The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-11-30

tude of the government toward the
western states is contained in let
ter written by Senator Borah of Ida
no to George w. Perkins of New York
in reply to the latters recent sugges-
tions of remedies for the high cost of
living problem. Senator Borah de-
clares that more farms and more far
mers would furnish the lasting cure,
and that the reclamation of the I'M
occupied lands of the west would re-
lieve the situation.
The east is called upon to aid in the
work which the west has undertaken
The letter of Senator Borah follows:
my Dear Mr.. Perkins:
II have been interested in your dis
cussion of the high cost of living and
the remedy | find myself in sympa-
thy with your suggestions, | was al
SO much interested in the presidents
suggestion to the farmers to raise
more crops. In view of the fact that
the west in political way has put it
self upon the map, I hope it will not
be considered an intrusion If it in
terposes itself into this economic dis
cussion also.
More Farms and Farmers.
while considering the wise sugges-
tons as to central markets, auto
trucks and a thorough system of dis
tribution and the raising of more
farm products, would it not be well to
consider the broader and even more
lasting remedy of providing for more
farms and securing more farmers?
I'm the west are millions of acres
of fine agricultural lands dedicated to
non-use through shotr sighted pol
icy of the government In the great
south are vast areas of fertile swamp
lands awaiting some practical con-
structive policy to open them up to
anxious settlers.
Grave Menace Presented.
IF one will study the figures show
ing the rapid increase of population
in our cities and proportionally speak
ing a startling decrease in our farm
ing population he will find in
such figures a grave menace to the
happiness and contentment of our
people, a menace which it ought to be
our every effort to avert. There is
being brought about a situation, how
ever essentially wise it may be, can
little more than mollify. And we
have been disposed to accentuate
through governmental action rather
than to lessen this tendency thus to
build up the cities and retard the
growth of the porducing areas.
"A few years ago under the misno-
mer of conservation we tied up, in
corporated into forest reserves and
other Withdrawals, millions of acres
upon which nature never grew tree
and of the finest agricultural lands.
Millions of the same acres are still
locked up.
Emigration to Canada.
During the five years preceding
the war in Europe we lost each year
100000 homesteaders who passed
through the great west and on into
Canada, where they took up farm
lands, renounced their allegiance to
this government and swore allegiance
to another in order to get that OF
which we had an abundance but which
through a mistaken policy we were
Withholding from them. They were
unwilling to be subjected to the sur
veillance and the persecution which
have been visited upon the settlers
of the west for number of years.
TRUE we have a law by which the
oretically speaking settlers can go in
to the forest reserves and locate ag-
ricultural lands. But in it's practical
workings it amounts to an inhibition
against securing such lands. A policy
which withholds or discourages the
bona fide settler in taking up these
lands is not simply an act of folly, II
is measured by it's effect upon the well
fare of our whole people a crime--nc
other word expresses it.
Enterprises Checked.
Furthermore, our irrigation enter
prises have been checked for want o.
funds to go forward. Mr.. Lane in his
first report a most brilliant and in
structive document, as secretary o
the interior recommended the use o
$100,0 10000 in the reclamation of oul
arid lands and stated in most con
elusive way the necessity for it. Blu
nothing along that line has been don'
of late. There are large areas of ag
ricultural lands upon which settlers
have been waiting for months ant
years hoping that the government
would put water upon the land to en-
able them to reclaim 1t.
I'VE appropriate money for river
and harbors one half of which is shee
shameless waste if not worse. But w
starve the appropriations for the rec
lamation of arid lands. The last rfv
ers and harbors bill carried at leas
$20,000,000 for which the Amerieal
people will never get any return. w
riot in our appropriations but tn
home builder the producer mus