THE RENT AND VALUE OF FARM LAND 637 



during the decade 1900-1910, while our rural population increased 

 by 34. 5 per cent, the population in towns of 2,500 or more increased 

 81.4 per cent, or nearly two and one half times as rapidly. During 

 this same decade, the number of farms increased 21.6 per cent against 

 an increase of 60 . i per cent in the population; the total farm acreage, 

 however, decreased. Perhaps there is some good ground for their 

 alarm. Perhaps a different situation might prove a relief in this 

 problem of unemployment. The relative unattractiveness of the land 

 is shown particularly in the case of white foreign born. Though 24 . 2 

 per cent of our population in 1910, they formed 28. i per cent of those 

 living in towns and only 20.5 per cent of our rural population; and 

 this in spite of the fact that most of our immigrants come from rural 

 districts in Europe. 



We believe that the cause of this phenomenon is to be sought in 

 the unwarranted high price of agricultural land, too often based upon 

 speculative valuation with no regard to its productivity, and upon the 

 lack of organization among our farmers, leaving each to wage his 

 battle for credit and markets alone and single-handed. 



A few weeks ago, when several enthusiasts advocated bringing 

 oppressed Belgians into this state, Mr. Gavin McNab, the proponent 

 of the scheme, was quoted in the San Francisco Bulletin of October 21 

 as saying, "Too long the custom has been to place speculative values 

 on the land in this state and thus prevent the taking up of certain 

 sections by investors." In the same issue, Mr. A. S. Baldwin, of the 

 firm of Baldwin & Ho well, was quoted: "The main difficulty in work 

 of this kind is that in colonization the land is figured so far in advance 

 of its true value that the farmer is beset with troubles from the outset. 

 There is too much greed among the landowners in most of these 

 colonization projects. Also exorbitant commissions are paid for pro- 

 motion, with the result that the settler finds himself saddled with the 

 tremendous burdens." 



Colonel Harris Weinstock, in an address delivered November n 

 before the California State Fruit Growers' Convention at Los Angeles, 

 said: " Great fortunes have been expended throughout the nation and 

 elsewhere, inviting people to engage in California agriculture and 

 horticulture, but our methods have been so crude and so unscientific 

 and the love of greed on the part of land promoters has been such, 

 that a very great proportion of those who have been induced to come 

 here, and to buy our acreages, have failed, with great misfortune to 

 themselves, and with serious injury to the state. Such persons have 



