Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-07-29
M1istellaHtuns &eadimg.
From the Charleston Courier.
THE LAND COMMISSION.
A TALK WITH THE COMMISSIONER.

Thepassage of an Act by the Legislature at its
last session. creating an advisory Board to consist
of the Governor, Attorney General Secretary of
State, Treasurer, and Comptroller General, and the
subsequent appointment of G. P. Leslie, Senator
from Barnwel as Land Commissioner, did not at
first attract much attention. But since the matter
has been bruited abroad, the people began to en-
quire into this same Land Commission. 1t was
ascertained that The State had appropriated $780,
900 in bonds for the purpose Of buying lands, and
the question naturally arose for whom and for
what? Our reporter has had talk" with the
firepressble Senator from Barnwell, and the Cou-
rier publishes the result of that talk, for the bene
fit of those who may have curiosity to know some
thing about this new machine, called the Land
Commission.
A SOUND MAN.
Said Mr. Leslie: II am sound, and intend to
work this Commission for the benefit of the poor
man." In reply to the question what was the OBJ
ject of the Legislature in establishing the Commits
sion, he said: 'To increase the number of land
owners, to introduce the small farm system. That
body expects thereby to stimulate the productive
industry and the thrift of our working people; to
bring under cultivation the tens of thousands Of
waste and wasting lands of our fertile State to
augment her wealth and revenue, and enhance the
prosperity and happiness of all our people.
That which the Republican party aspires to do
in South Carolina may be seen by looking West.
ward That party put in operation the homestead
system, perfected the pre-emption laws, and mould
ed the present land policy of the Government In
any territory of the United States an actual settler
may choose one hundred and sixty acres of unoc-
cupied land, set his bounds, and build his cabin.
The land is his for the taking He may then pre-
enpt or select as many acres more around him as
he can pay for at one dollar and twenty-five cents
an acre. The first settler gets the first chance the
second the second, and so on. Since 1862 more
than 9,OOO, 900 of acres have been given away to
immi grants, and 100000 pre-empted and sold.
To make paths into the new territories, Congress
has freely given millions of acres to railroad COM
panies, and along the iron paths thus secured i'm
migrants have pushed Westward in hosts. To
help in building Schools and Colleges, land has
been freely granted and the sums from its sale have
aided in establishing large and noble institutions
of learning During the year, from June 3Oth,
1867, to June 3Oth, 1868, 7O7l, liza acres of pub
lie land were disposed Of Of these, but GIG
were sold; l,7SS,O40 acres were given away for
homesteads; 2,42O,O72 were donated for Colleges
and Schools, and the rest granted in various ways
for the benefit of settlers. The total amount Of
cash for sales of land and fees was ST. 447 1862. So
a little more than enough to pay the expenses Of
surveying and the land Offices To pay these ex-
penses by sales of land is all the Government seeks
to do 1t aims to enrich itself not by cash for lands
sold, but by the rapid growth of an industrious
population Of small farmers; the augmented value
of taxable property and the vast increase Of agri-
cultural productions. The almost incredible mul-
tiplicaton of inhabitants and of wealth in the great
West demonstrates the practical wisdom of this
broad and generous policy.
Chicago has, in thirty years, grown from vii
lage of dozen families to magnificent city OF at
least 1926, 900 residents and Illinois. from 100000
to 100000. While between 1850 and 1850 the
quantity Of improved land roso from 5,O39,545
acres to 1921 573 acres the cash value OF farms
from $780, 33, 29O to 1882, 53l O72. Between 1861
and 1868 the yssue has trebled, being now more
than 81 ,250, 100000. To-day the worth OF the n-
proved farm machinery in Illinois is $50 'ooo'oool
which is more than onethird the assessed value OF
all the property, real and personal, in South Caro-
lima. MEANWHILE the population OF Charleston
has merely risen from $4,000 to little more than
10000, and of South Carolina from $50, 900 to
little more than 100000 The quantity of I'M
proved lands increased from 1850 to 1860, from t..
075 55l acres to 4572, ,O6O acres, and the value of
farms from $50, 49, 6S4 to sos, while the
value of farming implements is not one-twelfth
those of Illinois. Why this astonishing contrast
The fundamental reason is the land policy and the
class of men that policy brings in and devclopes.
To bo sure, Illpoi is new State but in other
8 outh Carolina has the advantage.
Our planters repelled immigrants by grasping
lands and working slaves But this was the land
and labor policy of South Carolina. And to this
chiefly must be ascribed the prosperity of Illinois,
and the comparative decadence of South Carolina.
All other things are but crcumstances-this is the
substantial cause.
IF then land policy resembling that Of Illinois
could be adopted in South Carolina, why should
not Charleston double its population in ten years
and leap forward in thirty years to four times its
present size? Why should not Beaufort, ColuM-
bia. Greenyille, Aiken, Blackvile, Sumter York !