The Washington herald., 1922-01-15
NORTHWEST REAL
ESTATE men FIND
MESSAGE HOPEFUL
Urges Reclamation of
Vast Natural Resources
:, In Western States.
BIG DEVELOPMENT
Harding Says 100000
Acres Are Susceptible of
Improvement.

Realtors of the Pacific Northwest
are highly pleased with President
Harding's recent message in which
he encourages the reclamation OF
arid lands and the development OF
logged-off lands. OF which there
are so many thousands of acres in
the Northwest.
This Is probably the first time
that any President Of the United
States has taken q sympathetic at.
titude toward the development OF
the vast natural resources OF the
Northwestern States. President
Harding seems to have a thorough
knowledge OF the vastness OF our
undeveloped areas Of arid and cut
over lands and is apparently In
tending to do everything he can 10
make these resources productive
and tax-bearing for the people OF
the United States. Not only that
but he calls attention to- the fact
that after every war until the
last, the government has been en-
abled to give homes to its returned
soldiers and a large part OF our set
Element and development has at
tended this generous provision OF
land for the nations defenders.
There is yet unreserved approx
mately zoo ,00O. 900 acres in the pub
lie domain. 10000. 900 acres of which
are known to be susceptible OF
reclamation and made Mt for homes
by provision for irrigation. The
government has been assisting in
the development OF its remaining
lands until the estimated increase
IN land values in the irrigated sec
lions is fully $500. 100000 and the
crops OF 1920 alone on these lands
are estimated to exceed 100000,
oo0."
1t Is hard for Eastern people who
have never visited the West to real
ize the productiveness of our West
ern irrigated lands. The records
for 1920 show that the average pro-
duction per acre Of one irrigated
district in Washington was close to
s1e0 per acre; even this year when
prices were below normal a large
acreage of our berry and fruit land
averaged from $500 to $500 per acre
We In the Northwest feel that
the population of the entire country
would be greatly benefited by the
development of this land and that
the entire nation is to be congratu-
lated because we have at last a
man in the White House who APP
preciates the situation.
President Harding In his message
also calls attention to our vast
stretches of cutover land in the
West and in the South. He says
Contemplating the inevitable anc
desirable increase of population
there Is another phase of reclama'
ton fully worthy of consideration
There are 10000, 900 acres of SWAMI
and cutoyer land which may be re-
claimed and made as valuable a:
any farm lands we possess. / glad.
" commend Federal aid. by way oil
advances where State and private
participation is assured. Home max
ing Is one of the greater benefit.
which government can bestow
Measures are pending enbodying
these sound policies in which we
may well adhere. 1t is easily pos
slbIe to make available permanent
homes which will provide in TURF
for prosperous American families
without injurious competition with
established activities"
President Harding calls attention
Northwest, but equally important
to the entire country. in the fol-
lowing language: The existing
scheme of adjusting freight rate:
has been favoring the basing points
until Industries are attracted tC
some centers and repelied from
others. A great volume of uneco.
nomic and wasteful transportation
a.
accordingly. The grain milling ant
meat packing. Industries afford am
pie illustration and the. attending
concentration is readilyN apparent
The menaces In concentration are
not limited to the retarding influ.
ence on agriculture. Manifestly the
conditions and terms of railway
transportation ought not TO be per-
mitted to increase the undesirable
tendency.
I'VE have = just pride In our
great cities. but we shall find q
greater pride in the nation which
has a larger distribution Of its pop
ulation into the country, where
comparatively self-sufficient smaller
communities may blend agricultural
and manufacturing interests in har-
monious, helpfulness and enhanced
good fortune. Such a movemen,
contemplates no destruction OF
things wrought, Of investments
made or wealth involved. 1t only
looks to a general policy of trans
portation, of distributed industry
and of highway construction, to
encourage the spread of our popu.
lstion and restore the proper bal
ance between city and country"
We believe the developing Of the
ideas suggested by President Hard.
ing have an important bearing on
the realtors Of this country today
and that by grasping the oppor-
tunity they will not only do their
clients service, but they will be
benefited themselves as well.
In these times of Industrial and
financial stagnation it behooves us
all to take a look at the situation
as, IL exists nationwide, and inn
prove our condition by a study OF
the conditions that confront us. The
Northwest is fertile field for in
vestigation and study at this par
ticular Gme and the handwriting Is
on the wall which indicates a sure
steady and perhaps rapid develop