Albuquerque morning journal., 1914-12-03
PLANS FOR BIG
LAND SCHEME ARE
NOW UNDER WAY
Capitalists Working With a
View to Developing Vast
Areas of Western Country
Never Before Cultivated.

fsseeiAt eoRRssrospgscE 10 nosnisa Jouss.,t
Santa Fe, Dec. 2.--Major Fred r
Reed of Boise. Idaho. and David In
bin OF sacramento, Calf. have ner.
fected plans and Instituted ) ma,.e-
ment that has for its ultimate ohiect
the settlement and cultivation of vost
areas of land I'm the western states
now virgin to the pillow and 10 in
crease the population west of the
Rockies to double that of the present
population OF the entire United states
They have interested officials of
the transcontinental railroads in the
project and a conference with their
representatives is being held this week
in Los Angeles.
II Is the intention OF the Idaho
men, after obtaining the railroad
companies endorsement of the Man
10 invite Governor Mcdonald ana
other western executives to n confer
ence at which The land available for
settlement. whether owned by the
federal government. the state or in
dividnals. viii be listed with the
terms of payment. II the hand mus,
be purchased, instead of being ac-
quircd by homestead entry, Il Will be
sought 20 have the terms OF payment
extend over n period of fifteen 10
twenty y-iive years. and to procure free
transportation for the prospective
settler.
What has prevented the settle
ment of our western country nv men
of small means has been the difficult
ty of keeping them on the land until
Il began 10 yield returns" says Ma
jor Reed II believe that in each state
a fund can be raised 10 tide the set.
tiers over this period. with a capable
organization To handle the project. II
We can raise large sums for the relief
of starving foreigners, we surely
should be able to do something for
our own people, when the money
required would remain right here. I
be employed In state development
and he paid back with interest"
Big Increase In Population.
He said further: There are in the
western states, millions OF acres of |
fertile land lying idle. while many /
thousands OF industrious Americans
would cagerl. take up the cultiva-
ton Of these tracts If only they were
given the needed start With a couple
of horses, several COWS, some imple-
ments and provisions for the first
year, they would become self-support-
ing thereafter. This plan has been
tried in Canada with such success
that the great northwest has been
settled with an excellent class Of hus-
t...asa
Twenty million inhabitants for New
Mexico. Is the prediction of Lubin.
within the lifetime OF some people
now in the state. II is by scientific
marketing and distribution of pro-
ducts added to Major Reeds plan
that he hopes to accomplish this. lie
has been n farmer all of his life but
recently was a delegate 10 the Inter-
national Institute Of Agriculture at
Rome and what he learned there in
the way of farm credit systems. scien-
tific reclamation, cultivation and
as It is practiced in Ger
many. Italy and Denmark, has
his belief that such val
leys as those tributary TO Albuquer-
que and Santa Fe. can support
hundred times their present popula-
ton and that even sections like those ,
between Santa Fe and Lamy or in !
the Sandals can support a popula-
Iion of tens of thousands. ITALY, ,
which too, finds irrigation necessary ,
In some portions and whose soil has
been exhausted by three thousand !
years of cultivation. supports 4V,00o,- I
900 people on an area less than New ,
Mexico" is mis- argument. He Will ASK |
congress to ostabli< a federal rural
credit system similar to that of Ger !
uanv