Abilene weekly reflector., 1914-10-08

viii pardon me II offer TO- those Of
my own country some remrrks that
apply especially 20 the needs and
demands OF the times In the United
states Of America. Many OF these
apply as well 10 you, but my famil-
iarity through q lifetime OF effort
in developing our own great west
Riyes me a keener interest In what
our own future promises.
Solving the Vests Problems
We have not yet completed the
solution OF the problem OF the set
tlement Of our own great west. I'm
der our system OF government we
have not always had at Washington
a full appreciation OF the Vests
needs or Of its opportunities. II has
been suggested many times, and this
idea meets with my hearty approval.
that the members of our congress
should be compelled to make an
Acquaintance with the West; that II
be compulsory before q congressman
can occupy his seat. he shall take
course in national education, ia
milIarizing himself with his United
States. He should be obliged to
visit every commonwealth, especially
where there is public land. and 1t
should be compulsory that he be re-
examined every six years and main
tain his familiarity with new. con-
ditions as they arise.
We of the western United States
are much pleased with the interest
being taken in our section OF the
country by the present administra-
ton, including the Interior Depart
ment. This administration has
grasped more fully than that OF any
previous one the needs and demands
of today. All 1t requires to bring
about the settlement Of western land
is the cooperation of congress, ana
II the members Of congress under
stood conditions as well as do the
western members of the Interior
Department, we should see speedy
settlement of the Vests arid lands.
Commission to Make Plans
Heavy burdens are already impos-
ed ON the Interior Department. l
would like to see a commission ap-
pointed of western men familiar
with the growth and development oil
the western states, devoted to figur-
ing out ways and means by which
our western lands now unoccupied
or but scantily utilized could be
transferred to home builders. The
Canadian Northwest and Australia
have done something along this line,
and do not hesitate to say that we
could learn valuable lessons in land
settlement from our neighbors. This
investigation should include the arid
lands, the lands under the Carey act
and lands controlled by the reclama-
tion service. 1t is a big job and
needs the best brains in the country
to manage it.
One of our western senator's, Sen
ator Newlands, has before congress
a bill which in my judgment would
be the best investment ever made
and NO more of an experiment than
the Panama canal. This bill provides
for an expenditure to the west OF
many millions Of dollars, but our
western people approve Of 1t. In the
State Bankers Association OF my
own state, Kansas, 1t was unani-
mously approved, and wherever 1t
has been given careful attention, 1t
has met with commendation of those
interested in up-building the West.
Millions of acres of unoccupied lands
in the inter-mountain sections are
now used for pasture. Immense
herds of cattle and sheep feed there
owned by a few men. These should
be SO disposed of by the government
that instead of growing cattle and
sheep, we shall grow men and Wo-
men, aud that families may obtain
livelihood upon these now practic-
ally unoccupied areas. The mineral
beneath these lands should be segre-
gated to the benefit of the national
government, and in years to come 1t
will return a value greater than that
of all the land.
Farms Are Real Wealth
Agriculture is the prime industry
of our country. The chief concern
of the west, whether in Canada or
IA 4ha I1u,tad Gtatoa. should be to