Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-07-23

There has already been spent for construction
on the four projects of this state $16 000 900. OF
that only $628O0O has been repaid On four i'm
portant divisions not dollar of construction
these projects $2,S76,5OO or this only 1929 900
has been collected All the money that has been
received would not repay the government what
1t has expended in operation and maintenance. AID
irrigation work that is not worth enough to pay
for It's operation should not be continued.
Acting this conviction, arranging to
sell the Wilston project, and have seriously
to consider whether the action should not
be taken with regard to the Lower Yellowstone
project, where out of $s6S.ooO operating cost to
December 81, 1924, only $174,O00 been repaid
the deficit today standing at $4,000.
These results not believed to be due to lack
of agricultural resources They are the result
of too large holdings, lack of belief in the
sity for irrigation, poor cultivation, imitation in
the prices of privately owned land, and the lack
of capital and equipment needed by settlers to
enable them to cultivate their land irrigation
requires
In considering projects we must remember
that thousands of farm under federal ir-
rigating bitches have never been farmed and other
thousands have been abandoned; that about a half
million farms in the United States abandoned
last year that railways that once were our best
aid for settling the West cannot carry people
who will not ride and not interested in peo-
ping land with those who cannot produce freight
for them to haul. We must be able to show gress
that we have men enough in sight to work these
projects or congress Will not advance money to
develop them.
We are canvassing old projects to determine If
it is impossible for settlers to pay the and
charges assessed against them. We are making
a study of proposed projects, their physical
features fertility, length of growing season, crops
adapted, markets accessible, financial require
ments of settlers, etc, but my principal concern
is to discover the attitude of the people, locally
For I must certify to the congress these points,
whether the land is being held for speculationI
whether those living in town realize that the
of proposed project is vital to them; whether
the business disposed to exploit the new
venture to get the money appropriated by the gov
eminent Immediately to treat these set
tiers neighbors and community assets and not
voters to be cajoled or strangers to be preyed
upon.
1t is of vital moment to future of federal
reclamation that we first reclaim reclamation, that
restore lost confidence in its government
sentatives, re-establish the enthusiasm brought on
to projects by settlers, and discredit those who
live by farming the farmers 1 am not willing
to let federal reclamation continue to ride reck-
it to those by their courage and industry have
earned the right to home ownership
Leaving settlement and agriculture to shape
themselves was mistake that has cost the
reclamation fund millions of dollars and will cost
more" said Commissioner Mead at Denver. "The
situation in the case of The older reclamation
projects has created financial conditions that can
be cured only by refunding settlers private debts
or getting body of settlers This is not
conjecture; it is fact On some of the projects
settlers were accepted without any inquiry into
their fitness and were given neither advice nor
aid What is the result? They have undergone
crucifxion. Many have lost their homes through
foreclosure Payments are not made to the gov
eminent. Nearly all this trouble has its origin in
accepting unfit settlers and leaving the good ones
to struggle unaided against obstacles too great
for them to overcome"
1T is our purpose to build reclamation from
the ground up. From the farmer to the govern
ment, rather than from the government to the
dam and the dam to the desert" says Secretary
Work. "The reclamation bureau is not now being
conducted in the interests of individuals but for
the best interests of those who live on the land
and who we hope may eventually own It, It is
the human element involved in reclamation thar
should be our first concern to protect the inter
ests OF those already the land and prepare
for those we shall invite to come"