The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1913-10-17

The government could ex
pend profitably in 10 years $1O0,
100000 in the reclamation o1
arid, semi-arid and swamp lands
located in that part of the coun
try west of the Missouri river,
said Secretary Lane of the in.
terror department, on returning
to Washington from his extended
trip through the west.
''The lands, once reclaimed,
could be divided into farms OF
from 80 to 60 acres, every one OF
which would be taken up prompt
ly," Mr.. Lane added. This
land, it is practically necessary,
must be reclaimed by the gov
ernment because private recla-
nation projects have proved
failures except on small tracts.
HE'LL MAKE COMMUNICATIONS
1t is my purpose to recon-
mend to congress extensive irri-
cation and drainage projects if
it be possible to devise a prac-
ticable way of raising the money
to carry them forward. 1t should
be our endeavor to turn the eye
of the nation upon this arid land.
Irrigated, it would be as fertile
as any land that lies out doors
and on it enough meat and crops
could be raised to supply the en-
tire country"
The secretary issued a state
ment discussing his visits to all
of the great reclamation pro-
jects to obtain first hand infor-
nation about conditions and
needs.
TIME SHOULD BE EXTENDED
Il am convinced" he said,
that it will be necessary to eX-
tend the time in which the set
tiers on the projects now have to
pay for their lands. Ten years
the time fixed by existing laws
is too short a period for the
average farmer to get fairly on
his feet. As a business propo-
sition, their request for addi-
tional time ought to be granted,
for, after getting their subsis-
tence and paying annually the
amounts required by the gov
ernment, they have not enough
surplus to properly develop and
improve their farms.
FAVORs FREE PERIOD
PERSONALLY, | am in favor of
extending the paying period to
about 20 years, with a free per-
iod of four or five years in which |
it would not be necessary for the
settlers to make payments. In
the existing circumstances, many
of these men have to borrow
money and the banks in that Sec
tion exact an interest charge of
10 and IL per cent. Of course,
that makes the situation for
many of them almost impos-
sible.
I'm order to obtain cheaper
rates, water users asso-
Citations and similar organiza-
tions have been formed so that
the common credit of the COM
munities can be pledged for loans
at lower interest. In this con-
nection the people of the west
are expecting great results to
accrue for the enactment Of the
currency legislation.
Il find the entire west elated
over the action of congress with
respect to the tariff and eager in
the hope that the new currency
bill will be promptly made into
law. The farmers and busi-
ness men regard the currency
bill of far more vital Importance
than any other proposed legis-
alton. The people are filled with
admiration for the efficiency con- F.,
gress has shown. There is no
spirit of criticism as to congress
such as there has been in the
past.
Throughout the west busi- {
less conditions generally are
good. l did not find the beet
sugar and wool growers hopeless
~ any means. l talked to many S
# them and found them, broadly