The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-10

There are over two million acres
Of desert and unproducttve land
in fIve western states, which are
at present Of practically NO value
to anyone. This land not only pro-
duces neither food nor taxes, but
| II is also q burden to the railroads
which are forced to cross the des-
ert wastes between east and west
without gaining either freight or
passengers.
At the same time there are in
these regions great streams. which
are almost a. useless - the des-
erts. Some Of them irrigate little
patches here and there, but most
LOT their waters 30 TO waste, and
all Of the great power which those
waters gather in their descent from
the mountains goes to waste.
Now this country II suffering
from too much money, from over
production, and from consequent
unemployment. And the number
of unemployed is being constantly
swollen by immigrants.
| Why not let the United States
government gather these idle men
and put them to work damming
these, streams. capturing their
power, irrigating the waste lands.
making farms for the men who are
out of work?
This question former Secretary
Of the Interior Franklin X. Lane
puts to the American people. Mr..
Lane, since his retirement from
the cabinet, has been the vice
president Of an oil company. But
he has by no means renowned that
interest in the development OF the
public domain which brought him
into the cabinet. He urged a sys-
tematic reclamation OF the arid
lands of the west as q means OF
providing returning soldiers with
farms. A complete and detailed
plan was offered congress, but con-
gress was too busy to attend to
it. Now Secretary Lane points out
again the great opportunity that is
waiting in the west, and how 1t
may be taken advantage Of in such
a way as to relieve the stress oil
threatened hard times.
i What he offers is again = COM
plete and vell-considered plan.
The objection will be offered that
a people overburdened by taxes
resulting from = great war is not
in position to undertake an enor-
nous public work. whatever its
value. Mr.. Lane replies that this
work can be financed by a tax-free
bond issue. with the farmlands and
the power which the project will
, produce as q security.
Lane Offers Complete Plan.
Mr.. Lane says that anybody can
figure the advantages of a recla-
nation project, because the propo-
sition is so clear and simple. Here
,, are one million acres of land. lit
tie owned by individuals, some by
the states, some by Indian reserva-
tons, most by the United States
and some by the three railroads
that run through the desert coun-
try. Taken as whole the land is
worth 5 to 50 cents an acre as il
is now.
Practical engineers. skilled at
this kind Of work. have estimated
co1servativeiy that they can build
three dams and power plants on
the Colorado river. which runs
through this country, and make
available enough water to irrigate
/ all Of this desert million acres, and
. at the same time produce over one
million horsepower in electrical
I. energy. The cost of the whole op-
Grafton is estimated at from fifty
to eighty million dollars.
Because of the many different
interests involved, Mr.. Lane does
not feel that this could be accom-
plished by private enterprise. He
j., says that it is essentially public
work. and that is where his bono
issue plan comes in.
The railroads and the municipal
!, tiles near the desert are in thu
market for all the power as soor
4 as developed. The Chicago, Mil