Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-04-29

6S3,108 as compared with pOpula-
ton In 1910 of 91.792266 The in
Il crease is therefore 13,71O842 or 140
z~7% per cent. The figures Of this census
- show that the trend Of population
K%%H83I from the country to the city has be-
80 come accumulated since 1910 and that
for the first time In our history
than half of the entire population is
living In urban territory, as defined by the census
bureau. This Is to say that 54,816200 or 51.0 per
cent are living in incorporated places OF $500
more Inhabitants and 50s66S99 or 4S.1 per cent In
rural territory. In the census Of 1910 the cor
responding percentages were 46.S and 5s7.
While the increase In total population was 149
per cent, there was an increase of the urban pop
uation of II 1872 826 or 286 per cent On the other
hand the increase Of the rural population was
1,518O16 or 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
21.5 per cent whereas that class living In purely
country districts shows actual decrease of
six-tenths of / per cent
The country Is therefore Off balance There
is trouble ahead for us If we continue to have
more food consumers than food producers. Ways
and means to meet this situation are 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
success Of his work. Consequently there are
all sorts of national state and community plans
under discussion. half established and under ac-
tual test.
California state Experiment
One experiment that every sociooglst 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. Fl. A. Crafts thus describes I'm the Sci
entifc American the successful development OF
this California land settlement schemes
The California state land settlement schnna af
Durham Butte county, was launched In 1913, and
is the first settlement of the kind to be established
in the United States
A tract of 6,219 acres of farm land purchased
by the state was subdlyided into small farms,
ranging in size from two to one hundred and fifty
acres.
The spirit In which the colony was started Is
best indicated by the enabling act adopted by the
California state legislature In 1917, which con-
tains the following clause:
''The legislature believes that land settlement
is 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
ca conditions of agricultural settlers within the
state. and Of the people Of the state In general"
By provisions of this act the legislature ap-
propriated the sum of 100000, of which s25OOO0
was constituted a revolving fund for the purpose
of purchasing and improving farm lands to be
sold In turn to bona fide settlers.
The land purchased for this first settlement was
a part Of the old Senator Leland Stanford estate
and with the exception Of about one thousand
acres is composed of Deep rich aliuvlal land, ly
ing along the shores OF Butte creek.
Under two ailOtments and sale I'm 1918 the en-
tire tract was 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, Dos
sesslng real-cHptal to accomplish better results
In the way or practical agriculture The state
land settlement board, a body consisting OF five
members appointed by the governor Of the state
exercised great pains IN allottfng the settlement
farms . desirable purchasers Due consIdera-
ton was taken Of moral character. practical farm
experience and financial standing. with view Of
welding the settlement Into permanent and pros
porous community
Terms Of sale Easy.
The cost Of the land to the board was 800 per
acre for that portion which was susceptible of
irrigation. and 80 per acre for that portion that
was non-irrigabie OF the latter there were only
about TOO acres This land In turn was sold to
settlers at an average price OF $50 per acre and
the total price Of farm units ranged from $4,000
TO $1,000
The terms Of sale to settlers included a cash
payment Of per cent OF the purchase price, with
deferred payments extending over 4 period OF
30 years. at per cent interest Loans prere ex-
tended for farmhouses and other permanent Inn
prOvements mp to 90 per cent OF their cost with
20 years FOR repayment. No loan for this purpose
was made above $1,000.
Very wisely the state land settlement board
took cognIzance Of the vexed question Of farm
labor and provided for the allotment Of twoacre
tracts for this class Of settlers These lots were
eagerly taken The initial payment on each LOT
was less than so. and deferred payments were
arranged on the same basis as those made to