The Prescott daily news., 1916-08-28
SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT
 FINANCE SETTLERS?

] i ''h'f ANAeRo, AuE. -C.-lS the government doing its full duty in the matter of retaining the semi-arid sections of the west when it provides water for irrigation purposes? Should 1t also provide money to enable the settler to bring his lands under culti- vation?
 The question of financing settlers on irrigated lands under reclamation projects, whether public or private, will be one of the most important questions to be discussed and possibly settled when the International Trri- gation Congress meets in Fl Paso Oct. 14-18.
 It has been held that if the Recla- nation Act of 1902 is to become really effective, something more must be done under its operation than the mere building of irrigation dams and dtches. It is held that the Reclama- tion Act should be so amended that the lands to be irrigated shall be brought under cultivation by means of funds provided under the operation of the act.
 If this system is adopted, it will not be an experiment, but rather the working out in the United States of what is being done in Ireland, Ger many, Denmark, Australia and other countries. During the past fifty years more than billion dollars has been spent by these countries to enable men with small capital to own the land they cultivate and the results have been little less than marvellous.
 In the early days of the reclama- tion of arid lands by means of irri- gation under the directios of the U. $. Reclamation Service, it was deem- ed sufficient to build the dams and distributing systems and provide the water. It was believed the landless men would flock to the lands for which water had been provided and convert them at once into fruitful fields and the foundations of happy homes.
 This idea is being rapidly dispelled. It is true that thousasds of men un- dertook to establish themselves in the irrigable areas, but these men have not all met with success in their eff forts at converting the desert into cultivated farms. Leaders in the movement have seen that 1t is not enough to bring water to the land, The idea now prevails that in addition to the building of irrigation works, the Usited States government through the Reclamation Service, should go farther, even to the extent of levelling and dtching the land and making some provision for providing funds which will enable the new settler to maintain himself while he is strug- glinS with the new problems with which he is confrosted
 In other words it is believed that 1t has been found necessary not only to provide moisture for crops but to 1 finance the settler on irrigated lands until he has made it possible to earn his living and something more from the land being reclaimed.
 Elwood Mead, head of the depart ment of rural institutions in the Uni versity of California, and an eminent authority on the subject of rural credits and land settlements, will be in charge of the section of the con | gress which will have this matter un- i der discussion. Besides Professor Mead, there will be present many other leaders of thought along this direction, and it is believed that as a result of their endeavors, plans may be formulated whereby the settler with small capital but with unlimited energy will be enabled to become a successful farmer of irrigated lands.
 Owing to the importance of this question and the seeming immediate need of reaching solution of 1t, 1t IS expected that that section of the h. ternational Irrigation Congress which will deal with it, will be the scene of some of the most animated debates of the congress when it meets in De- tober.