The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-05-04
IRRIGATION R|EL
CASH glSTER
IDAHO GOVERNOR SERTS THAT
WATER, IN RIGHT PLACE
SPELLS MILLIONS
TWENTY MILLION ACRES NEED WATER
Points Out Immediate and Direct
Benefit to East Through the
Prosperity Of the West
BY II. w. Davis,

Prosperity Of the West
BY ID. w. Davis,
Governor of Idaho and President Of Western
States Reclamation Association.
Editors Note.-For snappy diction,
for clear reasoning and general inter,
est, the following article by Governor
ID. w. Davis of Idaho, is worthy the
consideration of the most busy of men.
Those who are seeking a better eco
nomic condition for the nation have
suffered many suggestions, wise and
otherwise, but Governor Davis, writ
ing from a unique perspective gives
one of the most intriguing of sug-
gestions.
What has primarily lured men to
the West? What has been the guild
ing desire in the hearts and minds
of those who set their faces toward
the Pacific? Gold-the shining and
precious metal, to be dug from the
mountain or PANIED in the streams.
Millions of it have been found. But
it's value has not compared with the
value Of the homes which have been
established by these pioneers and
those who nave followed them. These
are permanent investments. In addi-
ton, many more millions have been
produced from the soil than from
mines in the west. And millions Of
acres still await the magic hand Of
enterprise, when water is i%mpounding
dams which will course through ir-
rigation bitches makes the desert
bloom. This is a proven fact.
Where do these millions of dollars
go? Into the channels Of trade, into
the world of commerce. Here is a
concrete example. A man has been
a renter in a humid section. He has
created the average wealth possible on
IN acre Of humid land. The profit is
small-he divides even that. The gov
eminent by impounding water makes
it possible for him to take a farm
under a government project. This
farm produces, according to statistics
twice the wealth his rented farm pro-
duced. Producing twice the wealth
he is twice as good a customer of the
easter or central state manufacturer
and jobber he was in his old environ
ment.
Step into the home Of a man who has
fully developed his government farm.
There you will find all Of the common
varieties of nationally advertised
goods. He has a piano, a photograph,
a kitchen cabinet. He buys an auto
mobile made in Detroit, or Cleveland,
or Indianapolis. He buys tires made
in Akron, farm implements made in
Moline, a separator made in Waterloo.
His family wears e~astern-made
clothes. His purchasing power has
been enlarged with his opportunities.
1t is a most interesting study to
come in contact with the irrigation
farmer. Go back into his old life and
note what he has been able to do since
the government gave him his oppor-
tunity to create wealth. He assumes
a greater share Of tax because of his
accumulation of wealth. A great ma
jority Of these men have paid but
small tax shares On personality before
they wendell their way westward into
the land of opportunity. They now
own land.
The manufacturer Of the eastern
n central states as well as the job.
Der who cannot see the active interest
which the development of the west
has upon his business is blind to
his opportunity. His additional re.
ceipts through reclamation of land by
the government are truly enormous.
These receipts should be multiplied
by ten in % years. There is not a
sales manager nor executive head OF
any business in all that eastern terri.
tory but who would startle himself by
thinking of the possibilities lying be
fore him for an increase of his buying
public and its ability to pay.
A trifle less than two million acres
have been reclaimed by the govern
ment. There are twenty millions
which could be placed under water
To accomplish this a system Of ii
nance has been worked out in the
McNary Smith bill now before con
gress which an appropriation Of $3.50,
900, 900, the payment of which would
cover a number of years, could bt
made to revolve into an expenditure
and value Of two billions in a quarter
of a century, without adding to the
investment.
The plan we have worked out fol
financing it not in it's proper sense
an appropriation by the government
for every cent that is used is pai(
back to the government. While the
money is in use the government draw.
more interest from it than it must pay
out. 1t is good craftsmanship to pro
vide for the future of agriculture IL
this country. 1t Is good statesman