Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1919-07-10

the movies at Aix-leS-BaineS when we
were on leave. l understand that
, when the thirty or more projects which
they are building are completed they
, will have about 100000 acres under
cultivation. But that doesn't amount
to WhoOp compared with the rest of
the unproductive land in the country.
This clipping says that in addition
to these 100000 acres there are from
100000 to 20,00O.OO0 acres of arid
land in the West that can be reclaimed
by building more dams and using all
the water available. In the eastern
half of the country are 200,00O,000
acres of cut-oyer timber land that only
needs to have the stumps blown out
and the land cleared and leveled to
make it as productive as any land in
the world. In the South there are
something like 100000 acres of
swamp land that if drained, will grow
about anything grOwable. All that
makes some bunch of land. The guy
who wrote this clipping figures it at
one-fifth again as large as the state
of Texas.
According to this clipping the idea
Of the government is to suggest to us
soldiers and our friends the marines
and sailors that we don't have to go
back to our old jobs or try to hunt up
new ones, but that the government will
give US all the work we can do build
ing dams and canals. blowing stumps
and clearing land, and digging bitches
to drain swamp lands, In order to
make these waste lands the finest agri-
cultural land in the world.
Il wasn't very keen on the PROPOSE
ton at first because I thought I might
have to go up North or out West to
get a job on this government work, but
1t says here that there are so many
projects to be constructed, situated in
practically every state in the Union,
that a man won't have to go very far
from his old home to get work.
know that in Arkansas there are near
ly 100000 acres of cut-Over timber
land and over 100000 acres of swamp
land. so it ought to be easy for me to
get job in my own state and proba-
bly, not far from home. I figure that
that business course 1 took ought to
land me a job as a timekeeper, book
keeper, or storekeeper on one of these
projects, and If I don't get that the
Lord knows I've had plenty of expert
ence with a pick and shovel digging
trenches.
'But to my mind the best part of |
the whole thing is this: The man at |
the head of the interior department,
Secretary Lane, says In this clipping /
that in addition to providing work for
all the returned fighting men who want
1t, this plan Of his gives these men the
opportunity to earn a home on the
very projects they have helped to
build. After we have blown the stumps
out Of some cut-Over land project, say,
cleared off the brush, leveled the land,
put up houses, barns, and fences, laid
out townsites and roads, and generally
made the locality like q place to live
in, then we fellows will be given what
they call q preference right of entry.
That is, Wen be allowed to pick out
one Of these farms that we have made,
20 on it and start cultivating the land,
with the privilege Of paying for the
land and improvements in small pay
ments covering 80 or 40 years, at a
low rate of interest. At the end of
that time we own the farms. Our live
stock will also be furnished by the
government, to be paid for by us in
small payments in from five to ten
years. 1 heard fellow give a lecture
)nce on similar work the state of Cali
fornia is doing on a small scale and 1
is big success.
$50 that's where I'm going to put
)ne over on the old man. He's sweat
I'd all his life on a tenant farm and
Doesn't own anything now except his
arm implements and some stock. He's
actually making about day labOrer's
wages off his place there in Arkansas.
charged from Uncle Sans army I'm
,oing to look this proposition up,
itch I'D to a cut-Over land or swamp
and project in my own state, work
ONE more for the government getting
farm ready for me to live on, and
hen get on the farm as soon as I can.
II bet I can make a better living off
ny land, which has never been touched
Y plOw, than the old man can make
If his which has been cropped for two
r three generations, and at the end III
II own my place. Besides which, I'll II
e living in community Of other
armers and business men, and not
tuck off on lonesome farm half way
etween here and nowhere" II
Buddy" said the artilleryman,
that listens good to me. You talk like
professor. I thought Of going back
} my old work in the garage, but I'm
Ding to look into your little PROPOSE
on instead" Y