The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-11
STATE POWDERS
BROWN, MARTIN
LAND PROGRAM
Control of Sub-Marginal
Acres Advocated by
]. B. KohImeyer.
BY ROBERT X. KYLE


State officials today were consid-
ering permanent program for con-
troll of marginal lands in south
ern Indiana as a tax reduction
measure advocated by j. B. Kohl
meyer of Purdue University.
Mr.. Kohlmeyer. in charge of the
50,000-acre land-uSe planning prof.
ects in Brown and Martin Counties
outlined his plan at the weekly
luncheon meeting of Federal agency
directors yesterday in the Washing
ton. arranged by Clarence Manion.
state director of the National
Emergency Council.
The program includes:
1.-The State taking over these
projects already started by the Fed
eral government, and reforesting
them as one area.
25Control of erosion on these
lands due to heavy cultivation and
cropping.
3+A basic change in tax laws so
land in pasture would not be taxed
as heavily as land in crops. This
would increase the pasturage on
individual farms and thus check
erosion.
Say Northern Part Pays
Every taxpayer in Indiana should
be vitality interested in legislative
measures of this kind, Mr.. Kohl
meyer said.
"AS conditions now exist northern
Indiana, industry and farms are
paying taxes to keep families on
these sub-marginal lands, where
they can not exc out an existence"
he declared.
This address was particularly
timely in view of the interest stirred
by two articles in national weekly
magazine, The New Deal Comes to
Brown County, Indiana" written by
Benjamin Wallace Douglass, resi-
dent of the county, attacking the
Federal land-uSe policies there.
Mr.. Kohlmeyer, however, refused
to enter into any controversy re-
garding the authenticity of Mr..
Douglass statements, but he did cite
facts and figures which did not con-
firm to many of the situations OUT
lined in the articles.
Urges State Activity
In advocating this program, Mr..
Kohlmeyer said the work already
undertaken by the Federal govern
ment should be incorporated into a
state project by legislation
Approximately 10000 acres in
Brown County and 10000 in Martin
County already have been ac-
quired, and the farmer owners are
to be moved to places where the
soil is more fertile, and reforesta-
ton projects are to be undertaken.
This program, which is regarded
as an experiment in determining
whether or not it is an advantage
to buy Sub-marginal land, is the
largest of its kind in the United
States.
In commenting on the tax reduc-
ton program. Mr.. Kohlmeyer cited
figures which show that in Brown
County alone during the last IS
years more than 100000 has been
spent for poor relief, while the as
sessed valuation of the entire county
now is only $1,5000O0.
Therefore, in only a few years,
more money will have been ex-
pended for relief than the value of
the land, which is not sufficiently
productive to support the families
living on it, he said.
Relief Exceeds Taxes
He said % counties in southern
Indiana have received S4,0OOO0 for
relief during the last year and paid
100000 in taxes.
This proves, he asserted, that
northern Indiana is paying taxes to
keep up schools and government
units for inhabitants of impover-
lShed southern Indiana.
Most of these persons welcome
the opportunity to move to places
where they can make living" Mr..
Kohlmeyer said. I'VE have had
these people petition us to take over
their land by thousands of acres,
even though much of it lies in
Greene County, which is beyond the
connecting link between Morgan
Martin County State Forest and
Brown County State Park"