The Delta independent., 1909-07-23
IRRlGATlNG LAND
Writer Says Land Should Be
Reclaimed and Given to
Farmers Free.

w H. Schenck has the following on
reclamation in Field and Farm:
Having expressed some of my ideas
in regard to our land laws, and espec-
tally the one known as the Reclamation
Act, l have been requested to write
something for publication and knowing
as do the hard lot of the homesteader
under these projects l will do SO for
the Field and Farm. will say that II
a harder lot was ever dealt out to the
homesteader in the west ! have never
met up with it and began nearly forty
wears ago with the Greeley colony.
There saw what it took to put water
upon the land by people who knew
nothing of the science of ditch building
or irrigation, but they got the water,
even if in small quantities at first
They had hardships to endure but not
to compare with those of the people
under the government works. l am
not for stopping the hand the govern
ment is taking, but there should be
some means of relief for those who are
trying to procure homes under these
works and this is what will try to
bring out.
| well remember the old song: ''Of
all the mighty nations in the east or IN
the west, this glorious yankee nation is
the greatest and the best; there is room
for all creation and our banner is un-
furled, there's a general invitation to
the people of the world. Then come
along, come along, make no delay,
they come from every nation, they
come from every way; our lands are
broad enough so don't you be alarmed.
for Uncle Sam is rich enough to give
US all farm" But this is not fact
under the reclamation deal. No one
seems to know what this land will cost
the homeless man who is lured here to
this land that should be free. The law
should be amended. the homesteader
should not be called upon TO return the
money to the fund from whence II
came. There is no cause, sense or
Justice in it. This money is first taken
from the land Heretofore it went in
TO the general fund and was used for
incidental expenses. to dredge harbors
and build war ships-all for the benefit
of commerce and really nothing else.
Now who made this money or the
means of getting it? Who made this
country what it is? Who pays our
taxes? Who has ever fought our bat
ties and who in the first place gave US
country at all by driving English
tryany from our soil? Ii was no one
but the American farmers. And today
you may remove all of our coast de-
fenses, sink all of our battle ships in
the deepest seas, land the army of
any nation of the earth upon our soil
and the farmers can and would wipe
them off. All this they can. will and
have done and more. but yet tley are,
but farmers. hay seeds, clod hoppers,
etc. will ask why not let the farm
ers have the land with water free that
we can build up the very people who
are making our country today. as well
as in days gone by?
The money that is being used to
build these works belongs to them and
to no one else. Let US take hold one
and all and have congress do this. The
only thing congress has ever done for
the farmers of the United States has
been to tax them. Congress in times
gone by has taken one half of the
farmers land for hundreds of miles and
forty miles wide and given it away,
then doubled the price of the remain
der for the benefit of the farmers.
But let bygones remain bygones and
let us take up the fight for the farm
ers, or rather make fight for them
that they may get their own. The
farmers should be urged by the farm
papers to write to their representa-
tives and senators upon this matter.
Appropriations should be made to
push these works through for many
homesteaders have spent six years
upon their land and have had no water
yet. What do you say Mr.. Editor?
Shall we try and do something for these
people? They have little time to do it
for themselves as they have to grow
wheat for bread for such as you and
and furnish the means to build and
support our towns and cities, navy,
army, etc. Where would we be with
out farmers? Where would we land if
the farmers should go on general
strike?