The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-14
LAND MONOPOLY.
Discussion of the Question Spreading
Over the Continent.
Oakland Times, April sth.

Over the Continent.
Oakland Times, April Still
Last December William H. Mills, who
is at the head of the Land Department of
the Southern Pacific Company, read
paper on California Iand-holdings before
the Glitch Club of San Francisco. II
dealt with a subject to which Mr.. Mills
had devoted years of profound and ex-
haustive study The evils attenfincs the
moQopolizing of the land in California
were presented with such force and ner-z
splcacity as TO arouse the thoughtful at
tention of all who were present. IT was
not an abstract argument, a dissertation
on broad generalization. or a bouquet of
glltterlng generalities such as are usually
served OUT on occasions of similar char
acter Mr.. Mills confined himself strictly
10 Caliornla. lie marshaled an array of
STATISTICS that impress and alarm. His
Agufes carried with them lesson OF
grave import. This lesson was not en-
forced by deductions, conclusions and
arguments, but became patent upon the
mere grouping of statistics. 1t is true
1nsse statistics We're collected and COM
plled with great care and grouped in
mastery manner. We quote:
The four principal counties of the Sacra-
iilenIo valley are Yolo, Colusa, Butte and Ie-
mama. They embrace an area of 5, 047 square
rlisss or 9,50G,o00 acres. This area com
pflses the broad agricultural districts OF the
sacramento Valley. In the counties named
there were in 1880 seventy-One holders haY-
ing 1000 acres and upward, and The dggre-
gate Of these seyenty-one holdings was 49,
7Ol acres. In 1856 there were eighty-tive
holders having 1000 acres and upward, and
the aggregate of their holdings was /, 130,4S4
acres. Ia 1890 there were one hundred and
six holders having 1000 acres and upward,
and the aggregate was 1,479, lo4 acres. The
increase In the aggregate OF the individual
holders of S 900 acres and upward was 00.-
600 acres. Thus there had fallen into this
larger class 100000 additional acres, and the
haH Ff.
one hundred ana six.
When he observation is taken by selecting
the fifty largest holders IN each of tie counties,
similar results are Obtained, the most remark
able relating TO Tehama County, IN 1850 the
nifty largest holders in that county held 264.-
40 acres. In 1855 they held $4,000 acres;
in 1890 they held 687,24S acres Ag
gregating the fifty in each county-that Is
TO say. the goo largest holders in the four
countles-and the aggregate III 1850 was l.
162,6S5 acres; in 1850 it was !, 499,217
acres ana in 1890 ii was 1,751,31S acres.
Witness the result OF q comparison OF the
largest holdings: In 1880 the largest holding
was 81 Joy acres; in SS5 the largest holding
was 1898 acres, and in 1880 it was 109,-
900 acres. The suggestion which obtrudes
itself is: Was the increase aggregates already
given due to the increase OF the very largest
holdings? The answer is i'll the negative, as
the following table will show:
1850. 1885. 1890.
Acres. Acres. Acres.
Twentieth largest holder~46o2 1924 64S2
Fortieth largest holder. 23l6 1850 4l9O
Sixtieth largest holder......1413 2742 1889
one hundredth largest
holder IL go LAG 1921
dredth largest holder had increased his no d.
ing nearly 500 per cent, while the twentieth
largest holder had increased his holding but
The effect of this upon the population was
very startling. Tehama County had popu-
lation in 1850 of 1901. The natural gain in
ten years should have been 1 $50. The actual
gain, as shown by a comparison of the census
reports OF 1850 and OF 1890 was 615, of
Nina 139. The actual loss OF population in
the county was 1,245, Notwithstanding the
apparent gain of 81 3. In the townships of
Paskenta and Tehama running from the Sac
mento River across the broadest area of agri-
cultural land in the county, the actual loss as
shown by the census was 700.
To pursue the statistical facts. however let
as present an aggregate OF the population in
the four counties rs shown by the census OF
1850 and that OF 1890. The four distinct
lYely Sacramento Valley counties had in
1850 population of 52,752; in 1890 the
population was %, 179. The natural increase
OF 90, So2 in ten years would be 1O.5S3: the
increase shown by the census was 3 ,049
There was, therefore, in the rural districts of
the Sacramento Valley, the fairest and most
fertile valley of the State of California an
Setual loss of population equal to z ,534.
Mr.. Mills went into an elaborate calcu-
lation showing that it was an uniform
rule all over the State for the increase in
population to lag in exact ratio to the in
crease in large land-holdings. The nat
1lClSetSS VI tIlo plSSSA1t pOpuIdIlOu Is
being driven out of many counties by the
absorption of the land into the hands of
few individuals.
This paper madea profound impression
on those who heard it. 1t aroused discus
sion and provoked inquiry. So much
was said of it that it was finally published
lat the solicitation of friends) in the Sac
ramento RECORD UNION, and has since
furnished text for hundreds of editori-
ais. Eastern publicists have taken the
matter up, and thus the discussion has
spread. No such comprehensive and
localized presentation of the evils of land
monopoly has ever been placed before
che American public.
There has been so much inquiry and
such general desire to read the full text
Of this remarkable address that it has
been printed in convenient pamphlet
form for distribution. Every patriotic
citizen should get a copy and digest the
contents. 1t touches upon an overshad-
owing evil, and one that requires the best
thought of the age to remedy.