1 1 iU 
niciiis ill loiters a yard Ions. <'ind the ropro- 
liciisililo jiraeiioo lias ooiitiinicd lo dat(‘ in nthor 
forms. 'I’ln* ooiiiimm jk'ojiU* consider wool-^irowcrs 
a fTraspiii;,'. morciloss .sot, rinlin« in il!-j;()lton piins. 
11 is needless to remark here* lliat lln> jioor jmldie 
got ver.v lilfle of oiir j^ood filM*rs. Imt Unit llioyrc- 
yore tiudr own or sonn* east-olTs of otIi('r.s. 
SI.KKP1N(; SlIKPHEKDS.—For lialf a eenlury 
lids lias l»een f.'oin;r on, and tlie slu'ejmien. made 
penile iiy flieir assoiiates. liave Ix'eii (|iiietly aftend- 
in;: tlieir le.ssemxi flocks, sfandiiifi alone all fli(‘s(‘ 
yi'ars. wlieii I'vt'ry Irade. ImsiiK'ss, maiinfaclnre, and 
<‘\ eryf liin.;; niidm- file snii, exec'pt wooI-Krowin;', was 
orjrani:e;l. M’ool sliorfafic* now is flie result of lafti'r- 
da.v In siness mefliods and jiolities, iiiiframimded l»y 
any e.Torfs of Avool-jrrowi'rs. “'Pile fjods (or soiin* 
<»nei lielji fliose who lielp f lu'inselve.s." and flie .slu'e])- 
nien liav(‘ heen too careless and too Irnstfnl to 
tight for the success of an indnsfry to hring them 
]icrsonal gain, and jirosjiority to the whole iieojde. 
Can an,v of the ahove he controverted? If not, it 
shows fh(‘ reiiKsly and an eli.gihle o]ti)ortnnity now 
olTers fo ap]il.v it. 
TIIF 1)AW.\ OF TIIIO MOI{NIN(h—It hades now 
as if the hiffcr would ohtain. The sheepmen are 
crawling onl of flieir slndls. In addition fo former 
grievances, fhe.v are a.skcd to la.v down their wool 
lielow cost of iirodncfion, when every other com¬ 
modity in maniifaclnn' and endeavor, :ps Avcdl as 
Avages, is soaring. 'PlK'n* are no ludfer jiatriof.s, and 
they are ri'.sigm'd for the good of the world, hut 
fhe.v are asking Avhi're the thing Avill slop, and if, 
Avlien “flic ahomiiiafioii of di'sohifion" that is tor¬ 
turing the world is desfroy<*d, avooI Avill still he 
singled out for trials. With fair treafnient, the 
jirosjiect for sheeii and avooI for the future is great, 
and we Avant to he in it once. It all depends on 
ourseh'cs, Fvery owner of evmi a few sheep should 
do all he can in nnioii Avifh otlim's fo ]nit .shecii on 
the map of the Fnifisl States. All a.s.soclations of 
farmers should make flieni their chi(‘f tenet. Tli(‘ 
Crange should adopt them. Farmers’ meetings and 
institutes shonhl toiu' down the threadhare discus¬ 
sions of alri'ady estahlisIuMl jiroductions, and discuss 
the necessity of tlie mefliods and the means to make 
Avool-growing a success. Slieeinneu in every locallt.A' 
should indlviilually and collectively see that these 
things are done, and .should convert husiness and 
]iolitics to the country’s Avelfare from America groAA'- 
ing its own Avoid, anil in the meantime stock up. 
TJNITFl) EFFORT.—Organization is the means to 
juit tlie feid out of the trough. It Avill remoA'e the 
national disgrace, imt some money in avooI men’.s 
pockets, and a lot in annual circulation for every- 
hody. it will do uji the u.se'id’ suhstitiites for Avool, 
clothe file jieople Avidl, and make the sheeji man hold 
UJI his head. It Avill cure parasite's and other sheep 
ailments and clotlie tlie jiastures Avith happ.A^ Hocks. 
Eusiness nor jiolitics jia.A’ any attention to individual 
liher growers, hut AVi* have learned a Avhole.some les¬ 
son from the cotton men, and it is now time for 
AVO(d-gro\vers to unite and go after all the.v deserve. 
Ohio. y. AV. UEYNOLDS, 
When Our Soldiers Come Home 
Secretary Franklin K. Lane Outlines His Plan 
I’AKT IT. 
