The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1921-12-30
RECLAMATION PROJECTS HAVE
PROVED SPLENDID PUBLIC
INVESTMENTS.
Government Advances Repaid by Set
tiers Great Wealth Created by
Projects.

Inc reference In PRESIDENT Hard
ing's message to Congress regarding
the reclamation and irrigation work
which has been performed reneWs in
terest in that branch of the govern
ment's activities. The President call
ed attention to the fact that reclaim
alton and irrigation projects had in
creased land values in irrigated sec
lions of the country $500,000,0O0 and
that in the year 1920 crops on irri-
gated lands alone exceeded in value
$100,00O,0OO.
The President further called atten-
tion to the fact that the lew which
authorized this. work provided for
the return of money appropriated, so
that in the long run, reclamation and
irrigation projects do not cost the
government anything.
These facts are dealt with more in
detail in the annual report of Secre-
tary of the Interior Fall, which
clearly shows the wisdom of reclama-
ton and irrigation work, which was
commenced under the Reclamation
Act of 1902, passed by a Republican
Congress. Since that time the gov
eminent has spent in the neighbor-
hood of $130,000,000 in construction
work. On basis of productivity the
land before work was commenced was
practically worthless. 1t is now
valued at half a billion and is rails
ing crops valued, in round numbers.
at $100,000,000 a year.
Creation OF Tangible Wealth.
From the standpoint of adding this
much taxable property to the feder-
al government and to the several
states, the investment would be a
good one, were none of the S130,000-
900 of original cost ever returned.
In addition to the creation of land
and crop values above mentioned,
there are 1885 farms and 223 towns
upon the land irrigated by these
projects. The combined population
of the rural and urban communities
is in excess of 100000; this popula-
ton sustains 1873 schools, 649 churches
and PAT banks; the banks have de-
posits of S144,OO0,000; held by 1884,
900 depositors.
AS Secretary Fall points out in his
report, 1.-THE reclamation law is
unique among American laws in re-
quiring that money expended in
carrying out its provisions be after
wards collected from those for
whose benefit it has been spent" An
example of how this works out is
afforded by the balance sheet for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1921. That
sheet shows receipts of collections
from those who have farms in the
irrigated districts. These collections
are under three items as follows: Re-
payments on construction work, ST.
3S4,6S9; repayments on maintenance
and operation, 81, 357, S42, rentals for
water power, etc, 1,459,351. These
three items alone represent repay
ment into the public treasury Of over
100000 in one year from farmers
who are obtaining benefits from the
irrigation projects.
Projects Pay For Themselves.
In calling attention to this feature
Of the reclamation act, Secretary
Fall says that he has heard criticism
that the older states received no help
from the government in their develop
ment, while the newer states of the
West and Southwest are being
developed at the expense of the pub
lie treasury. Secretary Fall refutes
the latter part of the statement by
citing in substance the facts shown
above, and then recalls that many of
the middle West states were settled
through bonus lands and military
land grants, and in addition thereto
received proceeds of public land
sales. He shows by tabulation that
the older states Of the Union receiv-
ed from proceeds of public land seles
in the aggregate more than S2S,000-
600, while some states of the middle
West were opened up and practically
settled in their entirety through
land grants and homestead acts.
Secretary Fall does not critic this
policy, which prevailed both before
the Civil war and during the twenty
years following the Civil war, but he
cites the historical record to show
that development of the several states
has always received federal encourage
ment in the form Of outright dona-
lions of lend, or its equivalent, and
that in point of historical accuracy,
the development Of arid and semi
arid districts through the reclama-
ton and irrigation acts are the only
IN -tances whore the money originally
bv the government is TO
he ronald hv the settlers themselves