The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-15
SMITH SOUNDS
WARMING NOTE
Commissioner Declares Trusts
Soon Will Control All of
Country's Timber.
SAYS EQUALLY SINISTER
LAND MONOPOLY EXISTS
Blames Unsuitable Laws; AL
leges Closely Connected Rail
road Domination.

d"hikSO u1 IlSIbCIb hHuA SullIL,
commissioner Of corporations, on the
lumber industry of the United States.
The report is in response to resolu-
tion of the house, adopted in December
1908, and one of the senate dated
January 1907. It presents the first
comprehensive investigation of the
amount and ownership of the standing
timber of the country.
Astounding Concentration.
"There are many great combinations
In other INDUSTRIES says the commits
sioner, "whose formation is complete.
In the lumber industry, on the other
hand, the bureau finds now in the max
ing a combination caused funda-
mentally by long standing public pol
icy. The concentration already exist
ing is sufficiently impressive.
"In the last forty years concentra-
tion mas SO proceeded that l95 holders,
many interrelated. have practically one.
half of the privately owned timber in
per cent of the whole. This formidable
process certainly involves grave future
possibilities of impregnable monopols.
tic conditions, whose far reaching con-
sequences 1t is difficult TO anticipate
fully or to overestimate.
The commissioner reserves for later
report the suhiect OF combinations in
the manufacture or sale OF lumber Gas
distinguished from ownership of stand
ing timber) Following is substantially
the full text of the letter summarizing
the report:
Startling Facts Set Forth
'The foremost facts shown are;
81. The concentration of dominat-
iuG control OF our standing timber in
a comparatively few enormous hold
inrs, Steadily tending toward cen
trsl control of the lumber industry.
80, Vast speculative purchase and
holding OF timber land far in advance
OF any use thereof
'3. An enormous increase in the
value of this diminishing natural re.
source. with great profits 10 its own
ers. This value, by the very nature Of
standing timber, the holder neither ere
ated nor substantially enhanced.
'Only forty years ago at least
three fourths OF the timber now stand
ing was it is cstimated) publicly
owned Now about four-ffths of 1t
is privately owned.
"The great bulk of 1t has passed from
government TO private hands through
(a) enormous railroad, canal and wagon
road grants by the federal govern
ment: (b) direct government sales in
unlimited quantities at $1.25 per acre:
y certain public land laws. great
acts being assembled in spite of t-e
Fault Of Land Laws.
Such laws were wholly inappropri-
ate 20 forest regions, but though Wig
orously condemned in several public re-
ports, they are still largely IN force In
the ordinary. thew were intended to dis
tribute the public lands IN small tracts
as homes for free holders. In fact,
they actually furtbered timber concen
tration in vast holdings.
fiTko L.. Ill
now own $3.50, 900 acres of land, as
compared with vastly wider distribu
tlon of public lands in non -timbered
agricultural sections.
'Tbe value of standing timber has
increased ten fold twenty fold and
even fifty fold, according to local con
ditions. The present annual growth is
only about one third of the present an
nuai cut Replacement by new growth
is very slow.
"What did the government get for
the timber7
Practically none of the great forests
IN the public land states was sold by
the government for more than $3.50 an
acre. The great increase of value gives
great Importance to the concentration
Of ownership.
The total amount Of standing tim
ABOUT $500. ooo, ,oo6 ,ooO ssr board feet The he
present annual drain upon the sup
ply Of saw timber Is about $4,000 oo0, 900
feet. At this rate the timber now stand
ing, without allowance for growth. would
last only about 1fty-fve years.
The present commercial value OF the
privately owned standing timber. not in
cluding the value OF the land. is estimated
though such an estimate must BE- very
rough) as at least $4,000. 900 900. Uiti-
mately the consuming public Will have
TO pay such prices for lumber as will
give this timber a. far greater value
Concentration of Ownership.
Proceeding next TO consider the concen-
trstion OF timber ownership. Mr.. Smith
says:
'Three vast holdings alone, the great
est in the country. those of the Southern
Pacific company. the Weyernauser Tim
Der company and the Northern Pacific
sidiary companies. together have 236 .000,
100000 feet OF nearly IL per cent of all
our privately owned timber. They have
- per cent OF that in the investIga ton
area.
with the FIVE next largest they have
over is per cent of the total privately
owned timber and over 10 per cent OF
that within the investigation area. Final
~, nearly one half (4s per cent OF the
only l95 great holders
The Pacific northwest-ive- -elevenths
of the eountry,s privately owned standing
timber is in the Pacific northwest (Csli-
fornia. Oregon, Washington. Idaho and
Montana)-has lob. 600. .ooo.o 900 feet. Half
Of this is nov owned by thirty seven
holders. many Of these are closely con-
nected. The three largest holders named
abovel alone. have nearly one-quarter-
This section now furnishes only one
sixth Of the annual cut. Thus its timber
is being largely held for the future. and
the large owners there Will then be the
dominating influence In the industry.
The Southern Pacific company holding
Is the greatest in the United States
los, ,000, 600 900 feet
The second largest holder is the Wey-
ernauser ber company. including its
feet
The third largest the Northern Pacific
feet"
Coming 20 the question probable effect
or this concentration. the commissioner
expressed his views as follows:
such concentrs ton In standing timber
II permitted fc continue and Increase
makes probable "A final central control
~s the. whole lumber industry. a few