TAX LANDS AND FORESTRY. 63 



APPENDIX 4. 



STATEMENTS OF AVM. H. ROSB^ LAND COMMISSIONER^ AND OP FREMONT E. 

 SKBELS, EXPERT DAND LOOKER. 



WILLIAM H. ROSE, State Land Commissioner, appeared before the 

 Committee of the Commission and made the following statements and 

 answers : 



Q. Is the present land system, in your opinion, working in any large 

 way for the actual settlement in the making of homes or farms of the 

 lands disposed of by you? 



A. In some localities this is true, in others it is not true; for in- 

 stance, I might say that in some localities where the land is of an agri- 

 cultural nature that is true. In other localities where the land is not 

 adapted for general agriculture, it is not true. 



Q. What is the relative importance of those regions in which it is 

 not true — I mean the relative size — ^what per cent., in other words? 



A. I would not think more than ten per cent. 



Q. As resulting in homestead making? 



A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Take the homestead feature of the law, state what its operation 

 has been in this direction. 



A. The operation of the State homestead law has not been satisfac- 

 tory. In many instances it has taken on the form of fraudulent trans- 

 actions for the purpose of removing the timber, and abandoning the 

 homestead. In other instances the homesteaders have made applications 

 for lands that were not suitable for homesteading, not suitable for agri- 

 culture, and after a few years have been compelled to abandon it and 

 let it revert to the State. 



Q. There are two classes of homesteaders, are there not? — one who 

 is making an honest attempt to establish a homestead, and one who goes 

 in for the purpose of skinning off such little scattering timber as there 

 may be in the neighborhood. 



A. There are three classes of homesteaders: one class of the bona 

 fide kind that makes application for the homestead and occupies it as 

 a homestead. There is another misguided class that is just as honest 

 that makes application for land for a homestead that is not suitable 

 for agriculture, and after a series of years and a strenuous attempt to 

 make a living, is compelled to abandon. This is quite a large class and 

 scattered all over the northern part of Michigan. There is another class 

 that makes application for lands especially for the purpose of their 

 timber value, removing the timber and abandoning the land. 



Q. Does that third class necessarily confine itself to a particular 40 

 or 80 acres located upon? 



A. It never does. 



Q. Those are what is known as rubber forties? 



A. Yes, sir. 



