The record-union., 1891-11-16
THE BAR TO PROGRESS
Words of Wisdom From an Up-Country
PaDer.
[Biggs Argus, November 18th.

tBiggs Argus, November 12th.l
Many OF the papers of California are
expressing their opinions as to that which
Is most needed to secure the better pros
perlty OF the State of California, and
nearly every opinion is forcible and con-
yincing in showing up the facts that land
monopoly is the devouring evil which
must be overcome before this State can
reach It's nature-endoWed pre-enlinence.
A most careful scrutiny of the history,
geography and topography of all the
States, Empires or whatever application
may be used, Of the world, will not re-
veal another country, as a whole, with
equal advantages, richer endowed or bet
ter equipped in all that goes to make SUI
premacythan California. Every country
has its natural advantages, but in all other
countries than California these advant-
ages are limited. Not 50 in this State
Here we have every climate, from the
frigid TO the torrid and from the temperate
to the senll-tropical and tropical. Very few
advantages have been denied to California
that can be found in any country on the
face Of the civilized globe. Geographical
distribution and scientific theories are
placed at raught when applied to this
State. California is all entity, a phenom-
enon. In this State nearly every variety
OF tropical fruits and plants Of the tropic
regions grow side by side with the decid-
uous fruits Of the temperate zone. All
! the citrus fruits grow to wonderful per-
fection surrounded by fields OF cereals of
every name and variety. So it is seen
that California has everything of para
mount importance rs factors of her per-
manent prosperity III her unrivaled and
natural elements, climate, soil and water.
/ The first of these is free to all, but the
/ other two, unfortunately for the masses
and the upbuilding Of the great State,
! have been appropriated by q few mOnOp-
INST nd pSf
! legislation can remedy the evil. " hat
this legislation shall be, requires wise
| consideration and just enforcement of
! law, and then California will prosper.
! The water question has been settled, COM
| paratively satisfactory, by con jtitutional
| provisions. But the all-absOrbing land
question is the rub" The growth and
! prosperity of any State is in proportion To
the number of its landed proprietors.
! Taking the figures furnished by that
| excellent journal, the RECORD-U UNION. we
find that in 1890 there were sixteen per-
! sons in Tehama County possessing hold
| ingS III excess of 10, 900 acres, the smallest
| being l0,39S, and the largest 1928 acresf
the aggregate of the holdings was 493, ,353
acres. IN " olo County in 1890 fifty per-
sons held an aggregate holding of 2S3,642
! acres. In 1890 III COlusa County the rec
! ords show that thirty-seven persons with
! holdings of ) ,0G0 acres and upward owned
I : =
owned by those thirty persons en-
| braced the most fertile lands of that
| county. OF that 466, ,534 acres every forty
acres is abundantly sufficient to support
large family with every comfort and at
that ratio, Were subdivisions brought
about, $4,000 people would be supplied
with homes where now but thirty-seven
monopolists block the way to progress
| and shut out thousands of industrious
and deserving people The principles of
our Government demand that the tillers
| Of the soil should be its proprietors, with
| q reasonable limitation as to quantity
| To-day millions of acres of the best land
! in California are owned by few men,
and many of them are non-residents of
| the county in which their lands are To-
Gated, and the evil is made still more ap-
parent by the fact that the land thus alb
sorbed is Of the choicest in the State. The
evil is apparent to ALL and it must be
| overcome by the wisest and best means
possible.
| Sections and 3 of Article XVII. of the
| State Constitution read: "Section 2. The
| holding OF large tracts of land unculti-
waited and unimproved by individuals or
corporations is against the public interest
and should be discouraged by all means
not inconsistent with the rights of private
! property,
Section 3. Lands belonging to this
| State, which are suitable for cultivation
shall be granted only to actual settlers
and in quantities not exceeding 320 acres
! to each settler, under such conditions as
shall be prescribed by law.''
! These sections cover the expression of
! the popular will. aud it now rests with
| honest legislation when the evil shall be
wiped out.