The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-10-07

The land utilization committee re.
Gently appointed by Governor Olsor
has requested the views of those who
have had occasion to study the subject
of the delinquent land situation in
the state. The committee has graspec
the situation most firmly and prospects
are good for some kind of a policy &c
benefit both the state and also the
townships now confronted with a large
amount of delinquent lands. A mos.
thorough study is being made of the
subject by the committee composed Of
prominent people from all parts of the
state.
Secretary George A. Perham of the
Minnesota Arrowhead Association, has
sent in his views in the matter which
in all probability are the composite
views of the Association he represents
In his letter to the commission he said
Gentlemen: Having been invited by
Secretary John I. Levin of the COM
mittee to submit my views as to what
distribution to make of tax delinquent
lands in the forest area of the state, !
which I believe is in accord with the
position of the Minnesota Arrowhead
Association which serve as executive
secretary. The word distribution" I
assume refers to the class of lands TO
which tax delinquent lands shall be
assigned, whether as forest land or
agricultural. AS forest land owned by
the state they would be expected even
tually to return profit to the state
but would not pay taxes. Classed as
agricultural land they would be offered
for sale and those lands sold would be
expected to pay taxes if the new owner
succeeded in making them agricultur-
ally productive and improved them with
buildings.
1t has been proposed that complete
economic land survey be made which
would class land not suitable for private
ownership as state forest land, in which
case it would be freed from claims of
counties and other taxing bodies Land
classed as agricultural would be offered
for sale on easy terms and the counties
and subdivisions would retain their in
terest on the basis of past tax interest
with continuing taxing rights as natur-
ally would be expected.
In my opinion, conditions demand
that some action be taken before such
survey could be made, admitting that
a comprehensive survey of real value is
possible though not in immediate pros
pect, and believe certain steps can be
taken which Will, to some extent, sim
pity the problem.
State Forest Land, as now officially
designated, totals in round figures two
million acres, gross area, of which ap-
proximately $3.50 is state owned, as
distinguished from private, delinquent,
and U. S. Government owned. The two
National forests in Minnesota cover a
gross area Of almost two million acres,
over half being government owned and
the remainder being state and private.
The Mesaba Purchase Unit would bring
it up to just about two million. These
forest areas having been selected as
adapted to forestry and not to agri-
culture, it would seem wise and in
keeping with past decisions that tax
delinquent lands within these areas
should be designated as permanent
forest land and kept by the state as
such where within the existing state
forests, while those within National
Forest boundaries be transferred to the
federal government by sale, or by trade,
if that is possible. In lieu of taxes,
county funds receive $50 of the pro-
ceeds of timber stumpage sales in Ma
tional Forests, an additional 1870 is
devoted to road building. The money
is distributed according to the pro-
portion of forest land in each county
Forestry purposes will include growth
and use of timber, maintenance of
water levels, preservation of wild life,
and recreational uses by summer and
winter visitors. The utilization of tim
Der in the plants at Cloquet, Inter
national Falls, Virginia, Grand Rapids,
Tower, Deer River and Cass Lake en-
phasizes the Importance of forest pro-
ducts. Two hundred twenty thousand
summer visitors attracted to the Arrow
head Country in 1881 by the combina-
ton of forests, streams, wild life, spend
between four and five million dollars,
emphasize the values of forested areas
in recreational way.
II
Agricultural communities of great
Importance to the welfare of Northern
Minnesota and therefore to the state
as a whole, have been developed on
lands suitable for farming. The num-
Der of farms in eight Northeastern
counties increased from 12,441 in 1920
to 15,440 in 1880. In 1880 there were
l ga, 446 acres of land in farms in
these counties, about 119o of the total
area, with buildings valued $50, 500 ,018.
There were 65,564 cows, II, 406 hogs,
50 ,292 sheep, %, 918 horses and a half
million chickens. Forty-five creameries
manufactured 13,517,780 pounds of
butter, worth $5,012,3 1888, doubling the
pounds of butter over the output Of
1920, while the value of the product
was SOC more. Over one and half
million bushels of potatoes were grown
in the census year. The quality
IF y,ota toes raised is s11nerior In that of