El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-07-09
WANT
ARIZONA LAND
Settlement Acc May Cost
State Forty to Fifty
Millions.

Phoenix. Ariz-. July s.-Administra-
tion Of Arizona's soldiers settlement
act may cost the state from $50. O0O. 900
to s50,00o.000 and. If it does. will re-
suit in an increase in the state tax
rate to three times its normal amount.
This became known when estimates
furnished by Alfred c. sieboth, secre-
tary Of the soldiers settlement COM
mittee were transmitted to state
auditor Jesse L Boyce. in connection
with compilation OF the annual budget
Of the state auditor.
Approximately 400 returned service
men have already registered with the
soldiers settlement committee, indi-
eating their desire to obtain farms on
the conditions set forth in the act
passed by the fourth legislature. As
only half OF Arizona's men are back
from service, IL appears likely that
the number of registrations VIII be
doubled Although it is impossible
20 tell how many VIII qualify under
the provisions OF the act. il is not
considered unlikely that 500 men our
OF the 1900 Arizona sent TO war may
decide they want farms on the basis
they are offered them by the state.
Land sold to Soldiers.
Under the provisions Of the soldiers
settlement act, the state land depart
menJ Is charged with the duties Of
carrying out the plan for obtaining
farms for returned service men, and
the state land commissioner becomes
soldier settlement commissioner. Land
may be acquired by the commission by
purchase, gift or condemnation; may
be reclaimed, either by the state or
by the federal government, and is to
be sold 10 soldier settlers on a con-
tract which allows completion of pay
ment within 40 years from date OF
contract The farms thus TO be fur
nished by the state are not 10 exceed
$4,000 IN value, while smaller tracts,
to be known as farm labor tracts,
must not exceed $1,000 in valuation.
Soldier settlers are required by the
act 10 live on the land eight months
out OF every year for perido Of five
years
T. Although the act IS already in ef-
feet. no attempt has been made TO put
il in action, as the matter Of cocpera-
ton with the federal government can
not be taken up until the passage by
congress OF a soldiers settlement act
Cooperative Agreements
The state enactment provides for
cooperative agreements between the
state soldiers settlement commission
and the federal government in the
reclamation Of land, and the securing
of short term loans to enable settlers
under the act to provide their farms
with equipment and livestock II IS
expected that the federal government
viii advance approximately $1,000 TO
each settler under the provisions OF
the bill now before congress-
State auditor Boyee has announced
that he Will leave blank til-s amount
required for the administration Of the
soldiers settlement act in making up
his budget The state tax commission
viii, therefore. have 10 determine the
amount required Members Ct the tax
commission said today nat the matter
had not come 10 their attention Off
cialIy, and that they had not mad time
10 study the provisions Of the bill,
which carries blanket appropriation,
setting aside so much as may be
necessary to carry out its provisions.