Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-04-23
subscription Price. $3.50 a Year.
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
COOPERATIVE LAND CLEARING.

Two years ago the legislature Of this state
passed law authorizing the formation of districts
for the clearing of logged-of lands on big scale
whereby the credit OF the entire district was to
bs pledged to pay the expense of the improvement
and the holders of the land were to have a speci-
fed time in which to re pay to the district the cost
vi clearing their tracts. Generally speaking, the
plan quite similar that used in all cities for
leaking public improvements, such as paving. and
was quite similar too, to the port district plan.
Ii was put forward scheme sure to reduce the
cost Of clearing logged-off lands but the impress
saon soon gained ground that it opened the way
tor a lavish expenditure of public funds--an addi-
tsonal tax burden-and so, to all practical pur-
poses the plan has died after one or two attempts
to form the required districts We're voted down at
special elections.
The problem of clearing it's logged-off lands
getting them ready for the settlers-s Western
Washington's chief stumbling block to rapid agri-
cultural development. Present methods of clear
ing expensive as to be almost prohibtive
to the settler with little or no capital and the
result is that he but very slowly is clearing add
tional land and getting it ready for cultivation.
The progress is naturally as slow as it is ex.
pensve. He must do much of it, practically all
0f it, with more less makeshift methods, with
the smallest possible investment in machinery and
the sparing of powder. Consequently he has
h do it in what is actually the most costly way
Measuring by results simply because he cannot
help himself
1t is obvious, of course, that if group of set
tiers could combine in such way that all their
properties might be used security for a join
loan which would furnish them the equipment
with which to clear their lands in the most mod
exn and the cheapest way, the cost per acre for
each would be just that much cheaper and in that
why the clearing and settling of logged-off areas
would be stimulated, in other words the develop
ment of Western Washingtons known agricul
tIlral possibilities. 1t was just such an end that
was sought by the improvement district plan first
spoken of. 1t is just such end which the resi-
dents OF Northern Minnesota are now seeking in
the bill which they have presented to the legsla-
ture of that state to facilitate the clearing and de-
veaopment of privately-owned lands. This bill
xuthorizes seven more owners having not less
txan ten thousand acres of land among them to
fnrm corporation, without capital stock, to work
comparatively to clear the land and place it on
the market. Bonds may be issued to finance the
projects and assessments on the members are pro-
vn1ed for which may become liens on the prop
9ty. The measure is frankly put forward to
enable large landowners in the cutover country to
pun their tracts in shape for settlement and yet it
does not follow that, because designed for the
4big fellow it would not help the "little";
rather would it seem to provide equal advantages
fnr both
The essential difference between the plan this
state tried to adopt and that proposed for Mime
sOta is that the latter is entirely voluntary asso-
eiation and likewise private affair. The fear
tiz1 they might be forced into an improvement
district against their will doubtless caused many
Washington landowners to oppose this states
plan; the fact that it to be public affair I'M
qsiestionably added the fear of further high taxes
assessments at time when all felt taxes were
already too high. Various reasons Of this nature
worked against it until today this part of the state
IL the solution of its land declaring prob
Ism than it ever was
The Minnesota plan is not new, for it follows
quite closely the cooperative credit plan of the
lnndschaften banks of Europe which worked
such wonders for the farmers of that country in
thu last generation Some such method it would
anem, must be devised which will permit the clear
ing of our logged-off scale that will
s1ford the least cost; certainly it would be well
for us as a state to watch Minnesota experiment
closely.