Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-19

have garnered the food not produced
are becoming one big economic world
problem. It is affected now by 1885,
100000 acres in America, large part
not all-of which can be made to feed
the starving of the mismanaged world,
and, with improved methods of pro-
duction and transportation. this need
never be hardship upon the working
farmers-according to the doctrines of
the conservationists.
X
What viii Congress decide, when the
proposal is presented, this Winter? For
more than a century the question has
been before Congress- and the issues
have shifted each session according to
economic and political interests Of the
day.
In the early decades, after the forma-
ton of the Government the interests
of the East were opposed violently by
those of the West. All States had been
induced to cede their undeveloped State
lands to the Federal Government, to
stop interstate controversies. The East
contended that this Federal land should
be sold to settlers and the proceeds
turned into the National Treasury to
liquidate the national debt. After an
80-year fight the West prevailed, and
won the Homestead act, in 1862, under
which any citizen could acquire q farm
freely, If he would settle on it.
The Homestead act was an issue in
Lincoln's second campaign and the
song was popular in the Union Army:
For Uncle Sam is rich enough
To give us all farm"
Up to 1928 homesteaded farms agrre-
gated 230,000,000 acreS-approximatel
equal to the area now remaining in
Government hands which President
Hoover wants to turn back to the States
in which it is located. In addition to
the homestead land there have been
entries under timber and stone act.
amounting to 100000 acres, and g.
100000 acres were sold to investors,
under a so-called "desert-land act"
The Union soldiers were given special
compensation" in land. The evil of
this Government liberality was that
many millions of acres of timber land
were sacrificed, without adequate set
tlement OF territory, and, about 80 years
ago, the conservationist movement
began to take form, adding its differ
ences of theory to the jealousies which
had long existed between cattle grazerS
and shsep rancherS, and the land
Darons' profiting by various loopholeS
in the laws.
But for whole century the contro-
versies have been acute. In 1888, Henry
Clay introduced a bill to cede all the
land to the respective States, and it
passed, but was pocket-vetoed by Presi-
dsnt Jackson.
In the same year that gave us the
Homestead law U862), came the Nor
rill act, under which each State received
land for the special purpose of financing
State agricultural and mechanical
schools-thiS land amounting to 80. 900
acres per Senator and Representative
OF the respective States. Then 5000, 900
acres were sold, or set aside to be sold,
the proceeds TO go to building wagon
roads, and 100000 acres were given
to the States to be used as bonuses for
the construction of railroads, and 50O,-
600 acres were given to each State for
internal Improvements"
More than fourth of the land thus
given to the States was classified as
swamp" but that was under a policy
of inducing the States to undertake
drainage enterprises. Probably there
was more fraud in connection with the
selection of alleged swamp lands'
than in any other phase of the projecls.
In spite OF the open frauds under the
swamp land laws, the laws are still un-
repealed, and the Land Once reports
that the swamp land work continues
to be heavy"
X + X
In 1894, the Carey act ceded to the
arid States mot more than 1000 900
acres EACH" to be irrigated by the
States. Under that law, 1000 900 acres
were taken up by the States, but up to
1928, only l,l68.000 acres had been ir.
rigated as obligated by the States.
During the administration of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. there began great agi-
tation for saving forests, parks and
power sites. Conservation laws were
adopted, under which at present we
have reserved forests of 1876, 533,824
acres, parks more than 1000 900 acres.
coal lands, 30, 1853 acres, and other
allotments for reservoirs. water reserves.
naval oil reserves, oil lands and phos-
phate and potash lands amounting 70
millions of acres.
The whole question which President
Hoover's plan awakes Is so tied up with
allied problems that it is certain TO be-
come one of the most important issues
in Congress.
(CopyriEht, 1919, By Paul v. co,l,naA