The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-01-01

nf the EHost Succeeds Millions of
Auss ee soush's Richest Land VIII
- Rcadered Protluctivc and Sick
y RrssoSs lgsde Healthy.

washington. ID. c.. Dec. 24.-when
government Irrigation was written on
ths seatuse books. the legislation was
daaagnstsd by some - q virtual
ansndnsnt to the Homestead Act.
anA u n In reality operating to make
available thousands Of prosperous
ooH ssteads otherwise too arid to be
considsrsd habitabls. There Is also
cne<hse great national improvement
wh,sh congress n being asked to au-
thosiss-ths drainage OF swamp
ersaA TIC Improvement OF these
LANDS by the government would open
. few free homestsads sinco the lands
hxvs generally psssed into private
4 ovnsrship: but the ease and cheap
nee with which they can be reclaim
ed 70 eertility combined with their very
~ausral dsstribution throughout the
entire eastern part Of the United
stsess coaseitutss the project a highly
irsportant' ana attractive one.
az the recent Drainage Convention
An baltimore whore many Of the best
kns1eu men IA the country were dele
xaton repreuting the entite eastern
p5se3Dn % the United states. Senator
I.stlmsr Of south Carolina. took an
>sdvoosed position on federal drainage
rsdlaB,a~pa ana pledged his endeav-
ors In congress to secure the passage
OF . drainage bali He Immediately
drslsed aad introduced such BILL
win1ch h . simple and direct state
msnk of ths problem. and authorizes
the opvsrnmsnt b. construct drainage
wueks cut of fund 10 bs derived
frSn the sals OF pubic lands in the
noo-1fpagstlea statsa Including the
reou1pn thsssfrom since 1905. This
woula givs IN initial fund of about
SfsGeo. .oeo. and further provide an
sn1na1 esaesih0tion thereto of about
ssoaoeA nor sone years to come. The
ssoo>og<s IN = modelled largely after
tho orlgaf.eu law IN that u provides
Toe the eeoavment TO the government,
of - eeak ot the. ..reciam nation by the
ewuoes - the lands 0ensntsd. OF.
wnnsp thsy are public iands. BY the
seocnees who viii take them up. These
rcy1vunents are to bs turned into the
~dDUanAge fund" and caA bs used
sS11a by the sovsrnmspt In further
seoDAnBasisn work. In this way the
IND b>cousss revolving. 60 b used
eysr and over again. bat al coming
back "a, ire government and simply
ronstitGtes . shational loan with out In
rest: moreover Il takes no money
90 q tAs sreamry.
= u sssimatsd by government en-
ytoesss that there are something over
so,eto.eee acres OF rsciaimabie swamp
asodA which are OF course. excessive
~ IN ana fertile. Their reclamation
woeAa convert great area Of pest,-
1-uf1al. discase and mosquito breeding
'pia-sss iato the most prosperous farm
An gsrdea communitiss In the land.
Tt how cost of their reclamation.
rNnu1ng from s1.se per acre to per-
haos e1e or s1s. makes the project am
senacsive one from the engineering
sfnsopoint sx we'll az from that Of the
r><Usr who will have &c pay the cost
My should not private enterprise
rpclaim our swamps? Il IL asked. Con-
selerable private work has already
eDsn ACCOMPLISHED but attempted re-
cnBsaticnr of most of the big swamp
xtoas has failed and probably always
vm fan unless handled In their en-
or~eies. For this rea,on the work
onn best be undertaken by the gem
esaa government which is IN a posi-
tlou TO secure more concerted action
Than any other agent. Where there
srs 80 many conflicting interests as
sxise In treating any great area, espe-
ctAliy where owned by numerous In
dfv1daals. II requires the overshadow-
tng power Of the federal government
10 acconpiish the greatest good for
e1e greatest number. This has been
.snnonstrsted In the execution of the
1risation iaw hich Is proving itself
',e highest success imaginable. The
sipid achievements Of the reclama-
nen service. which has been In exist
esss only ave years and which has al
rsody completed number Of huge
'unsonry dams. towering to dizzy
Aaghts and everlasting as the great
canyon walls which they connect,
uzass of gigantic concrete canals
csrvyiny the waters Of entire rivers.
sannefs through granite mountains,
Aocks. hesdgates OF stone and cement
and other great engineering works. Is
fooked upon with wonder by foreign