Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-12-26
HOMESTEADERS ON
PROJECTS MAY
RELINQUDSH
IN PART
Those Who Have Taken Up
More Land Than They Can
Handle May Let Part Go
and Take Credit on Balance
GOVERNMENT MAKES
NEW LAND RULING

In compliance with the requests OF
numerous settlers on the irrigation
projects % the government the secre-
tayy Of the interior has issued the
following regulation governing the
subdivision OF farm units:
/. A homestead entryman subject
10 the reclamation act may relinquish
part Of his farm unit and have the
payments which nnd been made on
the reiinquishcd part credited To the
charges ON the retained part, provided
that the amen6menfein question may
be allowed without jeopnrdixing the
interests OF the government, In the
collection Of the charges against the
portion OF the tract rellnquished.
2. The entryman Desiring to make
such REIMBURSEMENT should submit
| his application therefore TO the pro-
ject engineer. who will transmit the
same with bis recommendation
through the proper channels 10 the
director who, IL he fnds no objection
Twin proceed az IN OTTER cases OF pro-
T, posed amendments q farm units
This rnllnR Is regarded as one OF
OF tho most Important OF recent years
relating 10 the exclamation work. Il
10 a confirmation also OF the predlc-
ton which the ofllcipls OF the bureau
| made several wears hHo that the great
esl snrresaes % the reclamation pro-
iccts would lie those on the small
farms. The requests for permission
10 subdivide their farms comes al
most without exception from the men
who have taken up land Ia excess OF
their ability and means to cultivate.
While the large land holder has been
wasting his energy. time. and capital
In an attempt to subdue his farm. aud
now finds the burden too great for
him TO meet the charges for building.
Operation and extra labor. the small
farmers as n general rule have pros
lpefed and are slowly but surely gain
Ing a competence.
Il Strong influence was brought 10
bear upon the department In the be-
ginning 10 fix the farm units at not
4 less than 1860 acres. Every effort was
made 10 convince tho department that
n man could not make living on
less than this acreage The most
Influential advocates OF the large farm
were the prominent farmers and bust
ness men IN each OF these communi.
ties. In this connection a recent lef.
ter from Col. N. ~. Rowiey, the presi-
dent of the Billings chamber OF com
mcrce, ~ particularly interesting IN
view OF the fact that until recently he
was apparently in doubt AZ to the
small farm idea;
Il am most earnest In favorine the
small farm until for this section OF
the country. The forty acre farm unit
~ established on the Huntley u. y
RECLAMATION project has proved q
great success. and as whole, u II
perhaps today the most prosperous
section In our country. due entirely Ia
the small farm units Our experience
certainly IL that the small twenty 70
forty acre farmer IL az rule success
ful, while the large units are not.
zone OF the most important prob.
lens that our chamber OF commerce
Will deal with daring the next veal
will be TO educate our people 10 the
advantage Of the small farm unit de.
voted to diversified farming. When
this is brought about We will have
a wonderfully productive country ca
pable OF sustaining very large pop.
ulation OF successful home builders.
Yours very truly.
1. tsigned) II. w. ROwLEY.
ON some of the projects, the de-
partmenL yielding 10 part to the i'm
pcrtunities OF the people, fixed tbs
units at 80 aud 90 acres each, and hal
often since had occasion 10 regre
that Il did not Isis. upon the smaller
unit.
n
III The new ruling, however. will 4,
Tar 10 correct the mineake which wal
then made, because II win encourage
the subdivision OF tho large units an,
will relieve the farners Of a portion
of the charges now assessed againH
them. Il viii accordingly make TO
more intensive cultivation OF the lans
which they retain. will eliminate m
1 expenses In pert Of the hired help
aud will insure larger returns iron
the lands In crops Il increases thl
number OF farm families. as each re
4 "a. a.