Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-24
TO RECLAIM WET LAND
Proposed Drainage OF the
SWamps of the Country.
MANY MILLIONS OF ACRES
Farms for Ten Million Persons Could
Be Furnished.
STATE RIGHTS MEN OBJECT
Senator Flint Tells How It Is Pro-
posed to Satisfy the Opposition.
Experience Abroad.
STATE RIGHTS MEN OBJECT
BI WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.


Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald
The arabic lands now unoccupied in
the United States are becoming so linn
tied in area that those who are interested
in the development of the country are
looking into the future to find homes for
the generations yet 10 come. Vast areas
are either too dry or too wet for cultiva-
ton. hut the one can be reclaimed by
irrigation and the other by drainage
There are IS 1890 acres of swamp land
in the several states which can be re-
deemed. The geological survey has sur
veyed most of them and has actually
made maps of 75o9, 500 acres while. at
the same time. it has been planning
through the reclamation service. to spread
the water of the mountains over the arid
soil of the plains
Florida has the largest swamp area.
with more than 1S,ona0O acres; Louis
lana has 9.5oo.oG1, Mississippi, 10000
Michigan, nearly 5.OGo.OOO: Arkansas.
nearly 5000 coo; Minnesota. nearly 1000
o0a: Wisconsin. 3,G00.Oo1; Illinois. Georgia.
Maine. North Carolina and Texas. about
o.5pt.OaO each: Missouri and South Caro-
lima, about 2.OGo.OOO each; while Ala
hama. California. New York and Virginia
have more than million each. and other
states smaller areas. Taking the swamp
that may be reclaimed to agriculture. they
would furnish farms for 10000. 900 people.
and. at a conservative estimate. would be
worth from three to five billions of dol
lars.
Senator Flint of California who has
taken the lead in this movement. reported
a bill, which was Endorsed by the Interior
Department and President Roosevelt but
the Senate refused to pass it when it was
called up few weeks ago The opposition
was based upon constitutional grounds.
Several of the southern senator's whose
constituents are more deeply interested in
the movement than those of any other
state. took the ground that Congress had
no right TO drain land that belonged to
sovereign states. But it is to be hoped
that some argument will be found to
meet these objections.
Result of a Conference.
Senator Flint. in answer to my ques-
tons, said: 1T was expected that the
form of the bill would overcome the OBJ
jections that had been advanced. 1t was
the result of conference between the
Secretary of the Interior. the officers of
the reclamation service and the senator's
and representatives from practically all
the states having any considerable area
of swamp and overfiowed lands.
THE bill agreed upon contained three
principal or general provisions: First, the
operation of a drainage fund: second. the
lands belonging to the government of the
United States. and. third. the reclamation
of swamp and overf1owed lands belonging
to the several states and to individuals.
THE drainage fund referred to was to
be created by appropriating the receipts
from the sale of public lands in certain
states. TO wit, Alabama. Arkansas.
Florida, Illinois, Indiana. Iowa. Louis
Missouri. Ohio and Wisconsin. from the
beginning of the fiscal year ending June
80. 1910. The states included in this list
are all the states in which there are pub
lie lands the proceeds from the sale OF
which are not now applied toward the
reclamation Of arid lands under the pro-
visions of the reclamation act. While this
fund is to be raised by the sale of lands
money may be applied toward drainage
projects in any state in which there are
swamp and overfiowed lands.
Proposed Loans to States.
AS far as the reclamation of swamp
lands belonging to the United States is
concerned continued Senator Flint, 1.-The
bill follows the same general provisions
OF the reclamation law pertaining to arid
lands. but where there are lands in any
state not owned by the United States
which are swamp or overfiowed lands. the
Secretary Of the Interior is authorized.
under such rules and regulations as he
may prescribe, to loan out of the drainage
fund to state, or 10 any municipality OF
the state or drainage district, the money
necessary TO drain and reclaim the lands
over which they have control. such loan
to be made upon the bonds of the state.
municipality or drainage district. secured
by first mortgage on the land benefited,
to run not exceeding ten years and to be
paid in installnlents.
The form of bill hereinbefore referred
to which was introduced this session was
favorably reported from the Senate COM
wi hnt
amendment and came up for considera-
ton in the Senate a short time ago. Very
much to the surprise of those having the
matter IN charge 1t met with great oppO-
sition from senators from states which
would he greatly benefited by the bill.
This opposition was especially strong
from senators from certain of the south
ern states Almost all of them have large
areas Of swamp land. and would there
fore, derive the greatest advantage from
the measure. The democrats seemed to
be of the opinion that the bill was too
paternalistic in its nature. They also
dwelt great deal on what they called the
extravaganza of such a measure. claiming
that there was practically no limit to the
amount 10 be expended. whereas it would
necessarily have to be limited to the
amount turned into the drainage fund
from the sale of public lands In the states
mentioned. In addition to this the money
in all cases. whether applied on govern
ment. state or private lands was ONLY
To be loaned. and would all be returned
TO the treasury Wlthln ten years In each
case from the time the advance was
made. In other words. this drainage fund
was to be a revolving fund, which would
be loaned out. returned to the Treasury
within ten years and then paid out again
as additional drainage projects were
taken up.
What the Bill Will Accomplish.
If this bill had been passed." went on
the senator from California. lit would
have provided means for utilizing more
than hundred thousand square miles O.
swamp and overfiowed lands. which are
now to large extent useless. and in
many cases worse than useless. because
they menace TO the health Of the
localities in which they are situated and
restrict the general Improvement and de-
velopment of the country
The area of the swamp lands in the
United States which can be reclaimed js
NarinESlX estimated Lis