The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-06-25
WANTS FIVE BILLION DOLLARS
TO DEVELOP NATURAL RE-
SOURCES

=
J gress, will present ia resolution fc
approval by that Organization at II
seventeenth session In Spokan,
August 3 to IA, memorializing cor
, gress to issue per cent gold bond,
running 100 years, to the amount q
Il IS, 00O, 900, 900, or as much thereo
as may be necessary, for the follow
ing specific purposes.
One billion dollars for drainage O
overhowed and swamp lands, thus re
claiming an area equal to 100, 90,
lsquare miles.
One billion dollars for the reclama
ton by irrigation OF 40, 900, 900 acre
OF arid and semi-arid lands, now part
ly or wholly waste.
One billion. dollars to construct ant
improve deep water ways, to deyelol
thousands OF miles OF territory nov
without adequate transportation ia
cilities.
One billion dollars for good roads
and national highways, for the lacl
Of which the loss to the farm area d
the United States is Approximately
$500, 900, 900 annually.
~ w. = II lA
One billion dollars for forest pro.
lection. reforestration and conserva.
ton OF the forest resources, thus as
surfing timber and lumber supplies
for centuries to come.
Five billions Of dollars is an en-
normous sum, but 1t 10 no more than
Is actually required to carry out the
gigantic scheme In developing mill
lions Of acres Of lands In various
parts of the United States now abso-
lutely worthless" said Mr.. Hooker
In explaining the plan. Congress
will not be asked to appropriate a
penny. The returns from the i'm
provements would pay Off the bonds.
The government would simply act as
a banker, as 1t does not for the vari-
GUS irrigation projects. The bond is
sue would provide ample funds as re-
quired to carry out the work in the
several divisions, at the same time
giving the best possible collateral to
those investing In these securities
Government figures bear out the
statement that there is enough good
land oyerfioWed In Minnesota, Wis
consin, Kansas, Nebraska, Louisiana,
Kentucky Tennessee and Mississippi
to make an area as large as the state
of Missouri, or more than $4,000 900
acres, while in the eastern, central,
and western states there is more than
as much more, or about 100, 1000 900
acres in all. At conservative esti-
mate OF $25 an acre, the sale OF this
reclaimed land would justify the ex-
penditure of $1,000, 100000, or 800
per cent more than is required to-
drain 1t. This land would support
from 100000 to 100000 popula-
tion.
approximately 40,000,000 acres
Of land in western and southwestern
states are adapted to irrigation, which
Ii reclaimed at an average cost OF
SIS an acre, would be worth not less
than $500 an acre or a total of
$1,000, 000,0 900, and provide homes
Tor more than 5000, 900 persons. The
value of irrigation cannot |
De measured in dollars and cents, but |
crops of from $500 to $1,000 an acre |
ire not rare In the irrigated districts. |
There are already 100000 acres
lnder irrigation and the Reclamation
Service estimates it will have re-
claimed 1000, 900 acres, at a cost not
exceeding $7O,O00,0O0, before the
lose of 1911.
THE construction and improve
nent Of the deep waterways required
o provide better and cheaper trans
ortation facilities is, | believe, a 100
er cent investment, from the fact
hat two-thirds of the bulky freight
ould be shipped by water routes, at
cost to the shipper of not more
han one-sixth of the present rail
ates. The Importance of this be-
ONES apparent when it is remem-
cred chat the food question is be-
oming world problem.
The state Of New York is expend-
liz $101, 900 to enlarge the Erie
anal, and $100,000,000 is the
mount required to improve the Mis- |
)uri river from a point above 40 i
lilies west of Yellowstone park to {
here it meets the Mississippi river,
SAT miles. Then there is the pro- /
,cted waterway from Lake Michigan i
J, the Gulf of Mexico and scores of /
hers necessary to cheap and better
facilities. Millions of =
ollars will be saved annually to the
sople OF the United States by the 1
,mpletion of these works. FL
The maintenance OF the greatest n
aterway in the world, composed Of i
le Great Lakes, ON which the gov +
'nlnent of the United States has ex- 4
ended more than 100000, 900 for n
lrbors and connecting channels, pre- n
nts an argument in favor of the /,
heme to develop thousands of miles 4
territory in the Missouri and other 4
Illeys. The other projects outlined y
the foregoing are of equal ii not 4
eater Importance, and with proper 4
Icking they can be carried OUT sue
ssfully. Il
No one questions the statement Il
at good roads have a high money Il
lue to the farmers of the nation, h
ID it may be said that this alone is Il
fficient to justify the cost of their q
Instruction as rapidly as practicable 81
der an efficient, economical and 81
uitable system of highway improve Il
ent. The big points in favor OF r
is expenditure is the economy of in
ne and force in transportation be- ST
cen farm and market, enabling the m
overs to take advantage of fluctu- a