The Delta independent., 1913-11-07
LANE FAvoRS FREE WATER
AND EXTENSION OF PAYMENTS

After acquainting himself with rec
lamation conditions, Secretary OF the
Interior Lane has given out the follow
/ ing:
Il am convinced that it will be nee
essary to extend the time in which the
settlers on the project now have to
pay for their lands. Ten years-the
time fixed by existing LAWS too
short a period for the average farmer
to get fairly on his feet. AS a bust
ness proposition their request for addi-
tional time ought to be granted, for,
after getting their subsistence and
paying annually the amounts required
by the government, they have not
enough surplus property to develop
and improve their farms.
Personally l am in favor of extend
! ing the paying period TO about twenty
years, with a free period of four or
five years in which it would be neces-
sary for the settlers to make no pay
many of these men have to borrow
money, and the banks in that section
exact an interest charge of 10 and II
per cent OF course this makes the
situation of many of them impossible.
IN order to obtain cheaper money rates
water usesrs' associations and similar
organizations have been formed. so
that the common credit of the commu-
mites can be pledged for loans at low
er rates of interest. In this connection
the people of the west are expecting
great results to accrue from the enact
ment of currency legislation. The gov
eminent could expend profitably in ten
years 500, 1000 in reclamation OF
arid, semi-arid and swamp lands To-
Gated in that part of the country west
of the Missouri river This land re-
claimed could be divided into farms of
from thirty to sixty acres, every one
of which would be taken up promptly.
This land necessarily must be re-
claimed by the government, because
private reclamation projects have been
failures except on small tracts. 1t is
my purpose to recommend to congress
extensive irrigation and drainage pro-
jects If it is possible to devise a prac-
ticai~way of7raising money TO carry
them forward. II should be our en-
deavor to turn the eyes of the nation
upon this arid land. Irrigated it would
be as fertile as any soil that lies out
of doors, and on it enough meat and
crops could be raised TO supply the en-
tire country.
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 probably
be made into a law. The farmers and
the business men regard the currency
bill as far more important than any
other proposed legislation. The peo-
pie are filled with admiration for the
efficiency which congress has shown.
There is no spirit of criticism as to
congress such as there has been in the
past.
''Thewhole west" Secretary Lane
concluded, has felt better toward the
interior department. Persaps that is
because of the great distance between
the east and the administration here
in Washington and the people directly
affected by our actions. The real COM
plant of the people is that there is too
much red tape to he unwound before
results are obtained. / believe that
much of the dissatisfaction could be
abated by cutting out the red tape and
] propose to devote my time and atten-
tion to doing that very thing.