POSSIBLE REMEDIES FOR MONOPOLISTIC CONDITIONS 33 



large holdings this cost is proportionately much lower than for 

 the small holdings and protective measures are far more effec- 

 tive; indeed it is almost impossible to afford adequate protec- 

 tion to a number of scattered small lots. The holder of any 

 such lot is very much at the mercy of his neighbors, any one 

 of whom may by carelessness jeopardize all the timber in the 

 community. The breaking up of timberlands into small hold- 

 ings would thus increase the cost and decrease the effectiveness 

 of fire protection and of management in almost every way. 



Perhaps the best thing that could be said for a progressive 

 tax is that it would not really be effective because it would be 

 evaded. Many large holders would doubtless pretend to break 

 up their holdings, but would retain control through gentle- 

 men's agreements and through various other subterfuges so 

 common in the general field of monopoly. If in this way the 

 tax could be rendered ineffective it would perhaps do little 

 harm, but of course it would then yield no revenue and would 

 have no excuse for existence. 



No doubt some scheme of taxing the annual cut would be 

 better than a tax on the land, and tax legislation is turning to 

 this more and more in recent years. It is difficult, however, 

 to see how this tax could be graduated in such a way as to 

 break up large estates. It might of course be graduated so as 

 to bear heavier upon those establishments having the larger 

 output, or it might be imposed only on the larger organizations, 

 (those larger than the unit of maximum efficiency) ; but it is 

 not easy to see how this would improve upon the policy of 

 breaking up trusts, except that it would tend better to con- 

 serve the timber supply. 



The reasons why forests should be owned by the Government 

 have been discussed in various connections, in fact, the wisdom, 

 perhaps we may even say the necessity of Government owner- 

 ship, is the great outstanding lesson to be gained from ttie 

 study of the United States forest policy as outlined in the pre- 

 ceding chapters. Almost all the advanced countries of the 

 world have found it necessary to take over the management of 

 their forests; and the United States must eventually enlarge 

 her field of activities along this line. 



Our National Forests will of course play a more important 



