Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-08-27

laws william II. SmythA In charge
OF publicity for the Interior depart |
ment. declares that under the Smost
bill the sphere of the reclamation ser
sice will be nationallzed and will in
clude tho draining Of swamp lands, |
cleaning Of cut-over lands and the re-
fertilization of abandoned farming dis
tricts, according to the varying local
needs
THE land owners OF districts max
Ing application to the Secretary Of the
Interior for the benefit OF the law"
says Mr. Smythe, twill first deposit
with the Secretary OF the Treasury the
estimated cost of thorough investiga-
ton. If this discloses feasible pro-
ject. the land owners will then deposit
the estimated cost of construction but
the entire work will be carried on
by the reclamation service, as is now
done with other government projects.
The landowners enter into contract
with the Secretary of the Interior, who
likes the selling price of the land upon
n basis that VIII be reasonably attrac-
tive to capital and at the same time
| protect the interests OF the settler as
TO price, as well as I'm respect to other
essential conditions BY this means, a
national system of development and
colonization quite similar to methods
in vogue In Utah during the past
seven years will be brought into
being. Senator Smoot has repeatedly
assured his colleagues that the strong
est financial interests In the United
States would invest In reclamation so
curities under these favorable condi-
tons. 1t is equally certain that set
tiers will gladly follow the flag" Di-
rector Arthur +. Davis states that the
All-Amerlcan canal In Imperial valley,
estimated to cost S32.0UV,O00 can and
will be built under the provisions OF
this law.
| Congressman Nicholas ]. Slnott
told the house that contracts In the
amount of s15,000,0OO would DO
promptly entered into by the landown-
srs Of eastern Oregon.
Applications and inquiries are COM
Ing into the Department of the Inter
Tor from all sections. notably New Eng
land and tho south. 1t - expected
that Utah will be among the foremost
benefactors from the law.
"The popularity Of tho measure grew
constantly during the debate In con
grsss. The bill was hailed ~ a stroke
Of genius in the first instance, because
II tempered the wind TO the shorn
lamb'-the national treasury. Tho
more II was studied the greater itS
Importance became-not only as a
practical measure for reciamatio and
settlement. but also AZ embodying new
principles of conservative statesman
ship which might In time be applied
to many phases OF the nations econ
omie life.
Senator Smoot, who championed the
bill with great energy and enthusiasm.
expects 10 see II ready for the pres-
dents signature before the close OF
this present year"
Just a word before closing ns to
means for obtaining the revenue nee
essary for the development Of our rec.
lama ion work for this 10 perhaps the
most important problem to solve.
Congress faced deficit Of nearly
four billion dollars, as between the
estimated revenues OF the country, and
the estimates submitted by the vari-
Gus departments OF government as to
their needs and requirements. This,
OF course, was appalling, and for the
Smith-Fletcher reclamation bill 10 ask
for IN appropriation of three hundred
million dollars was considered little
short of CHASTITY joke.
There Is a way suggested, however,
by which congress can avoid going To
Its treasury for this large sum of
money and at the same time be in
strumental In encouraging thrift
among the people. The postal savings
system pays It's depositors per cent
on o. oney deposited and has today ono
hundred and sixty millions on deposit,
a large proportion OF which Is in the
various banks OF the country drawing
. per cent. III congress should amend
the law and authorize the postal saw
lngs department To pay per cent or
even 31h per cent. and, to protect the
savings banks OF the country, restrict
the postal savings 10 an amount not 10
exceed say IS per cent of the total
savings OF the country, no charge OF
competition could be made by the
state savings banks and yet II would
place In the postal savings system an
amount approximately better than one
and a half billion dollars, which the
law should provide, could be invested
in irrigation and drainage district
bonds, and in this way a double So
curly could be given for the deposi-
tors would still have the government
guarantee, and in addition the district
bonds should be gilt edge security, es-
pecially rfte" they had been passed
upon and approved by the interior de!
parunent us The Smth-FletCher bill
and The BOruh bill provide.
If congress will do this, no excuse
can be offered because OF a lack of
funds, and this barrier out of the way.
there is nothing left but an insistent,
cons Stent demand for recognition.
If our prominent men and women
will cooperate with our civic bodies
and our chambers of commerce, aye
and our churches and all who are in
; terested in the temporal as well as the
spiritual salvation of the people, we
shall come into our own.
! WIN we do in