The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-08-01

QulTeu SlIlClly HISl-CldSS SSINlCSs
Srd. These men and outfits should
be paid in county land-clearing certifi-
Gates reading as follows: This certifi-
cate has been issued by Snohomish coun-
ty in payment for services rendered. 1t
will be accepted at its face in full sat
isIaction of all taxes or other obliga-
tons due the county" p.
This certificate printed on the best
bond paper, preferably by the American
Bank Note Co. and properly signed by
the county treasurer and auditor, is, in
my opinion the essential feature of my
plan. The strength of the proposition
lies in the fact that such certificates are
more absolutely certain of redemption
than are National bank notes and would
therefore readily serve as a medium OF
exchange in all local trade in exactly
the same manner as the bank clearing
house certificates did during the late
financial Stringency and with infinitely
more reason. 1t is not alleged "Securi-
ties" that are back of these county GER
tifcates of services rendered, but the
source of all wealth, since cleared land
will always sell for the cost of clear
ing. And the more so when we remem-
Der that the county has put into circu-
lation the means to buy. But "securi-
ties" may not realize in the market the
amount they are supposed to secure as
many of us know to our sorrow!
4th. Let us suppose that under this
plan John Smith decides to have ten
acres cleared. Having made application
to the proper officers, an estimate OF the
probable cost will be made and the appl1-
by which he agrees to pay the wages OF
the clearing crew and a certain percent
age of the cost of the outfit and wear
and tear on something like the follow
ing terms: One-tenth or one-twentieth
cash or one year from date and lilo or
1-2O each year thereafter until the pr1n-
cipal is fully paid.
it is more profitable for the county to
give the applicant twenty years in which
to pay than ten years. 1t is 1nevitaple
will be lost or destroyed and the gain
will rebound to the community. Fail
ure to make payments promptly should
involve an automatic though reasonable
penalty simply in order to make easy the
balancing of the books. Such payments
would probably best be added to the
regular tax on the applicants land and
paid at the same time. unless it should
be deemed to the interest of the com,
munity to remit any tax on the Land
until it was paid for, as is sometlmes
think it is logically water-tight! But
will it work? 1 have heard few OBJ
jections raised as | have discussed 1t
with farmers around the Sound which
will now proceed to state. These objec-
tons all have to do with the question
as to whether the parties COMMISSIONED
to carry out it's provisions will prove
faithful to their trust. This can be Sc
cured by supplying an incentive TO faltn-
full service based on their economic sell
interest. If the farmer who foots the
bills keeps the time of the clearing crew,
it is certain that they will work the re.
quired number of hours each day II
their wages are automatically cut When
the engine or tackle is broken ana la1o
up for repairs, or when they are moving
from time to time, it is certain that the
foreman will be very careful OF the ma
chinery and that no time will be lost IN
going from place to place
Three or four such outfits at work
in a county will clear from one to two
acres per day and pour directly INTO the
of+ do
day The effect of this new and freSh
life blood of commerce" entering the
arteries of the business organism may
be easily imagined Every branch OF IN
dustry would at once feel it's rev1Vlfy-
ing influence. 1 wish to emphasize the
certainty of redemption of these certlf1-
Gates No matter through how many
hands a given certificate may, pass in
the course of trade, it MUST be finally
redeemed and cancelled by John smith
or he will lose his land. lie may re-
deem it in either of two ways. He may
render a service or give an equivalent
to the actual holder and having posses
sion hand it in to the tax collector Tor
cancellation and retirement; or, he may
pay into the county an equal sum OF
commodity or credit money which Will
be held to- call in and redeem certih-
Gates as they appear.
So far as 1 can learn, am of opinion
that land may be cleared of stumps by
this method at an expense or from 800
to $50 per acre 1t can De put IN , opera
ers within 80 days and the county that
moves at once may have 100 or more
acres cleared before the next Christmas.
In order that the benefits of this plan
may not be monopolized by a few or
one or two, 1 would suggest that not
more than ten acres be cleared for one
person while anyone else in the county
wished the services of the outfit and that
no firm or corporation have any rights
to it while an individual had an appli-
cation in. My entire thought has been
to devise a means whereby the man OF
moderate means or none at all, but Will
ing to work shall have opportunity Of
fered to carve him a home in our fer
tile wilderness. There is needed work
around our Sound to keep every man at
work for an hundred wears and it is