The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-04-30

n
4k&S1 come accentuated since 1910 and that
E1lka for the first time in history more
than half of the entire population is
living in urban territory as defined by the census
bureau. This is to say that 54,S16209 or 519 per
cent living in Incorporated places of $500 or
more inhabitants and 50.S66S99 4S.1 per cent in
rural territory. In the census of 1910 the cor
responding percentages were 1913 and 537.
While the increase in total population was 149
per cent there was an increase of the urban pop
ulation of u 1872 S26 2S6 per cent On the other
hand the increase of the rural population
151S016 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 l 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 therefore
national topic There must be a 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 which he works and to help him make
success of his work. Consequently there
all sorts of national, state and community plans,
under discussion. half established and under &C
tuai test.
California State Experiment
One experiment that every socioIogist 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
entiic American the successful development of
this California land settlement scheme:
The California state land settlement scheme at
Durham Butte county was launched In 1918 and
is the first settlement of the kind be established
in the United States
tract of 6,219 acres of farm land purchased
by the state was subdivided 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
cia 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 $25OOO0
was constituted a 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, 1y
ing along the shores of Butte creek
Under two allotments and sale in 1918 the en-
tire tract was quickly disposed of, aud provided
beautiful and productive homes for 40 families
including 200 children.
The enterprise is not of an eleemosynary char
acter, but one designed to help real farmers pos
sessfug real capital, to accomplish better results
in the way of practical agriculture. The state
land settlement board body consisting of five
members appointed by the governor of the state,
exercised great pains in allotting the settlement
farms to 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 500 per
acre for that portion which was susceptible of
irrigation, and $40 per for that portion that
was nOn-irrigable.s OF the latter there were only
about 700 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 $4,000
The terms of sale to settlers included cash
payment of per cent of the purchase price, with
deferred payments extending over a period of
40 years, at per cent interest. Loans were 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 $1,000.
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 $50 and deferred payments were
arranged on the same basis as those made to
farm settlers.
This arrangement was made with double pur-