Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-04-03
THE AMERICAN LAND QUESTION

There has been most interesting pre-
sentaton OF the American land question
in recent numbers OF the North 1mert-
can ReuieC, by which many important
facts relating to the subject have been
brought to light. In one number Thomas
p. Gill, NJ. p, gives the result OF his
investigations in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Nebraska and Dakota. The information
he has gathered must be startling to
many. He shows that there is a quarter
OF million more tenant farmers in the
United States than in Great Britain and
Ireland, and that in the State of
Illinois alone there are nearly twenty
thousand more tenant farmers than in
Scotland, although the population OF
Scotland is greater than that OF this
western State. He shows, on the other
hand, that in France, whose pop
ulation is twelve millions less
than that OF the United States,
there are in round numbers five million
rural landowners, whilst in our own
country this class does not quite reach
three millions. Yet, with these facts
before us, it is also known that the in
crease OF population in the United States
is one with which that OF the foregoing
countries can hardly compare. Thus we
see that, in proportion to population, our
number OF tenant farmers will not fall far
short OF that OF Great Britain and Ireland,
whilst the number OF our rural land
owners is not quite three-iifths OF that of
France, II country whose population is
less than four-fifths OF the population OF
our own country; and this is true in spite
OF our vast territory, even the generally
populated part OF which is far larger than
all these other countries together. Yet,
with this knowledge before us, we still
confront the further fact that our increase
in population runs almost beyond com
parison with that in the countries that
have been named.
The public lands have been rapidly
swallowed up. Ii every 160 acres could
have fallen into the hands of perma-
nent settler, there would be no room for
complaint; but the lands have come into
the possession OF spectators, companies
OF capitalists having had lands entered
under fictitious names, which have been
made to appear as those OF individuals
seeking to establish homesteads. The
result has been that the tenant farmer
has had to bear the burden OF very heavy
rents, one-half his crop often being re.
quired to pay his landlord. One landlord,
whom Mr.. Gill cites as an example
though not citizen OF this country, and
visiting his land not oitencr than once in
four years, has an annual income from
his lands OF S100,O00 yet he does not
even pay taxes out OF his income, rcquir
ing his tenant in every lease to pay all
taxes that may be assessed against TIL,
land on which he lives. This is absolute
landlordism with vengeance. Ireland
oppressed rs she is, contains no more
grossly.wronged people than the Ameri
cans who happen to be the tenants o
this prince of acres.
In another number OF this same mag
azine, the discussion OF this interesting
and important question is continued b,
Mr.. A. j. Desmond who in the begin
ming OF his paper, says:
The number of great farms is doublin,
every three years; the renters are gaining ol
the land owners; private corporations owl
swaths of territory equal to dozen States
and, what seems most to have touched th
national pride, foreign landlords have pos
sessed themselves of millions of our bes
acres.
In table OF statistics he shows tina
while from 1870 to 1880 the increase il
farms under 100 acres was 10 per cent
and in farms OF not less than 100 and no
more than 500 acres the increase was 20
per cent the increase for the sam
period in farms over 900 acres was so
per cent He shows further that in min
years-from 1862 to 1S7l-nearly 1886
100000 acres were given to the railroads
He also gives a list in which appear til
names OF twenty-nine individuals VIII
hold more than 20,00000O acres OF land
and these twenty-nine landlords are ali
sentee landlords.
Those who ignorantly sncer at the de
that there is such thing rs an America
land question, might well ponder the in
formation Mr.. Desmond furnishes. AZ
cording to his estimate, this country ha
originally, after deducting Alaska, 9TH
Indian and military reservations an
mountain and untillable lands, availabl
lands amounting to nearly 100000, 90
acres. OF this, 7Oo,OOO,OOO have bee
disposed OF, leaving but 10000, 600 unde
the control of the Government
Itisa great misfortune that the publ
lands should have been squandered I
this extent, and the best interests OF tn
people demand that the remainder be r,
served for actual settlers only.