The Delta independent., 1919-02-28
A MODEL FARM FOR EVERY
AMERICAN SOLDIER

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By Franklin X. Lane. Secretary of
the Interior. Written especially for
the Independent.
All over the united States there are
quantities of lands that are capable
of producing cotton corn. wheat and
fruit, which are out Of use. Altogeth-
er there are perhaps 250.000,000 acres
of such lands that in two or three
years of scientific drainage or by ir-
rigation or by stumping could be con-
verted into first class farms
In the far west, in the arid country
along the Colorado river in Arizona
along the Snake in Idaho, the North
Platte in Wyoming and Colorado. and
near the great rivers of the west there
are millions of acres of lands that can
be irrigated; while in the south and
in the northwest there are more than
100, ,OOO.0 900 acres of land that have
been logged off but which are lying
idle today
The plan which I have presented to
congress means that we shall put this
land to use That is where the coun-
tTy 6dlub. IL ulCdhb thae ~ ohhAi NC
put into condition by the soldiers after
they have been mustered out. That is
where the soldier gains. Every man
who has been in the ranks of the
army shall have an opportunity to go
on to one Of these projects and have
Job at the current rate Of wages
In building dam or ditch or leveling
or pulling up stumps. building dikes-
clearing land, building houses or roads
or fences.
This means when the boy reaches
time. meets his people, and then is
given a chance to take place in one
of the great camps that will be formed
for the reclamation OF this unused
land.
He gets his wages there. Out Of
these he will pay a certain amount for
his board. save enough in a year and
a half or two years while working to
pay first installment on a farm any
where, north. south or west. and have
that as his own. It will be farm that
land, but farm in a settlement which
has its roads already built.
1t will be farm already surveyed
fenced, a house and barn built. the
land cleared, so that a man can move
in his furniture and begin life at once.
They will be connected with rail
roads. II they are not Immediately on
1t, by good roads. They will be chosen
with reference to the marketing the
produce that will be produced upon
them.
In short. each man can have Job
the government advancing the capital
and out Of the combination of his own
labor and the governments capital he
can be given an independent living.
But this is not TO be done In the
slightest bit as a matter Of charity.
nor is any man to be coerced into
taking up the work. II is an oppor
tunitv which the government ont of
appreciation for the service rendered
by its boys gives to them. They will
pay It back in money and interest but
they can pay 1t back over period OF
40 years. The man who drains great
area in South Carolina may choose
farm in Arizona or in Idaho.
We have spent 100000 day in
fighting the boche and surely we can
affords to spend what was few days
war outgo in setting up for life the
men who whipped the Hun.
II will be a printable arrangement
all around. The money will he advanc
ed by the people. II will be returned
by those who take the farms.
expect hundreds Of thousands of
city bred fellows will have this desire
Tor an Independent out-of-door life.
Then there are million men in our
army who come off the farms, many
Of whom will never have chance to
own farm unless there IL some such
plan as this.