The Washington herald., 1913-05-10
government To
KEEP Control
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

and that he would have to investigate
it, At this point it developed that Sem
ator Walsh had concluded his remarks
and left.
]. T. Whitehead, representing the
farmers on the North Platte project.
Nebraska Wyoming, emphasized at the
afternoon hearing the desire of the
settlers on this project to get together
with the officials of the Reclamation
Service and with other government Of
ficers having connection with the work
to effect some solution to the best in
terests of all concerned and for the
success of the undertakings.
Farmers Not Complaining.
Mr. Whitehead stated that farmers
on the North Platte project have no
cause of complaint against the super
vising engineer, r. F. Walter, or other
most pressing difficulty in their eyes,
he said, was that of making payments
in the time prescribed. He stated that
the original estimates have increased
from $50 to $50 an acre, and that the
settlers are not certain that this Will
be the limit. He assured the Secre-
tary that while the settlers did not
want to evade any debt justly cred
tied against them, they felt that the
cost of such work on the project, the
nature of which has been experimental
and educational, should not be includ-
ed in the sum of their debt.
Settlers on the North Platte, he said,
were progressive and confident that with
the COOPERATION of the Secretary Of the
Interior and the Reclama ton Service they
wotld be able to make splendid success
in the future In order to realize the full
benefit of the governments undertaking,
however he pointed out time was neces-
sary in the development Of their lands,
and he suggested that the payments to
the government be extended over period
of at least twenty-five years.
He submitter several affidavits by the
farmers to the Secretary containing their
statements as to what specific work on
the project in their opinion, had been ex-
pcrimental.
The rest of the time that Mr.. White
head remained on the stand the discussion
centered upon the power, or lack OF power
of settlers to dispose of their holdings
Senator Warren of Wyoming. Representa-
tive Mondell of Wyoming, Representative
Kinkead of Nebraska, ]. W. keener Of
the Land Office, and Mr.. Bien. Of the
Reclamation Service, took part in this dis
cussion.
Senator Warren's Views.
That the persons to whom an original
Homestead holding is transferred must,
under the present construction of legis-
lation on this subject, possess the same
qualifications as those who file for orig
| inal homestead" lands, is one of the
, objections of the farmers. This, they
claim, not only materially increases the
difficulty of disposing of their holdings,
but also excludes from project lands
many best fitted to work them. Further.
regulations against the increasing OF
holdings over 160-acre tracts are disap-
proved. Senator Warren. in speaking OF
his views on these restrictions, said:
"a former high official in the Interior
Department once said to me that he had
| to get out into the fresh air for long
walk every day at the close of work in
order to clear his mind of the many
charges of graft and instances of fraud
that came to his attention in the routine
of business. He told me that at times
il was hard for him to convince himself
| that every one who had anything to do
with the public domain was not a scoun-
drel
II feel that, in like way, Congress
has become too careful, has made legisla-
ton on this SUBJECT 100 dlmcuit, ana
has placed the Secretary of the Interior
and other Cabinet officers in such a posi-
ton that they must of necessity place the
most radical constructions on these
laws
Il find that the request for an extern
sion of payments he continued, has
been almost universal. The cost of al
most all of the projects has been greater
than was at first supposed. 1t is gen.
orally poor men who seek places on the
projects, and il seems that in some cases
an almost impossible burden has been put
upon the settlers. ] believe that this
should be lightened by extension Of time,
and that acts of Congress, regulating the
disposal of Ibis land, should be given
the broadest of construction