The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-12-09

cd, the question arises, can reaS-
onably thrifty settler pay out on
an amortized plan, and if so, in
now many years, and at what rate
of interest? A settlement plan
must not neglect a reasonable con-
slderation Of roads, schools,
church and community life.
| What will such an investment in
land and water and improvements
be worth to the government, to the
state, to the banks, to the mer-
chants, to the urban population
living off the income of the pro-
Ject? With these data in hand. a
plan for development. settlement,
and financing may be worked out.
The settler must have funds and
credit for long period at reas-
enable interest, sufficient to make
his land payments, to clear his
land, to provide roads, to construct
necessary improvements and to
purchase stock. To meet this con-
dition, financial corporation
might be organized in which all
parties to be benefited by the de-
velopment should be stockholders.
Should the nation and the state
assist in developing their arid
lands, or should they sit by and
wait to absorb the unearned in
crement, while the unaided farmer
subdues the desert? Has the ir-
rigation and development of TWEEN
ty millions of acres of arid lands
in the United States been of any
value to the United States, or to
the states within the boundaries
of which development have been
made
Possibly five millions of people
are making homes and are pros
perously living on land that form
erly raised sagebrush, jackrab-
bits. and rattlesnakes. In other
words, the irrigated lands have
made homes and a good living for
about one-twentieth of the popula-
ton of the United States. Is the
government any more prosperous,
or any stronger by virtue of this
development?
A competent critic makes the
following summary of the work of
Federal Reclamation: massive
dams, great artificial rivers, di-
verified over the desert; cities,
churches, schools, colleges, and
farm homes. built in what a gem
GRAFTON ago was desert; these
are monuments to the vision and
courage, which in the face of UNI
foreseen obstacles, have in a sim
gle generation written a new chap
ter in the history of the nation
and of the west"
OF these additions to the wealth
and advancement of the country,
the cities, churches, schools, col
leges, and farm homes were built
out of the desert by the tillers of
the soil, who suffered many hard
ships during the time they were
overcoming unforeseen obstacles
in their efforts to subdue the des-
ert.
Who reaps the benefits derived
from these prosperous irrigation
projects? The farmer gets money
for his crops, the banker gets in
terest on his money from the farm
er, the merchant gets the farm
er's money, the railway collects
for transportation, and for bring
ing needed supplies back to his
home market.
The United States, the state, the
county and the school district all
collect taxes. The community lives
| by this source of income-the irri-
gated farm. All being interested,
why shouldn't all join in a financ-
ing corporation to finance the set
tiers while they are developing
their farms ? And if all are bene-
/ ficiaries, why shouldn't all con-
tribute some share to the devel-
opment.
| We finance rivers and harbors
for the benefit of commerce, we
subsidize shipping for the benefit
of commerce with no hope that
the money will ever be returned.
Why should not the Federal gov
eminent pay some part of this
irrigation development, if no more
than to absorb the interest dur
ing construction and development?
Why shouldn't the state absorb
the cost of colonization, and why
shouldn't the other beneficiaries
enumerated above organize a fl
nancial corporation, and during the
development period, finance the
settler at. a low rate of interest?
Our western railways maintain, ir-
rigation divisions at considerable
expense. Why should not the rail-
roads and other public service cor
porations who receive their profit
from the settler, and who there
fore are interested in having a
community, subscribe for stock in
well peopled and a prosperous
financing corporation?
| If the farmers are to be financ-
ed, as has been suggested by those
who are benefited by the develop
ment, then payments on the land
and water should be amortized,
should carry low rate of interest
and should be spread over a con-
siderable series of years.
With the results of such survey
as has been outlined covering the
sphysical and economical POSSIBLE
ties of a project. it should be pos
sible to make a rational estimate
of the feasibility Of a project.
From such information, a pros
pective settler should be able to
/ - - tho