THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



203 



financial aid many have 

 not been able to com- 

 plete the preparation of 

 their land for irrigation 

 in a reasonable time, 

 and, as a result, have 

 failed when through 

 timely assistance they 

 would have succeeded. 

 These failures have de- 

 terred others from at- 

 tempting settlement. 

 Hence, a large part of 

 the irrigable land is un- 

 occupied. 



Until this is changed 

 the reclamation of irri- 

 gated land will continue 

 to involve regrettable 

 hardship and loss to 

 many deserving settlers ; 

 development will be 

 slow, and irrigation se- 

 curities will have un- 

 certain value ; irrigation 



works will not fulfill their greatest purpose, which 

 is to create opportunities for poor men, and Ameri- 

 can farmers will continue to emigrate to the ready 

 made irrigated farms of Australia and Canada. 



Adequate financial aid for settlers during the 

 first five years is the greatest question before this 

 Conference. It is also the one about which there 

 is likely to be the greatest difference of opinion. No 

 one, I think, doubts its need or value if wisely and 

 honestly managed, but many do not regard it as 

 feasible simply because it has not been attempted. 



\Yith respect to the latter, I have had during 

 the past five years a most convincing and instruc- 

 tive experience. As Chairman of the State Water 

 Commission of Victoria I have assisted in carrying 

 out one of the most complete schemes of state aid 

 to irrigated settlement ever attempted. Its suc- 

 cess will, I hope, encourage this country to adopt 

 a similar policy. 



Seven years ago the situation under the irri- 

 gation schemes at Victoria was not unlike that un- 

 der the Reclamation and Carey act projects today. 

 The canals were built, the water was available, but 

 the settlers were not there to use it and hence the 

 works were unprofitable. 



The State Government determined to change 

 this by creating conditions which would enable any- 

 one who had industry and thrift to secure an irri- 

 gated farm even if he had little or no money, and 

 which would warrant its inviting settlement from 

 distant countries. 



It has succeeded in its purpose by requiring 

 only small initial payments and giving adequate aid 

 and direction. No charge is made for water rights 

 and the annual payments are only intended to cover 

 4 per cent interest on the cost of works and the ex- 

 penses of operation and maintenance. The cash 

 payment on land is only 3 per cent of its cost and 

 thirty-one and a half years is given in which to com- 

 plete payments with interest at 4 l / 2 per cent. Houses 

 are built for settlers on a cash payment of about 

 one-fourth the cost, payments of the remainder may 



MEAD'S COMMENT ON CONFERENCE 



THE weakness of American irrigation develop- 

 ment has been its exaltation of works and its 

 neglect of the settler who uses and pays for them. 

 Irrigation schemes have failed because the settler 

 has been left to struggle unaided with a task be- 

 yond his means and strength. 



The calling of the Denver conference by Secre- 

 tary Lane, the sensible, patient appeal of Chairman 

 Jones, for those present to cease chasing rainbows 

 and deal with realities, and the interest of all the 

 state governors in measures to aid settlers and 

 lessen the losses and hardships which unaided de- 

 velopment entail, marks, I believe, the turning point 

 in the irrigation policies of this country, and that 

 hereafter when money is provided to build dams, 

 money will also be made available to help grade 

 and plant fields and build homes. 



When this is done it will mean such lessening in 

 the time of development and increase in returns 

 from cultivation as will solve the question of the 

 value and stability of irrigation securities and end 

 the hardships and losses which are now a reproach 

 on this development. ELWOOD MEAD. 



extend over twenty years 

 with 5 per cent interest. 

 The State,*when desired, 

 grades and seeds a por- 

 tion, up to one-fourth, of 

 each farm, on the pay- 

 ment of one-fifth the es- 

 timated cost, and allows 

 the payments of the re- 

 mainder to extend over 

 ten years. It employs 

 disinterested expert ad- 

 visors to help the settler 

 select his farm, buy his 

 horses and cows and do 

 what is needed to get es- 

 tablished on his farm. 



The saving in money 

 and time which this sys- 

 tem effects can only be 

 appreciated by those 

 who have seen it in op- 

 eration. Many settlers 

 select their farm and ar- 

 range the erection of 



their house before leaving Europe; are able to go 

 directly from the ship to their new home and have 

 a living income from a dairy herd within a month 

 from their arrival. 



The State follows up this initial assistance by 

 loaning the settler 60 per cent of the value of any 

 improvements he makes. This enables men with 

 small capital to complete without delay the grading 

 and seeding and improvement of their farms. It 

 does not halt when the settler exhausts his own 

 capital. When he has one field graded he can bor- 

 row money on that to grade another. 



This generous aid and the thoughtful consider- 

 ation of his welfare is a great encouragement and 

 incentive to the ambitious and earnest beginners. 

 I have never seen elsewhere men work as hard or 

 achieve as much in the first two years as in those 

 Victorian settlements. But all who come are not 

 industrious or capable. Such a scheme is especially 

 attractive to the visionary and incompetent. Some 

 of the settlers seem to regard the house, the farm 

 and the graded fields, as an endowment, and to be- 

 lieve that the State which has done so much to help 

 them succeed will do the remainder. 



To help the inexperienced and guard against 

 being imposed upon by the idle or indifferent, the 

 State employs in each district a tactful, practical 

 farmer who is the friend, counselor and advisor of 

 the working settler and a stimulator of others. 

 When his efforts and influence fail the fact is re- 

 ported to the head office. 



The settler knows of this and also knows that 

 such reports will have a controlling influence in 

 determining whether or not he is to obtain loans 

 or be given sympathetic treatment when payments 

 are delayed. The law is so framed that the com- 

 mission administering it has discretion to defer 

 payments where settlers are unfortunate, but it also 

 has authority to eliminate promptly any settler who 

 fails to show earnestness, industry and thrift. 



This scheme of comprehensive aid has now 

 been in operation six years. The settlements that 



