The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-07-30
COLONIZATION PLAN
TO BE DISCUSSED


Spokane, Wash, July 29.-Wanted
a bureau of colonization under the con.
troll of the federal government, to di-
rect the current emigration to the rc-
claimed and unsettled lands OF the
country and show the homesecker how
he can make sure Of generous living
and enjoy satisfactory social life
Levi Grant Monroe. secretary Of the
Spokane chamber of commerce. and
representing that organization as
delegate at the seventeenth sessions
( of the National Irrigation congress i'll
Spokane, August . TO II, will present
! The foregoing proposition for endorse
ment at one Of the meetings. In sup.
port Of the movement he said:
Recognizing the fact that the as
| similation OF foreign population is be-
coming more difficult ear by year and
that the congestion of the large cities
Is already national problem. the best
solution, In my Judgment, would he
we'll organized and fully equipped
bureau of information, conducted by
the government Such a department,
working on broad lines, with the coop
Grafton of commercial organizations.
could handle the newcomers from for.
eign lands and make them self-support-
ing ALMOST from the beginning
Moro than that. it would he the
means of giving our own people
thorough knowledge OF the possibill
ties In developing the resources of the
country. This Information, correctly
compiled and presented In concrete
form, would have more weight with
the people in the crowded oenters OF
population than any other plan that
could be devised
THE present system of settling 4
new country Is expensive. 1t Is too
expensive for the prospective settler.
from the fact that in most instances
he is obliged to make a trip into the
country alone before bringing his fam
lily. IT he could have what he knew
to be authoritative information at first
hand and be convinced that conditions
are actually as represented. he would
not hesitate to undertake a journey
half OF all the way across the con-
tinent, thus saving considerable en-
penSe.
"AS a nation. the time has come
when more people must TIL the soil
This applies to the agricultural dis
tricts In the Eastern and New Eng
land states, as we'll as it does TO the
Southern and Western parts of this
continent Moreover, farm life is more
dignifled today than 1t has ever been
before II has become profession.
especially in horticulture and husband
ry, and as such 1t is recognized by the
foremost men in the land
William F.. Smith, originator Of the
Idea Of a national irrigation congress,
said Of the plan;
I'VE need a bureau OF colonization
that shall work at this problem on sci
entific lines. Ultimately. we shall get
1t. as we did the bureau of forestry
and the United States reclamation
service
1T seems to me that the great les
son we should impress as deeply as
possible on the minds of the colOniz-
ing hosts OF the future. is that they
need a little land under diverse and
intense cultivation, rather than big
areas that will be wastefully used.
That is to say. we want the true home
builder rather than the land srabber.
There has been much excuse for
land grabbing in the past-the excuse
that it did. after all, assist the de-
velopment OF the country by interest
ing men who would do something TO
improve our arid wastes, where other
wise nothing would be done,
But now the government provides
the most vital improyement-the wa
ter supply. and we should give weight
10 another consideration. which is tho
fact that We really have but little land
in comparison with our future needs.
and that this little must be put TO
the very highest uses,
II do not believe that any man
should be permitted TO take more than
len acres of land under a government |
canal. except In the regions where |
the seasons are very short and that |
even there he should be limited TO a
maximum Of forty acres.
The measure Of value Is not acre
age, but productive capacity, Intense |
cultivation multiplies many times over |
the productive capacity OF single |
acre Settlers should be taught to take
from the land what they need for
home consumption, and then 10 cater
selling of their surplus products. They
viii thus make sure of n living
"On the social side there is much
to he said in favor OF the small farm,
which brings Tcighbors near together,
and even of the village settlement.
which enables them to have such i'm
proVcmcnts as good streets, sidewalks
ana sewerage, and which brings them
near to all the civic institutions. such
as the school. the library. the church
and club houses
The first great battle has been
won. il is putting the water on the
land. With the triumph of national
irIisation in the passage of the New
lands act Of 1902, and the completion
of several great projects the need
Of fighting TO secure the reclamation
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