LOnOED-OFF LANDS.—The amount of cut-over 
lands in the United States, of course, it is iinpo.ssihle 
even in aiiproxiiuation to estimate. Tliese lands, 
howeA'er, lie largely in the South Atlantic and (Julf 
States, the Tinke States and the NorthAvestern 
States. A rough estimate of their number is ahout 
two hundred million acres—that is of land suitable 
for agricultural develoinnent. Substantially all this 
cut-over or logged-off land is in private owner.ship. 
The failure of this land to he develoiied is largely 
due to inadequate method of approach. T^nless a 
iicAV polic.A’’ of develoimieiit is Avorked out in co¬ 
operation between the Federal (lovernment, the 
State.s, and the individual oAvners, a greater part of 
it AA'ill remain unsettled in the I’acitie Nortlnvest 
(liarticularly in Wasliiugton and Oregon), in the 
Lake States (Minnesota, Mieliigan, and Wisconsin), 
and in tlie South Atlantic and Gulf Coastal State.s 
(Virginia, Nortii Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and 
Texas). 
A NEW POLICY NEEDED.—Any plan for the 
development of land for the returning soldier will 
come face to face with the fact that a new policy 
Avill have to meet the ucav conditions. The era of 
free or cheap land in the United States has passed. 
We must meet the new conditions of develoiiing 
lands in advance—security must to a degri'e dis¬ 
place speculation. Some of the defects in our old 
IShe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
system have been de.scrihed by Dr. Elwood Mead 
in these Avords: 
Scicnci' (should) have gone hand in hand with tlie 
settlement of the arid and semi-arid conntr.v, ami all 
tliat. scienci' could give Avoiihl liav<‘ lieen ntilizi'd. lirst. 
in tlie creation of tlie i-omlitioiis of settb'iiient and 
then in aiding tin* settler in dillicnlt tasks. Uecanso 
notliing Avas done, these heroic but iininforined souls 
Avere be<l(‘vil(*d b.v the winds, cold, droiiglit. am! insect 
posts. Tlie.v Avasted tlieir elTorts, lost their lioj)es and 
ambitions, and a tragic percentage left, iinpoverislied 
and ('inbittered. Tlie tragie jiart of tliis liistor.v is tliat 
nearly all fliis snlTering and loss could have bi'en avoided 
niidor a caia'fnlly tlimiglit-out, i)lan of di'veloiniient. 
cri’Y OR COUN'l'RA’.—q’lierc arc certain tenden- 
<'ics wliicli AV(' onglit to face frankl.A' in onr consider¬ 
ation of a iiolic.A’ for land to tiio lionio-coniing soldier. 
First, tlio drift to farm tenancy. Tlio experience 
(d’ file AA'orld sliows Avitliont question tliat tlie liaji- 
jiic'st people, the best fsirnis, and th(‘ soundest 
jiolitical conditions arc found wliere tlio farmer oAvns 
tlie bonie and tlie farm lands. The growth <if R'li- 
anc.A’ in America sIioaa’s an increase of ,‘?2 jier cent 
for tlie 20 years between ISOO and 1010. Second, 
the drift to urlian life. In IHSO of tlie total iiojiula- 
tion of file T’nited States 2n..o per cent of our peojjle 
residod in citie.s, and 70..^ per cent in tlio eonntry. 
At tlie census of 1010, 4(i..‘{ jier cent resided iir 
citi('s and o.’t.T jier cent remained in tlie country. 
It is evident that .since tlie war in Eurojic there lias 
lieen a decided incrcu.se in the trend toAvard the city 
because of industrial conditions. The adoption by 
file United Stales of new policies in its land de¬ 
velopment jilaiis for returning veterans avHI also 
< ontriliutc to the amelioration of these fAvo dangers 
to American life. 
PURCHASE RY LONG-TIME PAYMENTS.—A 
jilan of land develoimu'nt, Avlicrclty land is develojiod 
in large areas, siili-divided into individual farms, 
llieii sold to actual liomifide farmers on a long-time 
]tayiiient liasl.s, lias hecii in force not only in the 
United States under the Reclamation Act, hut also 
in many otlier countries for soA’cral years. It lias 
jiroAa'd a distinct succe.ss. In Denmark, Ireland, 
New Z('aland, and the Australian ronin)onw('altli it 
lias comidetely clianged file land .situation. One of 
tlie new features of tliis jdan is tliat liolders arc 
aided in imiiroving and cultivating tlie farm. In a 
Avord, there is organized coininnivity develoinnent. 
