Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1915-01-08
COMMISSION ADVOCATES
Continued From Page One)

NSOhlihuCu l. Jill age OACI
is, briefly, that the state should
treat the problem of its magnificent
land grants as would any large bust
ness corporation acting under SINH
liar circumstances" said Chairman
milford Windsor, in speaking of the
states policy yesterday. Under oul
plan the state would not part with
title to a single acre of land unit
its highest possibilities have beer
definitely and accurately determined
and steps taken to insure the realiZa-
ton of those possibilities. The de-
velopment of all lands belonging tt
Arizona should be intimately asso-
ciated with their administration ant
disposition so that none of the lane
now held by the state will be giver
over merely for specializing purposes
or withheld from that proper devel-
opment which it is possible to at
tain
Relative to the states land policy
and the need of more people the
commissions report says:
ArIZonaS 0rcdteSt Nee0.
1T is not remarkable that no dis
senting voice is heard to the fire.
quently advanced proposition thai
Arizona's greatest and most pressing
need is peOple-more people. Will
in round figures, 10000 square miles
England, ireland and Scotland; larger
than italy; as extensive as Holland
Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, SwitZer-
land and Bavaria combined, fifth il
size of the states of the Union: as
big as New England, or as almost
any two southern or middle
west states-her quarter of g
million population truly looks
pitifully meagre. With this
predominant fact of area and settle
ment in mind. coupled with the ever
present desire for the stimulus tC
trade which addition of population
brings, the demand for new corners is
natural, logical and within certain
limitations, proper
But great as this need is, and uni
versal as the belief in its present
importance is, it still is not and
should not be regarded as the one
fundamental absorbing eXigency OF
the futures chief goal Back of it
somewhat obscured in the shadow
cast by the constant urging of ever
present personal desires and materia
ambitions, stands a much greater !
real. a compelling necessity-the de-
mand of advanced civilization, as
represented by a modern, progressive
commonwealth. not merely for more
people, but for prosperous, contenteo
and happy people. BY thus amend
ing and charging the common cry, tt
bring within its scope and purpose
the settlement and development OF
the state under conditions which viii
reasonably insure Il hopeful, self
liant Independent race a well meant
and generally accepted but much
abused slogan is converted into a
motto of wisdom, practically and pa
triotism.
What Arizona needs, therefore and
what she really wants. is the peo-
ping of her fertile but undeveloped
valleys and her broad unreclaimed
mesas, on basis of promise that
peopling, development and reclama
ton will synchronize with a con-
siderable, if not the highest sum OF
human happiness.
"Arizona's duty to bring this
about would be clear even though
she owned none of these fine valleys
and broad hesas heself; but since
she does own many of them, in whole
or in part, in her own name, and by
that token holds the key to the stu
alton. not only is her duty made
more personal but the solution OF
the problem its performance involves
is fairly pointed out The problem is
to convert some millions of acres OF
so-called desert of varying grades
and classes into homes and fields
and orchards-to grow a successful
enthusiastic, grateful citizen where at
best a white faced steer grew before
or maybe only coyote barked at
the moon; and this problem inevita-
bly, attaches itself to and becomes a
part of the undertaking to so utilize
the generous land grants with which
the states educational, charitable
philanthropic and other public insti
tutions have been endowed as &c
achieve in the highest degree the pur-
pose of congress in making them. and
realize Arizona's hope of material
reduction of taxation necessities