The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-10-13

~ AS v
railroad securities is the character O
the country which the road will serve
If it can be shown that the territory Il
be served by the e railroad is q goot
farming country the greatest troubl,
In finding the money to build has beer
overcome. On the other hand, the frs
question a farmer seeking a location
in a new country asks is. What are
its railroad facilities?'
"The things most needed by thu
farmer and the railroad. but which are
neglected, to the detriment of both, are
a better acquaintance and closer work
ing relations. These mutual benefits
can be attained through the officers OF
the Farmers union. representing the
producers. and the officers Of the rail.
roads. representing the carriers. deal.
ing directly with each other.
This country now needs what our
forefathers used in laying it's founda-
tion-a lot Of old fashioned common
sense.
Farmer Has Good Judgment.
Good judgment and fair dealing are
found more generally among farmers
than in persons in other occupations.
and when they earnestly take hold Of
public questions they will occupy a
place in u political structure that will
make their good judgment and fair
conclusions felt more and more in solv-
ing the relations Of the government
and it's institutions.
"The United States government nine
teen years ago commenced the con-
struction Of the Illinois and Mississippi
canal. Its length is seventy-ive miles.
and it has cost to date. with interest
at 3 per cent. over $9,OOO,OOO. OF $780,
600 per mile. To maintain this canal
in it's present useless condition costs
the country's taxpayers 800, 900 a year,
exclusive of interest on the investment.
A freight boat has passed
through it.
II mention this to illustrate one un-
dertaking of the many which, through
the lack of system or intelligent plan
ming in advance of the construction of
our inland waterways. make up the
$780, 900 which is referred to by
Commissioner Herbert Knox Smith as
wasted.
"The government has expended ap-
proximately $225, 600 on the i'm.
provement of the Mississippi river and
its tributaries. The tonnage handled
over the waters Of the Mississippi last
year was one-third less than it was
twenty years ago.
Should Make More Farms.
"The story of government extrava.
gance Of this kind is being told so
broadly through the newspapers that
the masses are beginning to realize
that something is wrong.
"The same disregard of the value Of
money would send the strongest pri-
vate business in this country into bank
ruptcy. A proper use of the pruning
knife in a downward revision of ex-
penses would bring surprising results.
1T is not practicable to itemize where
reductions should be made, but they
must come. The deficit should be
cared for by reducing expenditures and
not by raising taxes to increase rev.
enues.
1.-THE European nations are teaching
us a lesson. The controversies in Eng
land, the recent troubles in Spain, the
unrest in Russia, the quarreling over
military taxes in Germany and the
struggle against new taxes in France
should strengthen our faith in the
proposition that it is better to grow
more farm products and make pros
porous the man who sows and har-
vests than to build nor battleships
and new guns.
Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson re.
Gently said that the most pressing
needs Of the United States are a great
er proportion Of farmers and more
farming land in cultivation.
I'VE would better spend more of the
money we burn up in powder in max.
ing new farms.
Gums Price Would Make 1876 Homes.
"A forty acre farm Of irrigated land
Will comfortably support a family of
five. 1t costs $500 to make a twelve
inch gun. The money that goes to pay
for this gun would reclaim 1911 acres
of land, providing homes for 1876 PEG.
pie. When all the guns on all the bat.
tleships are shot one time the govern.
ment blows of in noise and smoke
$15O,00O. This would reclaim more
than 1900 acres Of land, giving homes
to more than 500 farmers and their
families. The money consumed in pow
der is lost to all the future. The farmer
who buys the reclaimed land must pay
the government back in ten years, Sc
it does not cost the government n
thing to build up the country by help
ing the farmer. We should make more
homes and not so many fighting ma.
rO>s,,~~