Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-04
SPECULATIVE LAND VALUES.

The plainest fact in this community
today is that many large bodies OF land
suitable for small farms, are held at
prices more.or less unreal and specula-
tive-or wholly withdrawn from the
market. They are not profitable TO
their owners, in fact are almost wholly
neglected. EVERYBODY understands that
this land must soon come upon the
market and must be sold by the only
practical standard-that OF actual value.
Nor does it require the vision OF a
prophet to discover that the time when
such test will have to be applied is not
far off.
Does it not seem pity that the per-
sons most interested, the land owners
themselves, should not even now see
and frankly admit the actual state OF
things? The real truth is that the idea
of possible or probable boom in the
next year or two is still in the minds OF
many land owners, although they do
not Say go in words. Now, this may be
possible, but it is not likely. And if it
were likely, such new boom would not
settle their lands. Sales or "deals'' on
a large scale might occur, but it would
not mean actual settlement, occupation,
improvement. The only conditions
of making small, productive farms and
permanent, thrifty and pleasant homes
are those of actual purchase by settlers
who have the means to insure these re-
suits. No region OF country was ever
thus settled while speculative values
attached 20 the land. Town lots may be
bought and built upon at inflated prices,
and the losses, when they come, are in
dividual losses and work comparatively
small injury to town, in the long run;
but it is wholly different as to the region
outside of the town-the general COM
munity. 1t cannot even start ii too
much be asked for the land, and disaster
comes to the few scattering adventurous
spirits who may essay it.
No class of men in the world have
so good judgment as farmers as to the
value of land. of course. 1t is their
business to know what price land can
bear, in different portions OF the coun-
try, for the all-round business of getting
a living from it, year by year. Special
instances of great crops and high prices
do not count with them; nor should
they count. Nor will fancy farming
in any line of taste or experiment an
swer for the great mass of workers.
They want to feel that, throughout
lifetime, they will be justified in their
first outlay and improvements. These
are the only men who do the community
any real and absolute good-they build
themselves and their family life into it,
and they determine its character and
destiny.
The holdings these men want are
small, for no man of restricted means
and who works with his hands can
cover much ground. Besides, it seems
to be generally admitted that the days
of great farms and great stock ranges
are numbered. The losses when they
do come are disastrous. and worse than
all, the promoters of these rep
resent no local enterprises and
iniure rather than help any region.
They have no just interest in the future
,f the community and are often fatal
hurt and hindrance to it, for the small
armer alongside of them, already at
such disadvantage as to buying and sell
ing, is made to bear unfair burdens on
behalf of education and of social safety.
1t is the class OF men with small means
out with an abiding faith and interest
IN the community, the middle class,
who are the real dependence OF any
or any neighborhood, whom we
want and must have in Southern Cali
ornia If we expect to be really and per-
prosperous. The signs of the
lines make this very plain. Men of
means to live on are freely coming here,
and they are helping greatly; but there
is larger and in many ways very
much more desirable and necessary
:lass who are waiting till the specula-
i've phase of farm land dealings has
inally passed off. Then they will come
md come to stay and make the commu
lity strong, as they alone can do it.
Will the old practices and the old
traditions give way and let US have this
lass of settlers who are waiting to be
.racious? Shall we plant clean and
hrifty homes in the rich soil of the old
anch that may now be waste? Surely,
len and muscle are better than the
mustard and mortgages that now dis
igure and discredit thousands Of acres
+ the. choicest land in this country,
rom which to carve out beautiful and