The sun., 1886-11-28
zHEaznNAsr OF OUR PUBLIC DoxA1x.
The HrriGatisE Companies That are Abssrb-
Tag Ht-Rnck Rents from the Farmers OF
the Future-A Great Trap for Isvestors.

SELMA, Kansas, Nov 15.-For over twenty
years the principal Industry followed by many
sharp unscrupulous mon who live in tho fai
Western territory lying between tho hundredth
meridian and the Pacific Ocean has been to de-
wise alleged money-makinR schemes. and To
promptly persuade Eastern and foreign CAPT.
talists to invest money In them. First 1t was
mining. then building railroads through rocky
caiions and arid parks and over lofty noun
tain ranges. then mining again. and still later
the enormous profits to be derived from buying
half-wild cattle and turning them out upon tho
range to shift for themselves was strongly
dwelt upon. Eastern and foreign investors
have lost many millions OF dollars In the
various schemes which have been placed on
their money markets. It is exceedingly doubt
full whether any Rocky Mountain State or Ter
ritory would to-day, IL offered at public sale.
fetch a sum Of money equal to that which has
been irrecoverab!y lost in its So called develop
ment There is nothing to show for the money
invested in mining and railroad building and
cattle growing. excepted holes In the ground.
piles Of non-dividend-paying railroad stock
and a few hundred thousand gaunt. bony cattle.
wandering aimlessly over the arid plains and
among tho foothills.
The enormous financial losses incurred by
Eastern and foreign investors. losses which re-
Western adventurers. have made ca pitalists ex-
ceedingly loath to further employ their money
IN ss the
tor could coax an Eastern man to invest money
In any mining or cattle-growing scheme. That
are perfectly comprehended In Rocky Noun
tain towns. And the willy adventurers who live
promises to return n large interest on tho in
yest,ment and one which appears % to be Per, PER.
S5 nf to hs
water from never- r-failing rivers. which flow
through arid. sage-brush- covered plains and
lands. and then to sell the lfe-giving water to
agricultural settlers.
Practically the arabic public lands are ex-
hausted. 1t is true that there is a limited area
OF small grain land still vacant but it is also
true that the best informed men in the West
assert that they do not know where an agricul-
tural settler can enter or homestead 160 acres
Of corn land. This being true. the settlers. ever
speedily discover that without Irrigation their
edorts,to till the land are profitable. SO homes
s5esa mea pas to ana H
where there Is an abundant supply OF water.
Arriving there they, find that the low.lying
and fertile land which borders on the streams
is in the hands of ca:tle-growinR associa-
tions., 1t has been unIawfuly fenced.
srs. There remains for the settlers nothing
excepting the arid sage-brush plains. which
have no agricultural value unless water can be
them small grains and all sorts OF vegetables
can he grown in abundance and TO perfect ma
have gone West far into the arid zone to escape
from the poverty-creatinE evils OF Mississippi
dsbss are 11S t. Sna
either from the State or from corporations.
they cannot settle on these fertile but dry
ative agriculture. From the necessities OF the
case the oppoortunity OF the I'D set OF mining
and railroad building and cattle growing
Throughout the West. wherever water flows
and sage brush grows. the talk OF adventurous
"a a n 10 nhn ynftN 'hn hNla
Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada range
sites for bitches and irrigation. and so.caIled
land Improvement companies are being incor-
Rora;tsd 3 6y ths = score nrenara.oEy TO another
Al Western men know that the sage brush
affords q certain Indication Of the agricultural
GUS the growth Of this shrub. the greater the
Fertility ol the land after 1t has been reclaimed.
worthless lands. bitches are laid ou, Iiso and dig.
9ing is begun, Men are hired to take the trib-
ntary land under the provisions OF the Desert
cludes land belonging to a land grant rail-
road corporation. that land is bought from the
eXtensivs areas OF land are secured by the
ditch companies. These tracts are divided
Into a small farms which ars,sola nor on long time.
lists Of the Western Territories are being placed
In bondage before the soil has been stirred.
leans, is firmly established IN % Colorado. Where
heavily capitalized corporations own hundreds
Of farmers In that State the 'fI practical work.
Ing OF the system can be seen. The usual
Lease GaS. or deed given to settler Or tenant in
ehall pay. say. $40 per aero; in addition he pays
$40 for perpetual water right. and from 1.5U
Yates for the use OF water. Then there is an
unknown and elastic charge. which varies year
0f sssr nna 10 an.
TO agree TO pay this charge or their water Is
out of: tits easy to foresee the outcome OF these
per under it. The fatefui crop OF mortgages,
which now 80 heavily oppressss the agricu-
spring into vigorous life along the irrigaton
ditches and the men who hoped to be free
holders will speedily become tenants. who will
virtually be the vassals OF the land improve
msnt and irrigation companies.
1t is but fair to say that the profits derived
should be free to all mankind. and peddiing it
TO- poverty y-stricken farmers. is enormous.
annum are not uncommon dividsnds. In the
future: the system stands: 1t Is within the
1000 per cent. II corporations are allowed to
continue to take the water out Of rivers and to
and to sei4e the public domain. II is almost cer-
tain that the various ditch companies will In
the near future. consolidate and that almost
and the water which flows through it viii! be
under the control OF one man. or one set OF
forced to live there will be sIave-lke peasants.
This state OF AHA IA is the outcome OF the
first attempt OF Anglo-SaXon people to apply
their land laws to irr gated land. In almost all
Astattc countries. where irrigation Is prac-
tised the works belong to the State. which de-
riVes almost Its entire revenue from the sale Of
water: That system. or some Just and wise
modification OF 1t. should have cen adopted In
our arid Territories. The works should have
been built by the State. and the principal reve-
nues Of the State could have then been derived
from the safe OF water which could have been
sold at such low prices that the farmers could
have lived In comfort and laid up money
aganst their old age.
EThe digging BY corporations OF irrigation
bitches In the arid Western land is Il money
making scheme. and unlike mining or cattle
growing or wildcat railroad building. 1t has an
element OF certainty in II. Where land Is if-
rigated crops arc almost certain and prices
are fairly good at present in those remote
regions. The rents which can be extorted are
attractive to men OF inherent greedness of
blood. The tenants can be and probably will
be racked. But the injustice aside. the stock
OF these com panies provided the ditch is wisely
located. will be dividend paying. This stock
Is the first that has como from the West to our
market when did not hear on its face o dis
honest appearances. Here all Is open. 1t is tho
avowed intention OF the promoters OF these ir-
riRation ditch enterprises to grind the agri-
cuturists into direful poverty. or rather to keep
them In the povsrty-stricken condition they
are now In. and out OF the hard and Ill paid toll
OF these men TO wiring u dividend that will cause
hai ST. m Al ilrh aho