The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-03-07

A~OsssSsSSAARe
THE small section Of these swamp
lands which the drainage bureau OF
the government has surveyed shows
the cost would not exceed IS per acre
to put them in readiness for the plow.
valuing these lands at $40 to. SIS per
acre, when drained and cleared will
stand to cost 925 per acre. In cult
walton, their value would be from SIS
to 500 per acre. In other words, for
an investment of $40 to SIS an acre
In drainage and clearing, the increas-
ed wealth of Louisiana would be more
than 600 million dollars.
The value of this work does not
stop with making these lands tillable.
1t is. conservative to estimate $50 per
acre annually from crops, which
would mean an annual increase of
300 million in the products of Louisi-
ana. or to put in another way, each
dollar invested in drainage would pay
$6 annually in products. This in con-
nection with the upbuilding of new
towns. sugar mills, cotton mills, rice
mills. railroads and other industries
shows the importance of starting this
work under broad and comprehen-
sive plan, with the aid and co-opera-
/ tion of the federal government. The
government is waiting for you to say
what you want. Everyone must real
fze what it means in raising vege-
tables and products from such rich
sell to the masses who are struggling
under the burden of the high priced
food. The government could afford
to make surveys and lay out plans on
comprehensive scale: the govern
ment could afford to supply the main
drainage channels for the surplus
waters to make their way to the gulf
If it will undertake the surveys and
provide the main channels for drain
age, private capital will 90 the rest
For every fifty cents the government
will expend, private capital will spend
IS to push forward and complete the
work of reclamation to make your
state in land values and productive
ness one of the strongest and richest
of the nation.
"The state of Arkansas is leading
in drainage work. The swamp area
Of Arkansas is smaller than that OF
Louisiana. but Arkansas has sent a
committee of farmers and business
men to Washington. who have dis.
cussed the question with the presi.
dent. the secretary of agriculture
Speaker Cannon and their congress.
men. They have been promised sup
port. louisiana should send a com.
mittee to Washington to see the presi.
dent AMI your representatives and ash
them to join the people of Louisiana
| in giving you support for the develop
ment of your resources. They should
go to Washington to talk in the inter.
est Of the state, and not politics OF
questions foreign to your develop
ment.
There are 76,OO0,O0O acres o.
hewamp lands in the United States
5S.OO0,000 acres Of WHICH are in th'
southern states-a greater acreage
than the states of Tennessee and Ken
lucky. This fertile area is not being
utilized as it should. While local il
its development, it is nationwide IL
it's effect to provide food for the peo
pie. Let the senators and represen
tatives of the southern states CO
operate with the agricultural business
interests Of the south. and we viii
make farms faster than they evel
were made in the history of the world
1t is big task but the south is equa
to it if it will only take hold of it.
"It must be inaugurated by the
business and farming interests of the
south through public sentiment ant
cooperation at Washington. 1t is ne
cessary in order to carry out large
development plans that the admins
tration at Washington, the senators
and representatives in congress take
a personal interest and work with the
people of the southern and southwest.
ern states.
! Southern Needs.
What the south needs is more
workers of the right class to take
hold Of it's untitled soil. timber anG
mineral lands, and make the soutf
what it should be.
| This important work cannot be
considered wholly from a local OF
selfish standpoint.
Railroad construction and pros.
perity of our country run hand in
hand. During periods when extensive
new mileage of railroads is construct.
ed. we have good times. During pros.
porous times from five to six thou.
sand miles of new railroad annual,
have been built for the last thirty
years. Last year we droppde off tc
$500. The prospects for new con.
struction does not indicate more than
1000 miles during the year 1910
There was never time when rail.
road construction was more neces.
fsary in the development of the coun.
try's resources than at present. The
attitude at Washington is against new
railroad construction. They are in.
clined to try new theories that will
retard railroad building and prevent
expansion of business.
When any law is enacted or any
political policy put into effect that
means the shutting off of railroad con.
struction-the only artery for up.
building the outlaying countries is
checked. lasting injury is done and
an embargo placed against a healthy
growth.
ITO drain the valley. to build new
railroads. to develop the country, and
l IN H.