Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-02-14
COMBINE,
LAND MONOPOLY
FOUND BY SMITH
These Closely Connected With
Railroad Domination, Says
Government Report.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-Concentra-
ton of the control OF the standing tim
Der In a very few hands. vast specuia-
tive holdings FAR In advance Of any
use thereof" an enormous increase IN
the value of this diminishing natural
resource, with great profits TO its own
ers,' snd. incidentally. IAN equally ain
lister land monopoly" and "a closely
connected railroad dominatlon"-these
are the findings reported to the Presi-
dent BY Herbert Knox Smith, commits
sioner Of corporations. In the first IN
stalment OF his long-awaited report on
the lumber Industry in the United
States. The report, dated yesterday.
was made public today by the Presi-
dent sending 1t 70 Congress.
Lumber Colnbine Incomplete.
There are many great combinations
in other industries" sayB the commits
sioner, whose formation is compete.
In the lumber industry. on the other
hand. the bureau finds now In the
making a combination caused. funda-
mentally, by a long-standtng public
policy. The concentration already ex-
listing is sufficiently impressive. but
still moro impressive are the posi-
bilities for the future.
In the last forty years concentra-
ton has 81 proceeded that 1876 holders.
many interrelated, have now practical
ly one-ha.f of the privately owned tim
Der in h investigation area, which
contains 10 per cent. of the whole"
Big Land MonopoIy,
The more important facts are:
II. The concentration of q dominating
control of u standing timber IN a
comparatively few enormous holdings,
steadily tending toward q central con-
troi OF the lumb Der industry.
20. Vast speculative purchase and
holding OF timber and far In advance
OF any use thereof.
"3. An enormous increase In the value
Of this diminishing natural
with great profits e its owners. This
value. by the very nature of stand ng
timber. the holder neither created nor
substantially enhances.
These are the underlying facts. OF
tremendous Significance TO the public
welfare. They are primarily the re-
suits OF our public land policy. long
continued. The laws that represented
that policy are still largely operative.
The past history and present status
Of our standing timber drive home upon
US the imperative necessity OF revis ng
our public policy for the future man
agement of all our remaining natural
resources.
The great bulk of the timber passed
from government to private hands
through (a) enormous railroad, canal
and Wagon road grants by the Federal
government; (b) direct government
sales in unlimited quantities at 1926
an acre: (c) certain public land laws.
| great tracts being assembled In spite
OF the legal requirements for small
holdings. Such laws were wholly in
appropriate to forest regions, but.
though vigorously condemned in sew
eral public reports, they are still large
ly in force.
Value GenoralIy Increased.
What did the government get for
the timber? OF the Southern pine sold
for sl.25 an acre. much is now worth
$50 an acre. Large amounts Of Douglas
lr in western Washington and Oregon,
which the government gave away or
sold at $3.50 an acre. now range from
100 to 5000 per acre. The great red
wood belt In California was alienated
On similar terms. II some of 1t is
now worth hundreds of dollars an acre.
Practically none of the great forests
" 49,. - 49, -.