Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-24
State and National did
For Scamp Reclamation

The reclamation of swamp lands, of which
there are some seven and half million acres
in Georgia, IS no longer matter for merely
individual or local concern. The welfare OF
the entire State and the etnire Nation is pro-
noted by converting these useless and health
menacing areas into productive and inviting
farms.
II the eradication of malaria were the only
benefit from drainage, that of itself would De
warrant enough for devoting puDhc tunds 10
this purpose because the saving of human
energy and life would be indeed priceless. But
besides this the reclamation OF these la1ds
would add millions TO the public treasury anu
Well nigh incalculabe sums to agricultural
and industrial wealth. In highly informing
article recently published in The Jonfhal'
Prof S w McCallie, State Geologist Tor
Georgia. declares: 1T can be demonstrated
that the reclamation of every acre o. swamp
land should increase the States revenue IN
the form of taxes at least twenty-Iold.
This. be il noted, is an authoritative estllnaLe
based upon scientific surveys Bogs ana
iungles which now are unstable at any price
and which are assessed il at all, at haruly
more than dollar or so an acre, would easily
fetch from fifty to a hundred dollars an acre
il drained: for il is a matter OF common PROOF
that such lands, with their long ages OF accu-
mulated fertility, yield far above the aVeraS5
crop bounties when once they are mace
arabic In the South there are approximate.
Iv fifty million acres of overfowed land. IL
n is worth under present conditions as mucn
as ten dollars an acre Tan extremely hish
estimate) il would be worth hundred aIter
being reclaimed. That is to say 's Value
would increase from i've hunored nlliIoh "
FIVE billion dollars.
These figures are chiefly significant in that
they suggest, though family. the vast gains
in agricultural productiveness which are on
tainabIe through swamp reclamation " IL
conservatively reckOned that Georgia lanos Oh
IL 20 pnnn
Iv two hundred and twenty-five million BUSH
els Of corn. and other cops IN pr)portloh,
prof NcCallie truly observes that in time Oh
need IKE the present when the nations OF
the world are looking to the United states ioL
food and our returning soldiers must hhu
employment, it would seem that lnulHerenGe
70 tbe vast possibilities of reclamation Woulu
no almost criminal and that the subject OF
drainage would appeal from business stand
noint 10 the citizens and the ofhclals OF the
State and National Governments. WheIe
the common good is so broadly and so Vlally
involved, il is obviously the duty OF state anu
Nation Like to cooperate with communities
and individuals IN carrying ou'
drainage projects. -..a
Under the existing Georgia law, interested
nersons and counties can organize dralhase
districts and within the prescribed rules
issue bonds for meeting the cost or reclalla-
tion Fortv-three such districts have been
formad and exceedingly valuable improve
ments thereby accomplished. But the greater
mart of the swamp-land problem, botn In
Georgia and throughout the Union, remains
untouched. Hence the Importance of present
efforts to secure more liberal cooperation
from the National Government and from the
States to the end that reclamation may be en-
conraged and its Unreasonable benefits vouch-
safed to the American people.
4
Egguog is getting to be more and more
tuxuTy-due. of course, to the high price OF
eggs.
We see no cause to worry about the peace
conference Senator Lodge and kooseVeIt
are not there.