The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-02-03
SATURDAY EVENING. FEBRUARY 3. 1906

iuLele oto VIII ueidy luc WOIh IL ue-
pendence is put in that source alone
National aid is not only practical
but available.
1t is argued that this is an optimis-
tic view because there are so many
parts OF the country that need drain
age that the demand for appropria-
tions would overwhelm congress.
Those who advance these ideas
forget that the bill which has been
introduced in congress provides for
the segregation of one million dollars
the fund arising from the sale of the
public land.
The appropriation does not touch
the general funds in the treasury of
the United States.
1t is well recognized that the funds
arising from the sale of government
lands within any state belong of
|
principle recognized in both branches
of congress when the irrigation law
was placed upon the statute books.
1t has been recognized in practically
every state that has been carved out
of the Louisiana purchase by setting
aside certain lands from the sale of
which the states several institutions
should be built, and from which the
states school funds have arisen.
In all this legislation extending
over a half century there has never
been claim set up by the older states
that they were entitled to any part Of
this fund. There will be none now.
A million dollars spent in irriga-
ton in the Red river valley would
be the salvation Of the land.
There would be one general compre-
hensive plan instead of score of dis
connected ones as now, and as there
always will be long as the construc-
ton of bitches is local matter.
This general plan would provide for
the large bitches, the feeders and pro-
baby the smaller ones, but it would
certainly be so arranged that every
farmer could drain his land without
trespassing upon his neighbor. and
the water poured into the river would
he carried out SO that it would not
overflow the lands farther down.
But the details can we'll be left to
the government engineers who would
be placed in charge. and who would
carry out the plans systematically.
All the people of the valley would
be interested in it if the bill now
becomes law.
The plan is great one, but no
greater than the irrigation schemes
now we'll under way, and in which
success is assured.
The plan of course provides for the
return of the money from the lands
benefited in installments. This in fact
makes it simply borrowing of the
funds for the purpose.
1t is the opinion of every man who
has given the subject careful study
that the drainage of the valley will add
fifty dollars per acre to the land bene-
fitted in its enhanced value. Then if
twenty thousand acres are made dry
by drainage the actual cost will be
at once returned.
| Then the increase in the crop pro-
auctions will more than pay the an
nual assessments.
| Suppose the present wheat yield of
twelve bushels be increased to thirty
bushels-by drainage. The cost of
blowing, planting and harvesting
would be increased little if any-the
only additional cost being in the
threshing-so that the extra amount
raised would be largely all profit At
seventy cents per bushel the income
per acre would be increased from eight
and one-half to twenty-one dollars. A
fair estimate would make the net pro-
fit ten dollars per acre.
On this basis the farmer could af-
ford to be taxed one hundred dollars
per acre and pay the money back in
ten years. The cost will probably be
not more than half that amount so
that he would have fifty dollars per
acre left for private work and still
be whole at the end of ten years.
The results are not temporary, how
ever, and the benefits will be in evil
dence hundred years hence.
This is certainly better than spend
ing ten years in talk, good as it is
and then leaving the matter just
where it is.