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

In reclamation was necessary and should include
Cooperation between the federal government
and the states where projects are located; advances
TO settlers to help complete the Improvement and
equipment of their farms; a low interest to be
charged on these advances; that where projects
Inciuue lana In private ownership held in excess
OF homestead units, development should not be-
gin until an agreement has been reached with
these owners fixing the price of that land to set
tiers and methods OF colonization
1t seems likely that these radical innovations
Will bulk large in any legislation enacted by the
next congress. There is strong hint of this
In the Kendrick- Winter bill in the last congress-
This required the settler to have at least 81 800
capital and farm experience. Advances I'D to
$1,000 were provided, the settler to put up $40
against each $50 advanced by the bureau. Provi-
sion was made for farm advisor The bill was
favoraby reported to both chambers but failed
OF passage. Why? Largely because of another
new 1dea That congress should make settlement
and farm development a state matter
That this idea has become popular with con-
gress is shown by the fact that on three projects
this years appropriations are conditional on the
states entrance into contract with the bureau TO
subdivide the land, find the settlers and advance
the money needed to improve the farms.
The survey trips of Secretary Work and Com
missioner Mead have been remarkable for one
thing: plain talk. Governors, congressman bank
ers merchants, officials Of chambers of congress
and agricultural associations, land owners and
railroad men were called upon to state where
they stood. In Chicago the two officials met rem
representatives of nine railroads and set forth the
necessity of their cooperation in the obtaining
OF settlers Of the right kind The railroad men
were told that to people the new projects 1900 set
tiers would be necessary and the same number
to fill up the 6aps on the old projects; that from
$4,000 to $1,000 was necessary to equip farms of
from forty to eighty acres; that statistics showed
about four prospective settlers with less than
$1,000 to one with that or more capital: that the
0pnaPtnQnt iotio
fiscal year recognizes the fact that there is an
obligation on the part of the state as we'll as the
federal government in the successful development
of these projects through selection of settlers
and the furnishing Of financial assistance and
instruction.
These facts were repeated all along the line
and where the opportunity offered, the facts as TO
a particular project were set forth. For example
there was an irrigation conference at Great Falls
Mont, with special reference to the completion of
the Sun river project, for which congress has an
propriated $611,000 Secretary Work made an
address and here is what he said, in part:
Congress in appropriating money for completing
the Sun River project made it a partnership de-
velopment. The conditions of this appronriation
require the bureau Of reclamation build the
reservoir and complete the canals Afterward the
state or montana Is to subdivide the 10000 ad-
dltional acres that will be reclaimed, the set
tiers advise them, and advance money to eoutn
their farms There should be a complete under
standing in order to determine whether the nlan
outlined by congress ought to be adopted or to
agree on what recommendation should be made to
congress- construction to be postponed until there
be further legislation.
Changes needed in the settlement clausas
of the reclamation act If development is to go on In
the Rocky Mountain states. Federal reclamation
has not produced the desired agricultural results
1t has not given the Industrious experienced set
tier the kind of an opportunity he should have
1t has given too wide range to land speculation
1t has bred the menace of tenancy Instead OF
the settlers on these projects having of
gratitude to the government disappoin tment and
bitterness prevail. We ought not to go with
policy that creates these results The question Is:
What wisely and safely undertake to i'm
prove these conditions?