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

LIE AMEhlCAN LAND QOEOlION
There has been a most interesting pre-
sentation of the American land question
in recent numbers of the North Ameri
can Review, by which many importan
facts relating to the subject have beer
brought to light. In one number Thoma:
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 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-fifths of that of
France, 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
parlson with that in the countries that
have been named.
The public lands have been rapidly
swallowed up. If every 16O acres could
have fallen into the hands OF a 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-
1uired to pay his landlord. One landlord,
whom MIR. Gill cites as an example.
though not citizen of this country, and
visiting his land not oftener than once in
our years, has an annual income from
lis lands of 100000; yet he does not
even pay taxes out OF his income, requir-
ng his tenant in every lease to pay all
axes that may be assessed against the
and on which he lives. This is absolute
andlordism with vengeance. Ireland,
as she is, contains no more
,rossly-wronged people than the Ameri-
ans who happen to be the tenants of
his prince of acres.
In another number OF this same mag
zine, the discussion of this interesting
nd important question is continued by
lr. A. j. Desmond, who, in the begin
ing OF his paper, says:
Ihe number of great farms is doubling
very three years; the renters are gaining on
le land owners; private corporations own c
Waths OF territory equal to dozen States; r
nd, what seems most to have touched the
atlonal pride, foreign landlords have pos a
'ssed themselves of millions of our best a
cres.
In a table OF statistics he shows that 6,
lille from 1870 to 1880 the increase in :,
lrms under 100 acres was 10 per cent. .;
nd in farms of not less than 100 and not II
lore than 800 acres the increase was 200 h
er cent, the increase for the same T.
srlod in farms over 900 acres was 800 9
7r cent. He shows further that i'm nine
1862 to 1S71-nearly 1885, .,
10000 acres were given to the railroads. o,
e also gives list in which appear the a,
ines OF twenty-nine individuals who 9,
I'D more than 2O,O00,O 900 acres of land .,
d these twenty-nine landlords are alb -
ntee landlords. ~
Those who ignorantly sneer at the idea W
at there is such thing as an American or
Id question, might well ponder the in nj
NATION Mr.. Desmond furnishes. Ac- 70,
'dlng to his estimate, this country had in
ginally, after deducting Alaska, the ",
dian and military reservations and
'untain and untillable lands. available ,-o
Ids amounting to nearly 9OO.0 900. 900 -
es. OF this, 7OO,OOO,OOO have been On On
posed of, leaving but 2OO, ,OaO, 900 under in
control of the Government. oh,
tbs a great misfortune that the public 20
DIS should have been squandered to
extent, and the best interests of the
'ple demand that the remainder be re-
Yed for actual settlers only.
eXl