, 1925-12-16

all.
Much of the land OF this char
acter is held by nonresident in
vestors; it is held in tracts larger
than is permitted by the Reclama
ton act and should be sub-divided
and settled by farmers who under
stand the technique of irrigation.
"a coordinated plan for the sub
division and settlement of these
privately owned lands is one of the
imperative needs of reclamation
Only through an increase in the
number of cultivators and improve
ment in the methods of cultivation
al the solvency of a number OF
the old projects be assured.
Divided responsibility in direct
ing farm routine is impracticable.
Farming is a developing science,
and successful operation of projects
as well as the conduct of the farm,
requires that 1t be done by the
farmer living on the project. His
individual freedom of action is of
first appeal to the farmer. His set
apart location and reliance on home
production of life's necessities COM
pels individual initiative.
Congress last winter determined
that the Federal government should
not obligate itself to colonize recla-
nation projects. 1t would be an
advanced step toward perpetual gov
eminent ownership and should be
avoided. New land, which effort is
being made to bring under cult
walton. is nearly all privately owned.
Logically, then, interest in settle
ment is primarily local, and it will
ity for settlement is assumed by the
state, which reaps the first benefits
from population and taxes bringing
perpetual incomes to county and
state treasures.
But governors of states have re-
fused their assent to aid in settle
ment. AS an alternative it has been
suggested that permanent and prop
erly financed organizations of bus
mess men within the state or com
munity where irrigation projects ex-
list, or are contemplated, could be
formed to aid railroads and the
bureaus in promoting settlement.
Yet there is the objection to this
plan that the government still would
be the responsible directing agency.
"If settlement and farm devel-
opment + to be localized, it ought
to be done under the direction of
the state, and the state should be
the n to make the contracts with
local agencies for their aid and CO.
operation in development. The con-
tract of the United States should
be with the state. The planning
and construction of works should
be carried on by the general govern
ment and a centralized engineering
and economic organization should be
retained as at present. Economy
and efficiency would be promoted by
this. and furthermore, the most. i'm
portant projects of the future will
be interstate in character. There
should be cooperation between the
states and the federal government
in the preliminary Investigations
and in determining what works
should be recommended to congress
NObosi tiO IL was llSlSt-
emily urged when the original rec
lamation act was being framed. Aft
err the works are built, they would
be turned over to the state under
the terms of a contract entered into
before construction started, under
which the state would become re-
sponsible for direction and financing
the subdivision of the land, the
settlement and development of farms
and the repayment ITO the govern
ment of construction costs.
Reluctance of the state to aid
projects should be regarded as an
evidence that these projects are not
regarded as good security for gov
eminent loans. The interest of SEN
ators n members of the house
who secure these appropriations
from congress must be enlisted in
promoting the best results from the
expenditure, in the interest alike of
their constituents and the govern
ment.
Until measures have been put
into effect to solve these problems
of settlement and Development and
the old projects have been made
self-sustaining, the advisability of
undertaking new projects would
seem to be conjectural and the en-
tire matter should receive the most
serious attention and consideration
by Congress, if a b~asically sound
and unassailable permanent policy
is ever to be evolved.
Two years are not enough to
correct the errors of inexperience,
lack of vision or mistaken policy.
1t has, however. been long enough