The Parker post., 1914-09-19

tlCn that Will follow the Panama "a
nal and it's commemorative exhibi
tiers.
T. The Commissioners appointed uL-
der this bill represent different sec
tions, and are paid from the interest
assessed against the lands improved.
S. The use of convict labor is pro
posed only for the building of roads
and blidges Mongolian labor is ex-
cluded
The above points are more fully
treated in the following:
l. The moneys raised byState bonds
are made a revolving fund secured
by lien On the lands benefited. Irri-
cation and drainage districts are
thus afforded the additional credit Of
the State, without their cost becomin
debt on the State. The interest
paid by the districts is sufficient in
excess Of that paid by the State to
cover the administration of the funds.
Consequently, this bill cannot result in
increased taxation.
2. The reclamation of unutilized
lands creates taxable property far in
excess of the cost of their reclama-
tion. This property takes the form of
land, buildings, livestock, transpOrta-
lion facilities, town property which
ToJ 70 ;cI1 i'm Of orio I'm
al communities, and the personal
property Of the increased popula tiOn.
Much of the wealth of some Arizona
counties is the direct result of the eX-
penditure of relatively small sumsfor
reclamation. Consequently by bearing
it's proportion of the general taxes,
the new wealth created by this bill
will soon afford the State more rev.
enue than the original indebtedness.
3. That the lands reclaimed will
repay the State the moderate cost of
reclamation is amply assured by the
high efficiency of Arizona lands al
ready under cultivation.
4. The Reclamation projects in
Arizona financed by the government
have proved eminently successful; bue
Arizona has received more than her
share of Federal assistance. If our
agricultural development is tOcontlnu
it must be fostered by the State, since
private initiative is inadequate to de-
velop properly our remaining great
resources.
5. This bill is State wide in scope.
There remain in every county large
areas whose reclamation is desirable
and feasible either by the use of sur
face or underground water, or by
drainage. Any project, the feas-
ibillty of which can be demonstrated
to the Reclamation Commission, may
receive assistance under this bill.
6. 1t is stated that several hundred
thousand passages via Panama Canal
to Pacific coast points have been en-
gagged. In the future much of the i'm
it's way to the Pacific. Land values
on the coast will increase; thousands
will seek more reasonable priced
lands further inland 1t is now time
to prepare homes for these future
citizens, if they are to become a bene
fit and not a burden. Likewise, the
eXpositions will bring thousands of
tourists across our state. Many of
these desirable people will be induc
Cd to remain if they have assurance
that the State will foster her agri-
cultural development
z. The Reclamation Commission is
so constituted that the interests of
the various sections of the State will
be cared for. The compensation of
the Commissioners is moderate, and
only for the time actually engaged
in the business of the Commission,
and is provided for, among other in
Cidentals, by excess interest. paid
by the lands reclaimed, over that
borne by the bonds The projects
will be under the supervision OF an
expert engineer appointed by the
Commission.
8. For building roads necessary inI
opening projects convict labor will
be available; but it is not the inten
tion to employ such labor on recla-
nation work. MOngolian labor is
specifically excluded from employ
mont on the proposed projects.
Finally Arizona has several mil
lton acres of school lands, many of
which are now practically valueless.
Under the provisions of this bill
water may be developed for much
of this land, giving it a value that
will endow one of the best school
systems Of any state in the union
n As@KHsNE