The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-10
CONGRESS DESIRING
SWAMP RECLAMATION
Body Which Meets At St.
Louis, April 10, to Dis
cuss Matter.
WANT FERTILE LANDS
To Demand Clause in the
Platforms of All Political
Parties.
WANT FERTILE LANDS
palladium Specially

CHICAGO, March 10.-A call for the
al Drainage Congress at st. Louis,
April 10, 1912, marks the beginning of
another vigorous, nationwide cam
paign by that organization for the
passage of the Newlands bill in the
already has passed the measure. The
steps recommended by the Internal
Waterways Commission for the pre-
vention of the disastrous floods in the
valleys of the Mississippi and other
rivers together with the improvement
of navigation and prevention of soil
erosion are embodied in the bill, which
the Drainage Congress twice has en-
dorsed as a necessary preliminary to
=. the reclamation of the 100000 acres
of fertile lands which now are not only
idle but menace to health as swamps
scattered through nearly all the states
of the Union.
Immediate action will be demanded
by the Drainage Congress and as the
Democratic, Republican and Progress
sive parties in their national platforms
declared in favor of the measures of
swamp reclamation which for many
years have been discussed, reported
upon favorably by government engi-
neers and allowed to go undone partly
for lack of a definite program such as
the Drainage Congress in it's call sets
forth.
What Is Desired.
The protection of the public welfare,
by the drainage and reclamation of
the 75000000 acres of swamp and
overlooked lands in the United States
ana their utilization Tor agricultural
purposes.
The protection, by drainage and re-
clamation of the public health, which
is constantly menaced by the existence
of these swamps.
The protection, by levee construc-
ton and other means of the people
and their lives, homes and lands, form
floods, storms and tides.
The protection of the financial in
terests of the United States, the vari-
Gus states, and the individual land
owners, by co-ooperation and an equa-
BILE sharing of the expense of carrying
out this plan, in proportion to the ben
Gifts received.
The combined influence of all or
ganization by drainage and irrigation
will be brought to bear by the Drain
age Congress to prevent further delays
and to give the measures conspicuous
Importance in the present or the next
Congress.
Time Is Here.
In connection with the call, Chair
man Edmund r. Perkins of the execu-
tive committee in a statement said:
Nov is the time when the people of
the United States can bring to fruition
and accomplishment the plans for
meeting the needs of the country for
prevention of floods in the comprehen-
sive way required, and for getting
done those things which everyone is
convinced must and should be done.
The Newlands will will need the active
aid of every citizen, simply because
the pressure of matters before Con-
gress is so great that it must have
general recognition as of imperative
moment, one which members should
give personal and active aid.
The call for the convention in St.
Louis states the purpose of the Drain
age Congress to be that of urging the
Congress of the United States ito
take immediate action to create Ma
itional drainage Commission with am
pie powers and funds Immediately av-
ailable to put into effect the compre-
hensive national plan set forth above
under the four heads"