64 THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, 



Q. Mr. Rose, look at this article in the Canadian Forestry Journal 

 and glance over the marked portions. Does not that pretty fairly de- 

 scribe the three classes of pretended settlers of whom you have spoken? 



A. I think this article referred to coincides with the views just ex- 

 pressed. 



Q. Your official experience has shown you that substantially the state 

 of affairs exists in Michigan that is depicted and referred to in that 

 article ? 



A. Just exactly; and that is very well expressed. 



Q. There are a great many instances of these so-called homesteaders 

 who are merely plunderers in the disguise of settlers? 



A. That is true. 



Q. Mr. Edwards says there is a tendency to systematize this form 

 of robbery. Referring to that statement which I showed you, does your 

 official experience lead you to the conclusion that that statement is the 

 case in Michigan? 



A. It certainly does. 



Q. Is it not true also that the same practice obtains to a considerable 

 extent in reference to the lands that are sold as well as to those that 

 are homesteaded? 



A. I do not think so, no ; I do not think that obtains to so great an 

 extent. 



Q. But to a considerable extent? 



A. I presume that is true of the lands entered as homesteads. 



Q. Do you know the per cent of abandoned lands? 



A. That I could not tell without looking up the records. From con- 

 sulting the records it appears that 45% of the land entered as home- 

 steads had been abandoned up to December last. 



Q. That is before the time for deeding? 



A. Certainly. 



Q. Taking up the sales feature of the law, are these land sales made 

 to prospective settlers or mainly in large quantities to speculators 

 for profit? 



A. I presume the greater portion of the land sold at the public sales 

 is sold to speculators. 



Q. How is it at private sales? 



A. That is beyond our knowledge to know what they buy lands for. 



Q. You have, however, your official relation to the matter which 

 brings you certain general information upon which to make that pre- 

 sumption? 



A. That is true. I have no authentic authority for making the state- 

 ment. 



Q. A large amount of this land that is sold through your office is 

 sold to persons who buy it for scattered timber, cedar, tamarack, etc., 

 upon it? 



A. There is a certain portion. 



Q. How large a portion? 



A. I would not be able to state to you. It is a considerable amount, 

 however. The land is purchased by various interests, some purchased 

 for actual homestead farms, some purchased, for timber, some for ranch- 

 ing purposes, some for the purpose of completing record title. Much 



