The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-15
First Real Investigation

In5 COD1lllSS1Oner uecldTeS indt tDlS IS the first comprehensive and metpodical investigation of the amount and owner slip of OUT standing timber and explains that it rests on the best information ob- tanaole from records of timber owners or the knowledge of men In the industry; in- formation which daily forms the basis of actual business dealings.
 This data, covering about 300 counties, has been carefully complied, he declares. to be within a small margin of the ex- act situation.
 Next to consider the concentration of ownership, MT. Smith says
 Three vast holdings alone, the grea. : est in the country, those of the Southern Pacific company, the Weyerhauser timber company and the Northern Pacific Rail- way company fincluiing their subsidiary companies), together have 238, ,000, ,000. 900 feet, or resrly Il per cent of all the pri- vajely owned timber. They have IA per cent of that in the investigation area. With the five next largest they have over l5 per cent of the total privately owned timber and over 19 per cent of that within the investigation cTea. Finally, nearly one half GAS per cenD of the private tim bcr in that area is held by only 195 great holders. The term holder covers any single interest-indvidual. corpora ton, or group, which is so united as to be under enc control.
 Southern Pine
 ''In the southern plne region there are 634, ,OO0, ,0o0O GOO feet of privately owned tim Der. Concentration In total timber is much less than In tie Pacific northwest. There is, however, Il high concentration in the more valuable species, long leaf yellow pine and cypress. Sixty-seven holders own 39 per cent of the long leaf yellow pine, 29 per cent of the cypress 19 per cent of the short leaf and toblolly pine and. Il per cent. of the hard woods. ' Coming to the probable effect of con- centration the commissioner expresses his views as follows:
 "Concentration In standing timber, Il permit ted to continue and increase, makes probable a final central control of the whole lumber industry A few strong in- te-ests, ultimately holding the bulk oi the timber, can set the price of timber and it's products. The manager of the National Lumber Manufacturers associa- ton recently said to lumbermen on the Pacific coast:
 .'rhe day of cheap lumber is passing and soon will be gone. but the men whe make. the money will be those who owr imber and can hold 1t until the supply in other parts cs the country Is gone Then they can aek and get their owr price,
 "TEe largest holders are cutting little | uf their timber. They thus reserve tc | themselves those incalculable profits
 which are still to accrue with the growtf | Of the country, the diminishing of timber supply, and the further concentration and control thereof Many of the very mer who are protesting against conservation and the national forest system becaus. | of the tying up of the natural resources are themselves deliberately tying them ui
 far more effectively for private gain.
 Owners Withhold Timber
 "The fact that mature timber Is thus withheld from use is clear evidence tha
 great additional profits are expected tf accrue through further Increase in value
 Standing tinber Is not the only ques | ton. When Jte timber has been cut l the land reIfiains. There has been ere
 ated, therefore, not only the frame worl | of an enormous timber monopoly, but also
 an equally sinister land concentration 1T l extensive sections. This involves also 6 | great wealth in minerals. The Southern | Pacific ilas 4,81S,00O acres in northesn Cal l ifornia and western Oregon, and witf | the Union Pacific, which controls It, mil l lions of acres elsewhere. (The govern rcnt, however, is now suing to annu | title to the Southern Pacific lands in Ore | gon for noncompliance with the terlnI 1 of the original grants.), The Northern Pa cic owns 3.017. 600 >acres of 1@nlber land and nzfllionsa more Ofsnonptfn sle11ds