Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-11-28
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Two million and a half of paupers
and their families, taken from the
slums of large cities, are to be meta
morphosed into land owners and tax
payers, according to the promise held
out by Commander Booth Tucker of
the Salvation Army in a gigantic
irrigation and colonization project to
be presented to Congress at the COM
ing session.
THE United States has 100 900 900
acres Of land that by irrigation will
be the finest in the world" said the
Commander to the writer in outlining
his plan. "Now, if the government
will allow the Salvation Army to colo
nize 100000 acres of this land it will
be but the beginning of the colonial
ton of the remainder of it. The ex-
ample set by the army will be follow
ed by other organizations, and this
| mighty, tract of arabic country-a new
world in itself-will be turned into
| homesteads for Gods people. Do you
realize what that means?"
The Commander took a pencil and
| marked silently for a moment on a
| slip of paper. When he looked up his
| face glowed with earnestness.
ut MEANS said he, that 100000
L !,
living in misery and degradation in
the overcrowded cities, will become
owners of homes, and instead of being
supported as objects of charity by
| the government will help to support
tho government. 1t means that their
| wives and children-mOre than twelve
million souls-will be given the right
| to live. If our nation is to be built
so that it will not decay it must be
built on the solid foundation of the
home. There are 100000 people in
this great America that are entitled
to homes.
| 1--WE have mighty armies Tor killing
men. We send one hundred thousand
men into the field to destroy life
Why not send one hundred thousand
I-yes, one million, two million, five
millionaire these great arid fields of
the West to save life? The statesman
who will put his hand to the pillow and
faithfully carry out this great project
will be mightier than the hero of a
hundred battles. Joseph did it. Those
lseven years in Egypt of famine and
despair were the greatest blessing
that the world has ever known, for
Joseph led the people from one end of
Egypt to the other and laid the foun-
tdation of the home and liberty.
Moses took three million people
from Egypt to Canaan-three hundred
miles across the country. We have a
tract one thousand miles each way
which is the garden spot of the world.
Will there not arise some modern
Moses to lead our millions into the
new light, into the new life?"
Within the next few years the Urit-
l cd will
SIG ,00O,O for irrigation purposes, but
irrigated land without settlers is
valueless. 1t is in this connection
that Booth Tucker has made a propo-
sition to the Secretary of State, who
in turn has promised to bring the mat
ter before President Roosevelt, with
J the view of having him recommend
an amendment to the present laws, sc
} that the government may make loans
| to the actual settlers and inhabitants
J thus helping them to colonize the dis
tricts to be developed.
The whole plan is to keep out the
land grabbers-the spectators. who
with the aid of dummy homeseekers
obtain possession of thousands OF
acres of choice lands and debar the
genuine settler from obtaining farm
and home. But the head of the Saliva
ton army in America goes further
than this.
He purposes to revolutionize tht
methods of colonization in the United
States. Instead of the colonists be
ing men of some little means, Boot
Trucker purposes to give the worth.
lpaupers an opportunity to reach indie
Ipendence and become taxpayers Hi
plan is this:
That the United States government
!, shall make the Salvation Army tn
colonization agent of loo, 900 acres o
irrigated land to be sold on long tim
payments to worthy poor persons. Il
s order that these settlers may properl
s cultivate the soil and build homes an