The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-05-06


E~sEE q per cent. The figures of this census
HtHS.S& show that the trend of population
kNlpWTE from the country to the city has be-
tSs$E&I come accentuated since 1910 and that
Essszzsss3 for the first time in our history more
than half of the entire population is
living in urban territory, defined by the census
bureau. This is to say that 54S16,209 or 51.9 per
cent living in incorporated places of 1000 or
more inhabitants and 80 S66,S99 or 4S1 per cent in
rural territory. In the census of 1910 the cor
responding percentages 1853 ana 53.7.
While the increase in fetal population was 149
per cent. there increase of the urban pop
ulation of 12192,S26 2S6 per cent. On the other
hand the increase of the rural population was
1,5180l6 only 81 per cent. Worse STILL the fig
ures show that the rural class living in incorpor-
ated places of less than $500 inhabitants increased
215 per cent, whereas that class living in purely
country districts shows an actual decrease Of
six-tenths of ] per cent.
The country is therefore off balance. There
is trouble ahead for us If continue to have
more food consumers than food producers. Ways
and means to meet this situation therefore
q national topic There must be return to the
soil. One way to bring this about is to make it
easier for the small farmer to secure title to the
land on which he works and to help him make
a success of his work. Consequently there are
all sorts of national state and community plans,
under discussion half established and under ac-
tuaI test.
California State Experiment.
One experiment that every socioogist and COM
munity worker, to say nothing of others. is watch
ing with intense interest is the California land
settlement scheme which was launched in 1918
and is the first of its kind, at least in the United
States. H. A. Crafts thus describes in the Sci
entifc American the successful development of
this California land settlement schemes
The California state land settlement scheme at
Durham Butte county. was launched in 1918, and
is the first settlement of the kind TO be established
in the United States
A tract of 6219 acres of farm land purchased
by the state was subdivided into small farms,
ranging in size from two to one hundred and fifty
The spirit in which the colony was started is
best indicated by the enabling act adopted by the
tains the following clause:
1.-THE legislature believes that land settlement
is a problem of great Importance to the welfare
of all the people of the state of California, and
for that reason through this particular act en-
deavors to improve the general economic and so
cnl conditions of agricultural settlers within the
state and of the people of the state in general"
By provisions of this act the legislature APP
propriated the sum of 100000, of which $250000
was constituted revolving fund for the purpose
of purchasing and improving farm lands to be
sold in turn to bona fde settlers.
The land purchased for this first settlement was
part of the old Senator Leland Stanford estate
and with the exception of about one thousand
acres is composed of deep, rich alluvial land, y-
ing along the shores of Butte creek.
Under two allotments and sale in 1913 the en-
tire tract quickly disposed of, and provided
beautiful and productive homes for 100 families,
including 200 children.
The enterprise is not of an eleemosynary char
acter but one designed to help real farmers pos
sessng real capital. to accomplish better results
I'm the way of practical agriculture. The state
land settlement board, a body consisting of five
members appointed by the governor of the state,
exercised great pains In allotting the settlement
farms to desirable purchasers Due consdera-
ton was taken of moral character, practical farm
experience and financial standing, with a view of
welding the settlement into permanent and pros
porous community
Terms of Sale Easy.
The cost of the land to the board 500 per
acre for that portion which susceptible of
Irrigation and $40 per acre for that portion that
was non-irrigabe. OF the latter there only
about 700 acres. This land in turn was sold to
settlers at average price of $3.50 per acre, and
the total price of farm units ranged from $1,000
to $4,000
The terms of sale to settlers included a cash
payment of per cent of the purchase price, with
deferred payments extending period of
40 years, at 5 per cent interest Loans ex-
tended for farmhouses and other permanent i'm
provements up to 60 per cent of their cost with
20 years for repayment No loan for this purpose
was made above $4,000.
Very wisely the state land settlement board
took cognzance of the vexed question of farm
labor and provided for the allotment of two-acre
tracts for this class of settlers. These lots were
eagerly taken. The initial payment on each lot
was less than 500 and deferred payments were
arranged on the same basis those made to
'arm settlers