Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-04-12
ENCOURAGE THE
HOMESTEAD BILL
Passage Will Mean Influx of
Quarter Million
SETTLEMENT OF
100000 ACRES
All Commercial and Booster Bodies
Should Unite In Demand that
the Bill DO Through.

Colorado's population will be
increased by 25O.0OO in the next
two years, if congress as is now
almost certain, passes the Borah-
Taylor homestead bill, which re-
duces the term of residence on
homestead lands from five to three
years and extends to the entryman
the privilege of absenting himself
from the land five months out of
each of the three years required
to establish title.
The signing of the bill by the
president will be the signal for the
greatest movement "back to the
soil" in the history of the set
tlement of vacant lands in the
West. 1t will turn the tide of
immigration from Canada and
keep American men and Ameri-
can dollars at home.
Through this first real remedial meas
ure to western settlement offered by the
federal government, 100000 acres in
Colorado. it is predicted. will be pre-
empted in the next two years. At an
allotment of l6o acres to each entry,
$4,000 families. numbering no less than
100000 persons, will establish homes in
this state.
At an average of only $50 per year
for each new settler. tbe living cost of
this influx of population will be enormous.
1t will mean at this figure that S 2,ooo.-
600 will be turned into commercial chan
nels in single year. At sloo per per-
son this sum will amount to$25. 900. 900.
The commercial bodies and every other
boosting organization should unite in a
campaign to give worldwide publicity to
the fact that Colorado has 100000
acres waiting only the coming of the set
tier to convert them into prosperous
homes for $4,000 families.
They should demand from the federal
government that its department of agri-
culture extend to this work of empire
building in Colorado the same character
OF assistance which the United States
department of agriculture gave to Georgia
and other southern states few years
ago.
Political differences. petty iealousies
and personal ambitions have no place in
the campaign for state development
which the act of congress makes possible
for the united commercial strength of
tbs state to begin.
Every natural condition is at its best to
encourage the settlement of vacant lands
in Colorado. The federal government,
through congress. has provided the rem
edy for one Of the most serious defects in
the homestead law that for years has
handicapped the development of Western
lands.
1t is now up to Colorado. as part Of
the West. to take advantage of this rem
edy. to let the world know what the state
has to offer to the settler. and to provide
for his reception when he does arrive
There are. altogether. some 9, 900. 900
acres of government land in Colorado
subject to homestead entry. 1t is be-
lieved that approximately 100000
acres of this total will be settled within
two years after the rah-Taylor bill
becomes law. The settlement of this
means at least 100000 new people in
the state. The added wealth which this
increase in population will represent can
scarcely be estimated.
The Homestead bill recently passed tho
before the conference committee of the
house and senate.