The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-31


AND Observation-Disclosures in our col.
umns day or two since, Col. E. N,
Norton thinks that one Of the crying evils
Of our day is the accumulation of vast
properties in the hands OF single individ'
uals, such, for instance, as the immense
millionaire fortunes now, more than ever,
to be seen in the principal cities Of this
country. The tendency Of our deprccia-
ted paper money system has been to make
the rich richer and the poor poorer. This
evil shows itself more conSpicnously in
cities and towns than elsewhere. And
vet there is the same tendency to large
accumulations in the country. The
farms are not getting smaller, but
larger, in the old states. Those who buy
farms are, as arulc, farmers, They add,
piece after piece, to their lands, not know
ing what else to do with their
money. This process naturally goes
on in every old state, but in
West Virginia, in the interior and
more remote counties, it has been especial
~ the rule for very many years. The
drawback with West Virginia is the fact
that she is not settled up with small farm
ers, but, instead thereof, that her land is
held in immense bodies by spectators.
We noticed the other day in the Braxton
county paper that at a sale OF land in that
county the Hon. J. N. Bennett, OF Wes-
ton, was the buyer. As is well known,
Mr.. Bennett, along with such men as Judge
Camden, Col. Ben Smith, and others
whom we might name, is one OF the
largest landholders in the State. This, of
course, he has right to be, and We find
no fault with him for it. But 1t is new
ertheless the fact that no State can be-
come truly prosperous until her land is
more generally divided into small farms
than Is the case in West Virginia.
Our attention has been called to this
subject by an exhibit lately published in
the London Times, showing how the soil
Of England is held. This exhibit is
digest Of the census ordered in 1872,
which census was ordered in consequence
Of the agitation Of Mr.. Bright, and others,
: Of the land question, they having charged
that the soil of England was really own
ed by 10000 people. BY way OF preface
we may state that the total area of land
in occupation (the metropolis Of London
being excspted) is 100000 acres, and
there arc 100000 acres OF commons and
waste. The population (of England and
wales) in 1871 was 22,7l2,2GG. In gen.
eral way, the new census shows that about
l2,0Ooof the largest proprietOrs own near
ly 100000 acres of the whole amount;
100 own S,s5OOOO acres, or over one'ninth
Of the entire Kingdom; 1000 persons own
an average of 5000 acres each; 5000 own
an average Of 5000 acrep each; 5000 own
an average Of 1000 acres euchi and there
are aboutl 100000 persons who own some.
what more than the six feet OF ground
necessary for last resting place. The
classification thus far shows that 1900
persons own 2O,S4GOOO out Of 100000
acres, leaving 4,l64,OOO acres, which are
owned as follows; 7OS,9S9 persons own
les than one acre each, MS, for instance,
garden.p patches, house-lOts, ETC., aggregate
Ing, say, 100000 acres, and 957,47l per-
sons own the remaining 3,GG4,OOO acres,
Of which number OF persons, perhaps
$4,000, will average between one and
Eve acres, and 7,47l a good many more
than the 100000 owners of little patches.
Some Of the details Of this ownership
are quite as interesting as the general
facts. Out Of the 100 largest private
owners (who hold, it will be remembered,
S,s5O,ooO acres there are Al holding 90.
900 and upwards, but less than 10000
acres; % holding 10000 and upwards, but
less than 10000 acres; s holding 10000
and upwards, but less than $4,000 acres;
Shedding $4,000 and upwards, but less
than 10000 acres; 8 holding 10000 and
upwards, but less than 10000 acres; q
holding 10000 and upwards, but less than