this very diff
entity iii China in comparison with our officers,
civil and naval? Why, there was boat be-
ongng TO one Of their ships of war fred at
Well, that was great insult, but there might
ave been an excuse made for it that we were
engaged in these hoStilities with China, and
t might have been said that this American was
aiken for an English boat. lis true the officers
II that boat waved the American flag, but the
Chinese might have said that it is well known
strategy OF war, and YOU wave the American
lag to deceive US; We believed it was an Eng
ish boat, and therefore fred at il, But did the |
American commander, like Michael Seymour and
Sir John Bowring, demand an apology and de-
hat III cba,,
tot the least in the world. He inverted the |
lSnsl course which is said to be the character
site of energy-,a word and blow-he put i, |
hus--a blow and word CHEERS and laughter |
1e began to knock down the fort, and after de- |
troying that fort, he sent to the Commissioner |
say that an insult had been offered to his flag;
nd he hoped for en- apology, (cheers,( and an
ssurance 10 the effect that it would not hap.
zen again, (cheers;) and he gave twenty. -four
ours for this apology and explanation be
ent to him; but before the twenty.four hours
ad expired, the ship which was lying near the
ort saw something or other going on which the
Ulcers shrewdly imagined were for renewed
efence, ii not for renewed attack. Well, this
american officer, without waiting and writing to
he United States to know what to do-without
rafting for orders from Washingson-he did not
'ait even for the twenty-four hours to expire,
ut he said, '.No, no, Mr.. Chinaman, this won't
o; you are throwing up fresh batteries and
ut,ins in fresh guns and he commenced the
emotion of the tort and took possession of
hose guns before the tine had expired which
e had, given the Chinese Commissioner in or
es to make his apology and explanation.-
cheers) 4a.sss rzsts
: Tux DISQUALIFICATION is called to the card
Dr.. Bronson, Dentist.