624 MISC. PUBLICATION 218, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
petuation as a political entity. While it would generally be un- 
desirable to form or perpetuate a county with less than 30,000 
population or less than $20,000,000 of assessed value, no inflexible 
minimum should be established. The average county should greatly 
exceed these figures in both population and wealth, but neither factor 
should outweigh the one of unity. The main objective should be 
a vigorous unit of local self-government, which, if too small to serve 
effectively for the administration of certain functions, could handle 
those functions as joint undertakings with another county or with 
several other counties. 
The creation of a more vigorous political unit also demands a recog- 
nition of the new modes of transportation and communication which 
have come into use and the longer radius of one’s daily activity. 
Trade and social intercourses have overreached village and township 
boundaries, even county boundaries. The new seats of covernment 
should coincide with the new centers of trade, recreation, and social 
activity. The new units of taxation must be enlarged to ‘correspond 
with these larger economic areas. The farther the farmer goes to 
trade, the larger should be the area which supports the roads over 
which he travels, the schools which educate his children, and the other 
institutions which he patronizes. Not only is the larger unit war- 
ranted on grounds of economy and equity, but in order that local 
government may command popular respect and support. Township 
officers and township institutions have generally lost their dignity as 
well as their usefulness. This applies also to the officers and institu- 
tions of the weaker counties. 
DISORGANIZATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN SPARSELY 
SETTLED AREAS 
There are certain forest areas in the United States which are so 
sparsely populated that there is no need for any local governmental 
organization at all. The limited public services needed by the few 
scattered and generally migratory inhabitants can be provided most 
economically by the State. This has been demonstrated in the 
unorganized territory in Maine where practially all local functions are 
provided by the State. The people and property of this district, 
comprising nearly one-half of the area of the State, are provided all 
the protection and benefits of government that are generally enjoyed 
in sparsely settled areas, but at a very much lower cost. The ad- 
vantage is due to the absence of a plethora of local governments, 
which has come about because this part of the State has always been 
regarded as predominantly forest land and has never been open to 
uneconomic settlement based on misconception of the ultimate use of 
the land. 
While the fortunate situation which obtains in this area is perhaps 
more attributable to the accidents of history than to political fore- 
sight, it is nevertheless one which could be attained or approximated 
in other, though less extended, areas. New York is proposing the 
creation of a district in the Adirondack area which will perhaps go 
further in the matter of disorganization than Maine and give the 
State exclusive control. Similarly, there are extensive areas in the 
Lake States that should be reduced to unorganized status. There 
are also areas in other New England States, in the South, and perhaps 
