Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-10-28
STATE TREASURER FAVORS NEW
METHOD TO STIMU-
LATE SALES.
COPIED FROM MINI. LAW
Rush Follows Announcement, as Bill
VIII Probably Go Through
Without
Hitch.

Madison. - A sudden leap into
popularity of the public lands OF
Wisconsin has been noted, following
the announcement by State Treasurer
Dahl favoring a change in the plan Of
selling state lands, so that actual set
tiers could afford to buy them on the
installment plan. Under the present
law payment for public lands must
be made in cash, and there is no limit
to the number of acres that may be
bought. The result is that big lumber
corporations and real estate promoters
have been almost the only buyers. be-
cause the average settler cannot at
ford to pay cash. Upon his return
from trip through the state late in
the summer Mr. Dahl voiced his dis
gust with the present method and said
he would seek to have new law
passed, copied somewhat after the
Minnesota law. He further said he
believed it would be better to limit
the amount to be sold to any one Dur
chaser.
Some publicity was given to this re-
mark, but it was only within the last
week that the state treasurer noticed
the rush Of buying orders for lands,
especially in the forest reserve. and a
larger demand for school lands. He
began to think it over, and concluded
that his statement in favor of a change
III the states policy was the cause. 1t
seemed likely that knowing that Mr.
Dahl could get his bill passed by the
progressive legislature the lumber in
terests we setting about to gather in
all the land they could before il was
cut up into small portions and sold
to settlers cn time payments.
In view of this rush it is believed
likely that the lands now on the mar
ket, remaining unsold will be with
drawn until the legislature has acted
on Mr.. DahPs proposition. This can
be accomplished by action Of the state
land cOmmissiOners-the state treasur-
er, secretary Of state and attorney gen
eral--to take them out of the market
for an indefinite period, and such ac-
ton doubtless will be taken soon.
Only the SO-called school lands are
under the jurisdiction of the land com.
miSsioners. To withdraw the forest
reserve lands the forestry commission
must meet. This commission consists
Of President c. r. Van Hise, Dean E.
A. Blrge and Dean H. L. Russell of the
University of Wisconsin; the attorney
general and George Byers Of Oconto.
There is little doubt that this commits
sion also will act in view of the pres
ent demand for forest lands.
There are now for sale about 10000
acres OF forest lands-much Of it vir-
gin timber-in the forest reserve;
about 10000 acres having been sold by
the state treasurer during the summer
at prices ranging from $40 to $4,000
for 40 acres. There are also 3000
acres, mostly first growth timber, in
the forest reserve that cannot be
bought. Of school lands there are ap-
proXimately $4,000 acres left, but these
are going fast.
Il do not know of any better way
Of encouraging settlements in northern
" A'SO1A0AAA eAACeiA Ny PUtIAASs IliC OtdIG
lands within the reach of the man of
average means" said Mr.. Dahl. my
trip through that country last summer
opened my eyes to the great need of a
law permitting the state to sell the
lands on time payments, with a small
payment down and low rate of inter-
est-say five per cent-on the balance.
Now we take the cash paid for the
lands by corporations, place it in the
state depository banks at three and
one-half per cent, when it might just
as we'll be drawing five per cent, with
the settler getting the benefit as well
as the state. Then I could limit the
purchaser to 100 acres at a time, and,
in the case Of forest lands, have a
reservation clause in the contract or
deed by which the buyer is not per-
mitted to skin Off the timber until he
has the land paid for