The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-06-25

ment is simply advancing the money for
these reclamation projects, expecting pay
ment Of the Investment with 4 per cent
interest The settler pays. He pays,
moreover, not only the heavy reclamation
expense, but another very considerable
item of cost government administration.
1t is we'll known that government admin
istIation in any field usually costs much
more than private management That is
automatic. And governmental admlnlstra-
ton Will continue over an indefinite peri
cd
Now, this vast reclamation scheme is
proposed in the face Of the fact that
that there are lying idle today some 500,
100000 acres Of land that is for the most
part ready for tile pillow. 1t has for years
been reckoning the land-hungry to its
opportunities, which they have been nn-I
able to grasp because they have lacked
capital Some Of the land would require
superficial Improvement to make it ready
for the settler, but the expense OF 1T
would be negligible in comparison with
the reclamation cost involved in the pro-
jects proposed by the interior depart
mcnt. There are 30000,OOO acres OF such
land in New England, 35,0O0O0O acres in
the central states, and lS0,000000 in the
Pacific states. Most of it is distributed
in large tracts perfectly adapted to COM
munity farm settlement projects. More
over, these tracts are to be found within
50 miles OF such great market centers as
New York, Cleveland, New Orleans, st.
Louis, or Washington. The settling sol
der need not necessarily settle in regions
of the country remote from markets as
would be the ease ii the program Of the
pending legislation is carried out.
Another distinctly disadyantagcous fea-
ture Of the scheme that is now being
pressed through congress is the time that
will be srequired to make these unre-
claimed areas fit for cultivation. The re-
turning soldiers and sailors who 90 upon
them will not possess workable farms for
several years at least. The legislation pro
vides that the settler may he employed
by the government at a per diem rate i'll
reclamation work on his community tract
in order to support himself and save to-
! ward payment for his farm before it Is
made ready to support him. This may be
an alluling prospect, hut it is not IN my
| opinion the best use that can be made
y OF the settlers efforts.
| 10 sum UP. VIII SilbHltt an ti'' htotAh-
vantage and the cost of this government
reclamation program be foisted upon the
deserving men who have borne arms for
: the country when far superior opportunl-
tv for land settlement could be made
available to them?
The country is guilty OF criminal deloy
in making ready for the settlement on
: farms Of It's returning fighters Last Sep
Ii L.,
senate providing for a Joint congressional
committee on reconstruction. The reso-
luton intended as one of the chief func-
! tions of the committee that it formulate
a comprehensive program for the setting
! UP Of community farm projects to al
ford immediate opportunity Of settlement
for those serving in the wan when it
! should be brought to an end The resolu-
ton was buried. Obviously it coniicted
! with the present program which the in
/ terror department was then formulating
! If the resolution had been adopted il
was purposcd to survey suitable tracts foI
the establishment Of community farm set
Elements for soldiers in regions that pos
sessed the advantage of sure-crop soil, as
| sured markets. excellent transportation
facilities and far more attractive life
| EtilNl any lt>t lttiNiNy 80 l lllNt 9'tA't
can be located readily in nearly any east
eln, central or Pacific coast state TIL,
settler need not be sent long distances
from the district he has previously known
and lived in.
1t was intended that the government
should select these tracts, exercise super
vision over their development and deter
mine upoa a fair. scientific appraisal o
che land and loan obligation OF the sol
der OF sailor who was to move upo
them Petitions, speculative values wer
1 u be disregardcd in fixing this obligation
3 and thus these excellent lands in the de
: veloped regions OF the country, now
: sheer economic waste, were to be mad
to serve this excellent purpose to til
n benefit of all. With the interests Of til
d settler thus saleguardcd BY govcramen
: regulation, it was purposed to intere>
private capital in this excellent invcs
I ment, to finance the entire project b
|. that means No one can doubt that til
l. plan is entirely feasible Above all
u would avoid the unfortunate ALTERNATIVE
s Of having the government enter into til
o gigantic business of creditor and landIol
n for million farmers. they to pay the il
g cvitable bill of waste and i'll economy
l. government administration.
a Had this plan been adopted farm