The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-27

consideration of proposition which
would involve millions Of dollars, un-
less we are in a position to demon
trate beyond a doubt both the feasi-
bility of our plans and the beneficial
results that will come to the country
from their enactment into law. In
a general way it is understood that
two million acres of swamp land will
be affected by my resolution, and that
something like one-half million acres
OF this will be in South Carolina. We.
want to know just how many acres
there are, just how much it will cost
to drain them, and whether or not
after the land is drained it will be
useful for agricultural and other
purposes. To get this data is the first
thing we must do in the way Of get
ting Federal aid for this undertaking.
"Of course, I assume it is under
stood that the State must take the.
initiative in this work. A. great many
initiative In hi work. A. grea many
States of the Union now have drain
age laws. The. State laws which have
proven the most successful, permit
the individual land owners to organ
ize under County and District regula-
tions. They provide for the drain
age units with regular officials.
Against these units probate assess
ment is levied for the payment of the
operations upon those lands
THE State Legislature win very
likely take up this subject and pro-
vide the necessary legislation which
will give the machinery through
which the Federal Government Can
be reached. The first thing to do is
to get a good. drainage law in South
Carolina -
"a number Of European countries
provide aid for drainage. I under
stand that no business is done direct
with the individual, but through the
local authorities appointed for 1.-THE
purpose Of communicating with the
central government. How such
plan as this would work in this coun-
try, I am not able to say; but I do
feel that the local authorities, the
States and counties, must prepare
themselves by the enactment Of prop
er legislation to receive whatever Of
aid we may Be able to get at this end
Of the line.'
Asked if he was willing to cede any
of the territory Of his State to the
Federal Government in order that
she might participate in any funds
set aside for the general government
Mr.. Lever answered with an emphatic
mo- 81 am not willing that South
Carolina, give one foot Of her land
for this purpose. If drainage is a
proper function Of the Federal Gov
ernment-and CAN see no reason
why it is not-for I cannot differenti-
ate between putting water on land
and taking water off landAthen I
take the position that some plan
should be. devised by which we can
get direct appropriation. I am not
willing that general fund be Gre
ated and that from this fund each
State Will get only SO much as it is
willing TO appropriate.
81 am giving careful consideration
to the plan Of having the Federal
Government make a loan for drainage
purposes, that is,. that the communi-
ties organize, elect their officers, and
put themselves in position to COM
municate with the Federal Govern
ment, and then borrow from the Fed
eral Government upon q tewtny-year
mortgage, without interest, sum
sufficient to do the work-and the
work to be done under the supervision
of the Department Of Agriculture.
There are millions of money lying
idle in the various national banks Of
the country drawing no interest,
which it seems to me could be- used
far more advantag geously in this way.
Such a plan as this, however, am
not entirely committed to it, would
likely meet favor in Congress, and
arouse less antagonism than the plan
proposed in the Steenerson bill. Of
course, we will have plenty OF time
to work out plan after we get the
information and the data called for
by the resolution, and until we can
get this, I do not see much hope Of
favorably impressing Congress with
the idea
Asked if he would attend the Drain
age Convention, Mr.. Lever said, that
bo 1,o,,- much roprotto1 that he ooy11