The Caldwell Tribune

NIL AVAILABLE ON BOISE LAND
Apparent Discrimination By Spokane Bank Causes Project to Suffer.

That the federal farm loan bank, headquarters at Spokane has adopted a policy of declining to make loans on Boise project farm lands is the belief resulting from recent experiences of the local board of which E. I. Shaw is secretary. Only one farm loan has been made through the Caldwell office in the past six months and that was on an old river farm with water rights completely paid.

Not only does the bank policy seem comprehensive so far as project farms are concerned but the policy seems to be comprehensive enough to include lands in the Pioneer and other districts where outstanding obligations are nominal.

Noting that many applications following appraisal and local approval had been declined by the bank board of directors, Mr. Shaw wrote to Spokane for information regarding a possible ruling or policy covering these points. The answer, recently received, threw little light on the question the institution merely stating that no order had been given to "refuse to consider project farm loan applications."

Facts concerning local financial affairs were cited in the letter, reference being made to frequency of delinquent project construction and maintenance charges, together with other outstanding obligations against the property in question, such as unpaid taxes and drainage district obligations, all of which the land bank apparently considers as important in determining its loans in this territory.

Despite this apparent federal policy, which is felt locally to be somewhat discriminating, Mr. Shaw says that the Caldwell association's last report was an excellent one. More than 250 loans have been made through the office totaling more than $1,000,000. At the latest report, only 30 members of the association were delinquent and since that time, at least 15 have paid those delinquencies, Mr. Shaw says.

Efforts were made to place the entire matter before Senator Borah before election. But the senior senator was busily engaged in the campaign and promises to meet this local board before November 11 when he goes away when he was called east to conduct the
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