Its Ixnieticial results liave Ix'cn Avell de.scrilx'd hy 
tlie Canadian Cominisison wbicli Avas appointed to 
investigate its re.snlts in Ncav Zealand in tliese 
words: 
. . . The fanners liave built better liouses <tr 
remodeled tlieir old ones, brought a larger acreage of 
hind under cultivation that Avonld otherwise he lying 
idle; have bouglit and kept better livestock; have 
bought and urged more labor-saving machinery on the 
farms and in the lionses. . . Tliey keep more slioep 
ami i»ig.s ami have .so largely increa.sed tlie revenue 
from their farms that the.v are alile to meet tlie pay¬ 
ments on the mortgages and to adopt a liiglier .standard 
of living, and a better one. Tiirougliont the country a 
higher and better civilization is gradually being evolved; 
tlie .vonng men and Avonien avIio are gniwing up are 
happy and contented to remain at home on tlie farm 
and find ample time and opportunity for recreation and 
entertainment of a kind more wholesome and elevating 
than can lie obtainj^d in the cities. 
It may be .said tliat tliis country, outside of 
Alaska, has iio frontier today. Of oonrse, Alaska 
will still offer opixirtunity for ])ioneer life. And, of 
oour.se, Ala.ska likewise lias yet uiiknoAvn ri'iiiarkable 
Agricultural possibilitie.s, but unless we make jio.s- 
sible tlie development of this land by tbe men Avbo 
desire tlieir life in tliat field, we will lose a great 
national opportunity. 
PREI’ARATION NEEDED.—Tlii.s is an immediato 
duty. It Avill b(‘ too late to plan for the.se tilings 
Avlu'ii the Avar is over. Our thoughts now .should 
be given to tlie problem. And I therefore desire 
liriiig to your mind flie wisdom of immediately siijc 
plying llie Interior Department with a .sutlicieut 
fund Avitli Avliicli to make the necessary surveys and 
studic's. We sliould know by the time the Avar 
eiid.s, not merely Iioav much arid laud can he irri¬ 
gated, nor hoAV much sAAnuu]) land reclaimed, nor 
where the grazing laud is and liow many cattle it 
will support, iior how much cut-over land can be 
cleared, but we .should kuoAV Avith delinlteiiess 
where it is practicable to begin new irrigation jiroj- 
ects, Avhat the diameter of tlie land is, Avliat tlie 
nature of the iniproveirieiits needed Avill lie, and 
what the cost will lie. We should kiioAV also, not in 
a general Avay, but with particularit.v, what dcliuite 
areas of swamp laud may lie reclaimed, how they can 
lie draiiK'd, Avliat tlie cost of tlie drainage will he, 
what crops tlie.v Avill raise. We sliould have in mind 
siioeilie areas of grazing lands, Avith a kninvledge of 
the cattle Avhich are be.st adaiited to them, and the 
liractieahility of .supporting a family uiMm them. 
So, too. with our cut-over lauds. Wo .‘•’'ould knoAV 
what it would cost to pull or “blow out.” stumps 
and to put the lands iuto condition for a farm 
home. 
October 0, 1918 
LAND REGI.AMATTON.—It has been oflicially 
estimated that more tlian lifteon millions of acres of 
irrigalile land uoav remain in tlie Government’s 
liands. Tliis is flii' great remaining storelioiiso of 
Government land for roclaiiialion. Under Avhat 
polic.v and iirograni millions of tliese acres could he 
reclaimed for future farms and lionies, remains for 
legislation to doti'nniuo. Tbe aiiioiint of .sAA’amp and 
ent-oA’or lands in tbe T’nitc'd Stall's Unit can be made 
availalile for farming is extoiisivo. .Inst Iioav much 
there is has ucA’cr been dctcnnined Avilli any degree 
of accurac.A'. I’racfically all of it has pas.sed into 
private ownersliip. For tliat reason in considering 
its use. it would he uecessar.A’ to work out a policy 
helween tlie jirivate owners and the (Jovernmciit un- 
l('ss the land was purchas(*d. It lias Ix'eii estimated 
tliat tlio total area of sAA’amp and overflowed lands 
in file T’nited States is IiotAA'oen sovent.v uud eighty 
million acres. Of this amount it is stated that ahout 
“sixty million acre's can he reclaimed and made 
Iirofitalile for agriculture.” The undeveloped sAvainp 
lands lie chiefl.A’ in Floriila, in the States along the 
Atlantic and Gulf (’oa.sts, in the Mis.si.s.sippi Delta, 
and in Mis.souri, Indiana. Mlciiigau, Minnesota, Wis¬ 
consin, and (’alifornia. Wliat amount of land in its 
natural state mitit for farm homos can be made 
suitable' for cullivaliou by drainage, eiiil.v tlioreiugli 
surveys ami stiielies can dcveleq). We knoAV that 
aiitlientie tigures slienv tliat more fbau lifteon mll- 
lieui acres liave boon re'claimed for profitable farm¬ 
ing, most of Avhich lies in the Mississippi River 
Valle.v. 
