American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1920-07-10
, MOOT'S RURAL HOME
BILL is BOON TO WEST
Reclamation Service Experts
Regard i as a Great Con-
shuctive Measure.
BY WILLIAM e. sMYThe,
Reclamation Engineer, v. 6. Depart.
nnent Of Interior.


Washington, ID. c., July SIN spits
OF all wc hear about the desertlon Of
country life In favor of city emp,ov.
ment and attractions, or rather he.
cause Of 1t, more thought is being
given today than ever before in our
history to the problem Of rural life.
When state like Massachusetts
wakes up to the startling truth that
e2.6 per cent Of Its entire population
now lives In cities; and New England
manufacturers discover that they are
hopelessly handicapped. In competi.
ton with manufacturers more fav
orably situated with respect to the
center of the nations population and
the source of food-supply, It is not
strange that these leading citizens be-
gin seriously TO consider how rural
life can be restored and the state
made measurably self-sustalning.
There Is capital enough in Massa.
chusetts and In oil Of our states to
finance any necessary development.
What Is lacking Is confidence on the
part of capital; and confidence on
the part Of those who would gladly.
make homes upon the land This con-
fdence can rest only on knowledge,
experience, and sound planning by
those who know.
What could be more natural than
that the nation should turn for lead
ership In matter of this kind to
Utah, whose claim of pre-emlncnce
In colonization and the establishment
Of successful homes on the land Is
beyond dispute? From the hour when
Brigham Young led the first party of
settlers into Salt Lake valley 73 years
ago on the oath Of July next. the people
have enjoyed u quality Of leadership
not elsewhere available. The humb-
lest settler has worked In the light
OF the best intelligence the commune
ity could command men have worked
under direction, avoiding mistakes
that have often brought bitter disap-
polntment elsewhere. No one fam
llinr with Utah history and interest.
ed In reclamation and settlement can
help wishing that the same quality
Of leadership could be available for
homeseekers IN every part Of the
United States.
Opens Door Of Opportunity.
The Smoot Rural Home bill, which
passed the senate In April, failed In
the house only by fluke at the last
moment, and seems surely destined to
become law In December, meets
this great national need. II enables
Uncle Sam to show the way to every
ambitious settler, but does not ask
him To carry anybody on his back. II
opens the door of opportunity, but
asks each man TO work out his own
destiny. 1t puts at the disposal of
every state and locality the invalu-
able services of the governments re.
clamati0n engineers, not only for in
vestIgatlon, but for the actual con.
structlon of works and subdivisions
and settlement Of land. All Of this Is
accomplished without calling for n
single dollar of federal funds, and
consequently without mourning the de-
lay Of years In an effort to obtain
national appropriations.
Under the Smoot bill, projects will
be Initiated by private land owners,
and often these will be organized In
to districts under state laws.
The sphere Of the reclamation ser.
vice will be nationalized, and will In.
.clude the draining Of swamp lands,
clearing OF cut over lands, and the
liberalization of abandoned farming
districts, according 10 varying local
needs.
The landowners. or districts, max.