Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-01-24
WILL BENEFIT MARYLAND
LANDS.

tive. The Department Of Agricul-
ture has had for some time an en-
gineer, with headq larters at Easton,
who has been making surveys Of the
swamp lands Of the state, and parti-
culi rly the Eastern Shore, and who
hid prepared projects based on th,se
surveys for the reclamation Of these
lands and their restoration to fertiIi-
ty. Mr.. Jackson's bill will provide
authority fjr the United States gov
eminent to re ;lain all these lands.
Immediately on taking his seat 10
the Senate Mr. Jackson called upon
the Seer tary of Agriculture, Mr.
Wilson, 70 confer with him upon
what had been done by the govern
msnt in regard to the swamp lands
II Maryland At his request Mr..
Wilson had HI, Officials lay before
Mr.. Jackson an exhau tive resume OF
all that has been done. Mr. Wilson
assn, ed Mr.. Jackson that the govern
Iaent would heartily cooperate with
the State OF Maryland in retaining
the waste lands, aud upon this assur-
ance Mr.. jackson prepared the bill
which he introduced Monday.
The bill is best described by SEN
ator Jackson himself.
aThe drainsge bid introduced l.,
me in the Senate Monday, sail
Mr. Jackson, 'provides, first, that the
Secretary Of Agriculture shall make
investigations ard surveys of the
swamp ind overlooked lands Of
Maryland and devise plans for their
drainage, with estimates Of tie cost
of such projects. Seco d, that be
shall mai e az annual printed report
to Congress as the result of his H.
vestigations and the status Of thu
drainage projects under way. Thhd,
that it he finds such projects feasible
he shall let contracts to the extent
of the funds available under the ap-
preparation. Fos rth, that he shall
cooperate with the loea boards of
drainage commissioners or similar
bodies TO the extent of deyising plans
Tor drainage projects. Fifth, the
bill appropriates 100000 to carry
out lis purposes. The bill is not
com ylicated or cumbersome. ! have
Intentionally made it clear and short.
The details are left 10 the discretion
Of the Secretary of Agriculture and
his staff of drainage experts.
@Mary.aud has, for many years,
had tax ditch law, whereby, upon
the petition of the inhabitants Of a
section, the county commissi lners
would appoint commissioners to lay
ont the ditch and assess the benefits
upon the parties affected. The law
has many technical effects. Its
practical workings have often been
hampered by petty politics. 1t has
all the disadvantages of local admin
istration Of project req firing more
central and, therefore, more uniform
treatment. The legislature of 1912
passed law providing for the for
nation Of drainage districts and the
appointment Of drainage commits
sioners, with additional powers, no
tably the power to issue bonds. This
is an admirable law, but defective in
that it does not provide Tor cohsis-
tently develo pIng reclamation. The
drainage Of these lands in Maryland
is so vast project that it requires
more than local needs to stimulate
the enterprise. My bill provides for
cooperation between These local
: bodies and the Secretary of Agricul-
ture, in that the Secretary OF Agri-
culture is authorized to fu. nish plans
aod specifications for the various 10
cal boards. This would result in all
drainage pr siects being conducted
in scientific and foresighted man.
Tier.
The department of Agriculture i.
well equipped to undertake THU
work.
The Department of Drainage In
yestigation has already conducted
t important investigations OF drainage
t projects in Maryland, notably, in the
: Sycamore Bottom of the Potoma,
! River, in the section near Seneca
5 Montgomery county, along the SAINT
river, in the Perry Pond section Of
! Talbot county, and in sections along
E the Pocomoke River and Marumsco
Creek. My bill refers only to Mary
land, but the proposition is a vast
! one. The Eastern Shore will te
: benefited in particular by the pro