The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-11
w. e. Curtis, in Chicago Record.


out on the arid plains Of Colorado.
on the Santa Fe railroad, just across
the Kansas line, Commander Booth
Tucker of the Salvation army, i'm a
small way IL solving the great problem
that will perplex the next century even
more than it has the last, and his ef-
forts deserve the admiration and the
support of everybody who is interest
ed In the welfare Of his fellow-men.
Three millions of poor people, accord
ing to Commander Booth-Tucker, ARE
rotting and fostering in the tenements
of our great cities. They constitute
our Israel in Esypt. Their numbers
increase with rapidity that threatens
to make the disease of pauperdom as
chronic and severe in our land as in
the Oldest civilization of the western
world.
"a year ago / formulated the theory
of deliverance as follows" he says.
place the waste labor on the waste
land by means of waste capital, and
thereby convert this trinity of modern
waste into a trinity of production. I
pointed out that the centripetal forces
OF our great centers of civilization
which are absorbing the masses Of
our population must be COunteracted
by centrifugal forces of equal strength.
I argued that IL the $50,0UU,000 now
spent annually by our nation in merely
affording temporary relief to this So
cial sore should be devoted to the
planting of the 3,000U00 of our surplus
population upon say 100000 acres Of
fertile soil, the following results,
among others, would be obtained
Their labor would produce annually
from the land at least 100000 900 worth
of food for tLe consumption of their
families. The value of the land would
increase from SO to 100 per cent, there
by affording an abundant security for
the investment of the capital, which
would be repaid within a period of
ten years with interest. The tax-con-
sumers would be converted into tax
producers, and an enormously in
creased demand would be created for
the produce of our city manufactures,
while the dead weight Of their taxes
would be simultaneously lightened by
the removal of the terrible incubus of
vast pauper population"
HELP GIVEN.
In seeking a practical experiment OF
his theory, Commander Booth-Tucllei
laid his plans before Paul Morton, one
of the viCe-presidents of the Santa Ft
railroad. who promptly recognized its
value and offered whatever encoura ge.
ment and assistance that railway cOulC
give, James A. Davis, industrial com
missioner of the Santa E'e company
took Commander BoOth-Tucker and {
party of officials of the Salvation Army
over the line Of that road in Mr.. Nor
tons private car as far west as Wins.
low, Ariz., visiting nearly all of tn,
many sections where irrigation Sys.
tens are in operation. A few week.
later a committee com posed of two of.
tiCiasS of the Salvation Army who ar,
experienced farmers and two irriga'
tiun experts visited several of the lOca
tiOns that had been reported upor
faVOrabiy by the commanders party
They decided that a little spot in thO
Arkansas valley near the boundary lin,
between Colorado and Kansas, upon th'
lands of the Great Plains Water com
pany, was the most desirable. Com
mander Booth Tucker made a favor
able contract with that company, unde
which he obtained an option upon ali o
the land that might be needed for
colony at the rate of S22. 50 an acre, Will
perpetual water right and a contrac
to furnish all the water needed for al
annual assessment of twenty-five cent
an acre. This is a reduction of abou
twenty per cent. from the ordinar
price Of lands, and eleven years tim
was allowed for payment.
On these terms the Salvation Arm,
people took one section, or $40 acres O
land, which has since been increase,
by half a section, making Il total of SO
acres, few rods from the track Of III
Santa Fe railroad. They call il For
AmttY, and station will be bunt ther
as soon as the business will justify il
GETTING RECRUITS.
Then came the great question as L
whether people who We're failures in
great city could be induced to do tn
work and endure the hardships re
quired Of successful pioneers in new
country. Plenty of disheartened soul
were willing 20 Try, and when an ad