The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-10-18

preparation Of plans for providing opportunity
for these men. And because his department has
handled similar problems in the past, he has
made It his duty 10 bring the matter To the at
tention Of the president and congress He points
ont that every country has found itself face 20
face with this problem at The close OF great
war From Rome under Caesar to France under
Napoleon down even to our Civil war. the
problem arose To what could b" done with the
soldiers mustered ont of military service.
At the close OF III. Civil war America faced
somewhat similar situation. But fortunately at
hat time the public domain offered opportunity
10 the home returning soldiers. The great part
the veterans OF that played in developing
the West is of epics. The homestead
law had been signed by President Lincoln in the
second year Of the war that ont Of our wealth
in lands we had farms to offer the military vet
Grams. 1t was also the era of transcontinentai
railway construction. 1t likewise the period
II rapid. Yet broad and full development of towns
and communities and states
To the great number of returning soldiers IN
the present land will undoubtedly offer the
great and fundamental opportunity. The e1-
pertence of points out the lesson that our
service men, because of army life with its open
ness and activity will largely seek out Of doors
vocatons and occupations.
This fact is accepted by the allied European
nations That is why their programs and poll
des of relocating and readjustment emphasize
the opportunities the land for the returning
soldier. The question then is, What land can
he made available for farm homes for our sol
diersy'
We have not the bountiful public domains of
the sixties and seventies. In literal sense. fur
the Of It generous scale for soldier farm
homes In the sixties, the public domain is
gone. The official figures the end of the fiscal
year, June 80 1917 show that we have unappro-
priated land in the continental United States
TO the amount OF 1855 acres II is safe 10
q
prove to be cutivable in any SO have
no land in any way comparable to that in the
public domain when Appomattox came-and men
turned Westward with army rife and roll blan-
ket-to begin life anew.
While we do not have that Inatchless public
domain Of '65. We do have millions Of acres OF
developed lands In the Northwest. lake states
and South and also swamp lands In the middle
West and South, which can be made available
through the proper development. Much of this
land he made suitable for farm homes II
properly handled.
But it will require that r-aclrs type of land be
dealt with In its own particular fashion. The
arid lands will require water the cut-over land
Will require clearing and the swamp land must
be drained. Without any Of these aids they
main largely No Mans Land. The solution of
these problems is no new thing In the admirable
achievement of the reclamation service in recla-
nation and drainage have abundant proof
OF what be done.
Looking toward the construction of additional
projects, Secretary Lane announces that plans
and Investigations have been under way for some
time. survey and study has been In the course
II consummation by the reclamation service on
the great Colorado basin. That project. undoubt-
edly. will appeal to the spirit OF America 1t
would mean the conquest of an empire in the
Southwest 1t Is believed that than 1000
400 acres Of arid land could be reclaimed by the
completion Of the upper and lower Colorado basin
projects.
II has been officially estimated that more than
l5.OOUO00 acres of irrigable land now remain in
the governments hands. This is, the great
manning stOrehouse of government land for recla-
nation. Under what policy and program millions
If these acres could be reclaimed for future farms
and homes remains for legislation to determine
The amount of swamp and cut-over lands in
the United States available for farming is extern
i've. Just how much there is has never been de-
terinned with any degree Of accuracy. Practical
ly all of II has passed into private ownership
For that reason In considering its use II would
he necessary to. work out a policy between the
private owners and the government unless the
land was purchased. 1t has been estimated that
the total area of swamp and overhowed lands In
the United States IL between 7NOOOOOO and So