Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-13

disposed Of the various federal grants
tribute TO the concentration of land
and timber ownership. Florida Is
striking example Of this Again, the
public-land laws, the cash sale law
(now repealed), the scrip laws, and the
homestead and timber and stone laws
operated, at least in timber regions, to
transfer government lands directly or
almost directly to great holders.
"Ninety-eight per cent Of the 1.5oO,-
600 acres comprised in the largest
timber holding in the lake states was
acquired in wholesale manner,
chiefly from tracts disposed of by the
government through grants to the
state or under the scrip and the CASH
sale laws.
This marked concentration in the
ownership of land has two important
aspects. The first Is the concentra-
ton of control of the natural resources.
other than agricultural in the area
comprised in these great holdings.
Besides its timber now standing, part
of the land must be depended on, to-
gether with the national forests, to
supply future crops OF timber. Fur
thermore, some of 1t has valuable re-
sources of ores, oil, gas, water power.
etc.
The second is the possibility that
these holdings, which will form con-
siderable proportion of the future area
used for agriculture in this country.
may be retained under concentrated
control. Formerly lumbermen often
got rid of their cut-over land at noni-
nal prices or let it go for taxes. But
as the agricultural possibilities Of such
land have become apparent this policy
is being abandoned. A large part OF
the present cut-over land is now of
considerable value for tillage. That
part of the present timberland which
when denuded will be arabic, will
have a higher and higher value as
land the longer the timber Is kept
uncut; because IL the timber Is held
for many years the land when finally
denuded will be in greater demand for
agriculture. Such a condition suggests
the following potential effects upon
the public: high prices for land sold
to settlers, increase of the tenantry
system, or direct farming by large
corporations.
The data obtained by the bureau, so
far as land is concerned. are not suf-
fcient for a study of the land problem
as a whole. They cover only one class
of owners, the timbermen, and only
part of the country. They show con-
ditions only at the time of the investi-
cation, and do not show whether the
concentration is increasing or de-
creasing. They are not typical of pre-
sent conditions in agricultural COM
munities, where the average size CT
holding is of course, much smaller
Though incomplete, these data, are
nevertheless. suggestive and worthy OF
serious consideration.
Most of the land grants were made
on conditions, and it appears that in
many cases not all of the conditions
were complied with. The government
is now attacking some of these grants
for alleged violation of the conditions
imposed.
The abuse of the general land laws
in the past suggests that any lands
restored to the public domain by these,
or other, forfeiture suits should not
be disposed of under the present land
laws. To allow such lands to be taken
up by private parties before the re-
vision of the public-land laws has
been completed would be to lose much
of the public benefits from their
recovery"