248 THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



The promoters of our movement believe that on irrigated lands a very 

 high type of civilization can be established wherein the principal business of a 

 man will be to supply the needs of his own hoiisehold, buying outside only 

 when he cannot help. To our minds the following of such a policy is -the 

 only effectual way to combat trusts and combines just at the present time. 

 We do not intend to grow grain for the board of trade to gamble with and to 

 enable railroads to pay dividends on watered stocks. Nor will we raise cattle 

 to help millionaires to pile up more millions for themselves. We can eman- 

 cipate ourselves from the thraldom of the oil trust by using the power derived 

 from our irrigation system to produce electricity for lighting and other pur- 

 poses. Then as to Mr. Havemeyer it is quite possible he may have other 

 competitors besides Mr. Arbuckle in view of the fact that sugar beet culture 

 under irrigation has proved so satisfactory that such lands having convenient 

 access to a sugar factory have been valued intrinsically at $500 an acre. To 

 sum up, we believe that under the conditions we expect to create it will be 

 quite possible to maintain a large family in comfort on five acres intelligently 

 handled. Yours respectfully, 



J, HAMMOND. 



The work of the league at the present time is confined to the enrolling of 

 members and to the collection of statistics and information in regard to suit- 

 able location for the colony. 



Particulars have been received of eligible sites with home markets or ou 

 surplus that can be depended on now and for all time. Their location I dare 

 not as yet make public for a reason that I will briefly explain. Under either 

 the Homestead or Desert Land Act a citizen of the United States has the 

 right to file on and appropriate to his own use 160 acres of government la nd 

 be it irrigable land or otherwise. Thus directly it became known that our 

 colony intended to reclaim such and such a tract of land a number of greedy 

 eople might make a rush to grab up all the choice portions of it and thereby 

 defeat the carefully laid plans of our League. 



A correspondent enquires why we do not buy from land companies who 

 have lands already reclaimed, and thereby save time. I replied that such 

 lands were held for sale at from $25 to $50 an acre, and that most of our mem- 

 bers could not afford these prices, nor indeed was it necessary for us to do so 

 if we could, as we can acquire just as valuable lands and reclaim them our- 

 selves at a cost not to exceed $2.00 to $8.00 an acre. 



The requirements of the colonists to get started consist of machinery, 

 implements with shelter and subsistance until the land can be brought to the 

 producing stage. The amount has been roughly estimated at about $150 to 

 $200 per member. On inquiry we find that arrangements could be made for 

 supplying these to the colonists and allowing them time to pay for them. For 

 our part, however, we would much prefer not to run into debt, but that the 

 members of the League and their friends should furnish the capital required 



