What the Government Owes Its People 209 



ity of enlightened leadership detached from every 

 thought of selfish personal interest, which we have seen 

 to be essential to the best results. The moral, intel- 

 lectual and scientific resources at the disposal of the 

 Government would be mobilized in the service of the 

 humblest home. 



The law would be in no sense mandatory or restric- 

 tive. It does not mean that private enterprise shall 

 not be permitted to engage in various forms of land 

 development in the future as in the past. It means 

 merely that those who prefer to submit their project 

 to the Government, first for thorough examination of 

 all its aspects, then for actual construction and organi- 

 zation, may have the opportunity to do so, upon con- 

 dition that they shall provide every dollar of the funds 

 required for the project — such funds to be deposited 

 with the Treasurer of the United States, and paid out 

 upon the vouchers of the Secretary of the Interior. 

 In return for these advantages the owners of the proj- 

 ect permit the Government to fix the price of the land, 

 thus agreeing to accept a reasonable limitation upon 

 the profits of the enterprise. 



The Government will also have opportunity to ex- 

 ercise wise discretion in the selection of settlers, and 

 to establish rules and regulations that will tend to 

 prevent speculation, and favor those seeking permanent 

 homes in good faith. It is to be assumed that if the 

 system justifies itself in practice, it will gradually be- 

 come the favored method of land development, and 

 prove to be equally in the interest of landowners, in- 

 vestors and homebuilders. The cornerstone of the sys- 

 tem is public confidence of the kind that is rarely, if 

 ever, enjoyed by purely private enterprise, and that 



