Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-04-23
some REAL HELP
IN. CASE TELLS or WESTERN
LAND PLANS
Government at Last 70 Mako Chance
for the Farmer Who Wants
90 Build Homo--Loans
to Settlers

mountain states" is what j. b.
Case, first vice president OF the In
ternational Irrigation congress, de-
clares the conference of governors
and congress officers held at Dem
yer this week. THE meeting was
called to ascertain the real condi-
ton of the government irrigation
projects" said he today, land to de-
wise means of securing better re-
suits for the small home er.The
failure of many land takers under
the government and state projects
Ito pay out has made 1t difficult to
secure new settlers and the western
states are likewise confronted with
the offerings made by Canada to
take our people across the line.
There we're present Secretary Hous-
ton of the agricultural department.
A. A. Jones, first assistant secretary
of the interior, and twenty OF his
assistants; Clay Tallman. commits
sioner of the general land office;
F. H. Newell of the reclamation
service, and ten governors OF west
ern states, as well as the officers OF
the irrigation congress.
"Here Is the big thing that was
after five days of conference and
discussion planned: A bill having
the approval OF the administration
will be presented to congress, pro-
viding that the government land,
whether irrigated or not, be CLASH
fled and that the homesteader may
secure enough land to make him
home on which he can succeed, in
stead of limiting him to 100 or $40
acres. The acreage will depend on
the class Of the land; the settler
will be loaned by the federal gov
eminent $4,000 to improve the land
and $1,000 to buy stock, the loan to
be on long time and a lien on the
property to be liquidated before he
proves up. 1t is also contemplated
that all the reclamation projects
now under way shall be completed
and Carey act projects taken over
by the government, the lands to be
sold to settlers on twenty years
time at 8 per cent interest, with
above conditions as to loans Tor i'm
proyement.
at was the opinion Of the experts
who have been in touch with new
settlement conditions in the inter
mountain region that some such &C.
ton is necessary If the waste lands
are to be improved and settled and
that unless the settler can be given
such accommodation and induce
ments as will offer a chance fol
prosperity he will not take up gov
| eminent land. The Canadian gov
ernments loans to settlers are TAX
ing to that country farmers who
ought to be placed on our OWE
lands. The government has spent
millions on its reclamation pro
jects and it is realized that some
thing must be done to utilize them
While considerable politics enters
into the states attitude the govern
ment officers who we're present de-
clared that the federal control Of
all lands would be accomplished
and the only method by which there
could be secured actual settlement
of farmers with a reasonable hope
of success.
"The Newlands bill, appropriat
ing $500, 100000 for flood protec
ton, $3.50, 600, 1000 being spent ives
of the Mississippi river, was approx
ed by the meeting. Engineers arr
at work on this plan of flood pro
lection and If found feasible 1t will
be one of the things western inter
ests will urge. The international
Irrigation congress will meet at Cal
. gary, Canada, October to 10 ant
it is expected that much will b.
, learned from the methods pursued
in western Canada to secure ant
: hold settlers. Western governor
will be urged to attend, or send rep
resentatives and the interior an
.. agricultural departments will b
represented by its best qualities
men. The location of the hom
builder is recognized as the great
: est problem before the western
states and for the first time tn
federal government is taking an &C
tive part in assisting the states an
business interests toward its solu
ton"