The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-03-21
FARMS FOR SOLDIERS
PLANS ARE IN MAKING TO AID
COUNTRY'S SOLDIERS
Number \of Propositions That
Have Been Put Forward BY
Legislators

st. Paul, Mimi, March 15.-Farms
tho central northwest are largely
waiting on congress. IN the absence
of cny united plan to utilize the vast
amount of unified land in the nation,
the state legislatures in this section
| have been trying 20 formulate lin
tied schemes for land utilizing.
/ The states are willing TO see what
the federal government will debut
northwest state legislatures will have
adjourned until 1921 before congress
can act.
| Minnesota has taken the first step
toward land settlement in considerd
ton OF Senator Leonard Nord's bill to
create q state colonization commits
sion, with power to license and gov
ern coliniZatiOn companies.
The only plan of settlement now
in effective operation is a private en-.
terprisc headed by Benjamin F.
Faast CT Eue Claire, Wis, who is q
director of The ST. Paul Federal Land
hank. cFaast has been colCniZing
northern Wisconsin successfully for
eighteen years and Is the first col
onizer TO inaugurate farm colon
les with churches, storeG, schools
and community centers already pro-
vidcd
The MINES Plan.
The Minnesota Plan" Of which
Senator Nord is the author is based
upon the system worked by Faast,
hut also em5odying d plan outlined
by +. G. Quamme, president OF the
ST. Paul Federal Land Bank, that for
the first tine would permit coloniz-
ing, not only back woods" country
but the already settled communities
OF southern Minnesota. ..
The NCrd bill would eliminate
land autocracy," which often has
resulted IN stagnation thigh trade
producing only small percentage
of Cailcity. It would enable the man
of moderate means 10 pick his farm
anywhere in the state and have z
colonization company purchase and
improve il for him. Under the plan
of payment, his expenses would be
small for the first four or five years
and he would have thirty five wears
or more to pay for the farm. The col
uniZation companies being licensed by
the state, would be under strict regula
ton. State appraisers would report
; on the land, assuring the farmer oil
its condition. Fhe colonization com
pany could issue bonds UP to within
seventy five per cent CT the value oil
,, the land ard these bonds would be en-
dorsed by the state.
! Bills similar to the Nord bill il
Minnesota have been introduced il
the Wisconsin and Michigan lcgis
latures.
Home Builders Bill.
The home Builders bill IS the only
settlement Plan now before tho Nortl
Dakota solons md provides that upoI
: deposit of 20 percent OF the value O
!, the project, man may engage in farm
industry, fully equipped, under con
, tract 10 pay up within twenty wears
+. Many plans have been discussed
in South Dakota and bills following
, the plan outlined to President Wilson
. by Secretary Of the Interior Lane are
under consideration in almost ever!
Northwest state legislature. Actor
, On these bills in several states ha!
+ been prevented because of cOnflictin!
constitutional provisions. Rectifica
, ton Of constitutional deficiencies Il
adopt the Lane plan wuold require
y two years.
! land is Available.
But the lard is available. Miilion
= of acres Of cutover and swamp lane
available for tillase or stock raisin;
i in Minnesota, Michigan and Wiscon
, sir ere awaiting development. Sec
A rotary CT the Interior Franklin X
, Lanes recent survey showed Min
nesota has 14,G22,0O0 acres of stumI
; land available for colonization an
y 5,S32,3CS acres OF swamp land. Wis
: cCnsin is second in the United State
: in stump land, with 13,246,000 acres
u The Badger state has 100000 acre
Of swamp land available. Michigan
t has H,GS6,00J acres of stump ant
s 2 1914 acres CT swamp land avail
able, while in the United States Their
: is total Of 22S 509.90o acres o
stump lard and 79,o05,022 acres @
4 swamp lard waiting 10 be developed
, | Washington ID. c.. March 1A.-Th
war department issued casualty lis
, today in which there were 457 cas-
ualties reported The Minnesota me
are as follows:
y Killed in action, Private Pete
Bertelson, Minneapolis.
y Died Of disease, Private Earnest c
> Peterson Duluth; Private Sa'nue
" BeSror. Minneapolis: S~""eant Phil
T. White, Ely: Corporal Martin II
Ludolph. Nevis; Private Alfred i
n Bornemann, 81. Paul.
Wounded severely, Private Victo
f. Hansen. Morgan; Private Waite
Clemmer, ST Cloud.
Wounded, degree undetermined
Il previously reported missing in actor
a PrivateS Frederick BIu'v, Faribault
:, Albert S. MGDonough, Detroit.
% Sick in hospital, previously report
= ed missing in action. Private Virg
- r. Crumpackcr, Duluth
" Eolsheviki, However, Suffer 500 Xii
w. led in the vapa District.