The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-11-07
COMMISSIONER DAVIS
SECURINGFARM DATA
ARRANGING FOR HOLDING OF
LAND SETTLEMENT MEET
AFTER JANUARY FIRST

Convinced that the first step in any
movement to bring more farmers to
Montana is to ascertain what COM
p%etitive regions are doing and the
terms and conditions they offer, and
49, The second step is to make GER
49, that new settlers secure land
where they have a reasonable chance
Of succeeding, from the point of view
Of crop production, terms of payment
and nominated land values, the state
department of agriculture, through
Commissioner Chester G. Davis, is
making a survey of what has already
been accomplished and is being done
in other states and Canada, with a
view of submitting the information
TO a land settlement meeting that will
be held at Helena the third week of
January.
While all persons and firms inter
ested will be welcome, the delibera-
tons will be confirmed to organiza-
tons directly interested in any such
movement. The data collected by the
state department of agriculture will
he laid before their representatives
for the formulation of a definite, basic
policy that will assist in the re-settle-
mcnt of desirable agricultural lands
n0w lying idle, and the development
Of other desirable lands that have not
been touched.
individual Montana bankers and
representatives of the Farm Mortgage
Bankers Association, the State Farm
Bureau, the Farmers Union, the Ma
Gonal Farm Loan Associations, and
others to whom the matter has been
presented, endorse the idea, and will
be formally represented at the con-
gress. Other organizations that will
be invited to participate in the delib.
erations are the Montana %StOckgrow.
ers' Association, the u. S. Reclama.
tiOn Service, the Northern Pacific, the
Grpa. Northern, the Chicago, Milwau
kee & St. Paul, and the Union Pacific
railways, the Montana Development.
Association, the State Agriculture
College, the State Land Board and tn,
Boards of County Commissioners, tn
Swo last named being large holder
of farm lands.
THE State Department of Agricul
ture has devoted considerable atten
ton to this problem" said Commits
.soiner Davis, "even to the extent O
working out a detailed follow-up sys
TEN of bringing in and establishin!
settlers, but it has not seemed ad
visable to attempt to put it into op
Grafton. For a year or two past tn
drift has been away from the farm
INTO cities. To overcome this ecC
n0mic tendency would require the eS
penditure of three dollars in land sell
ing and colonization work where on
dollar would accomplish the same re
suits when the tendency is the othe
way.
THAT the tide will turn farmwar
again is inevitable, and if Montana
to reap the advantage, it must be pr'
pared. The railroads are intereste
IN the settlement of vacant lands
the districts they serve; the far
mortgage companies and the counti'
want to get real farmers on the hol,
iugs that they have acquired durir
the depression; the Montana Develo.
ment Association wants more farT
FRS and more prosperous ones tn
the mercantile and industrial inte
ests Of the state will go forward; t.
Reclamation Service wants it's idle
rigated lands put in use; the livestO
growers are concerned that areas be
adapted for grazing be kept so, a
the farm organizations are interest
m seeing lands of sub-productive c
pacity kept out of use under prese
conditions, for if they are used, t
operators will be constantly on t
verge of bankruptcy to the detrime
of the entire farm industry.
each of these interests, for n
another reason, is interested in la
selling and colonization. Believi
that if they are all united on G
definite policy and aim, instead
working Individually at cross-p1
poses, the State Department of Ag
culture is gathering a fund of
tailed information from other sta
and Canada; the nature of the orga
zations through which this work
carried on; the relationship of
state to the private land company
how and to what extent they coop
ate; how prospective settlers
found and the best mediums for g
ting in contact with them; help extel
49, - doLo~~o;rsuo s.pou uoxu