DEFINITE FLANS.—.\nel all this .slioulel he done 
uiion a eh'finito planning basi.s. We .sheu’lel think 
as e'arefull.v of each eiiie of fho.se projects as George 
Wusliiiigton tliought of in ]danning the city of 
M’a.sliington. We should knoAV Avliat it Avill cost to 
1 iiy tbi'.'ie lands if tlie'y are in private hands. In 
slieirt, at the conclusion of tlie Avar, the United 
States should be able to .say to its returned soldiers: 
“If you wisli to go upon a farm, here are a variety 
of farms of which yon may take your pick, Avhich 
tlic Govcriinicnt has jiroparod against tlie time of 
your returning.” I do not mean liy tliis to carry 
fhe implication that Ave sliould do any other Avork 
now than tlie Avork of planning. A A'or.v small sum 
of money put iuto tlie hands of men of tliought, ex¬ 
perience and vision avIH give us a itrogram Aviiicii 
will make us feel entirely confident that avc are not 
to he submerged industrially or otherwise by labor 
Avhich we A\’ill not he aide to ah.sorh, or that A\’e 
would he in a condition where Ave Avould .sIioav a lack 
of respect for those Avho return a.s heroe.s, hut Avho 
will he Avithout means of immediate .self-support. 
A million or two dollars, if a]ipropriated uoav, Avill 
put this work Avell under Ava.w This plan does not 
contemplate anything like charity to the .soldiei*. 
He is not to be given a Ixmiity. He is not to bo 
made to feel that he is a depi'iident. On the con¬ 
trary, lie is to continue in a sense in the service of 
tlio Government. Instead of destroying our enomio.s 
he is to doveloj) onr resources. 
THE SOLTHl'lR’S WORK.—The work that is to 
be done, other than the planning, .should he done 
liy tli(' soldier himself. Tlie dam or tlie irrigation 
project .sliould he built liy liim, the canals, the 
ditclie.s, tlie breaking of the land and the liuilding 
of file houses, .should, under proper direction, lie his 
occupation. He should ho allowed to make his 
own home, cared for wliile he is doing it, and given 
an interest in the land for Avliicli he can pay through 
a long jieriod of years, perhaps 20 or 40 years. 
Tills same policy can he carried out as to the other 
classes of land. So tliat tlie soldier on his return 
AA'onld have an opjiortnuity to make a liome for him¬ 
self, to Imild a home Avitli money wlilch avo avouUI 
advance and Avliich lie Avonld repay, and for the 
repayment we Avonld have an abundant security. 
The farms should not he l,nrned over as tlie prairies 
Avere—unbroken, nnfenced, Avithont accommodations 
for men or animals. There should lie prepared 
homes, all of Avliicli can lie constructed by the men 
tlieni.'jelves and paid for liy tliom under a .system of 
simple devising liy wliicli modern metliods of finance 
will lie apiilied to tbeir needs. 
As 1 hUA'e indicated, tliis is not a mere Utopian 
vision. It i.s, Avith sliglrt variations, a iioliey Avliich 
other countries are pursuing successfully. Tlie jilan 
is siniiile. I Avill nmh'rlake to iiresent to tbe Con¬ 
gress detiiiite projects for tlie development of this 
conntr.v tlirmigli tlio use of tlie returned soldier by 
Avhicli tlie Ihiitcd States, lending its credit, may in¬ 
crease its resources and its iiopnlation and the hap- 
jiiiiess of its people Avltli a cost to Itself of no mor© 
than tlie few hundred thousand dollars that it will 
lake to study tliis iiroblem tlirongh competent men. 
This work should not be postponed. 
