Arizona silver belt., 1888-09-29

tHls SbdHd, Ho1i as fspiSsSbtaeiNe9 of the region in question, and familiar with the obstacles to be overcome, are well aware that major part of this land can never be reclaimed ey private enterprise. Such belief must be summarily dismissed. And if they are sincere, little credit can be given them for perspicacity, for in cham poning tho amendment they are using their influence to have withdrawn from sale and development 96,0o0,00O acres of land, portion ot which might be reclaimed by private enterprise, if it's entry were permitted under the homestead and desert-land acts. These proclaimed friends of irrigation don | mean what they say, that IS evident. Evasion and false argument will not avail; if there is merit Tn the proposi' ton, then it needs ne bolstering up, but should be presented with all the accuracy, intelligence and force that can be brought to hear.
 It must be admitted that irrigation of the desert lands of the West is a stupendous undertaking, one which will involve large expenditures. No reliable estimate can be made until the surveys have been completed, but if an area approximating 96,0oo 900 acres IS ts be reclaimed, it is patent that the cost will be enormous, as the contemplated irrigation works would necessarily be extensive. Mr. Forney, eff Alabama, who opposed the amend
 ment, estimated the cost at S10 per acre, CT S960,000,000 This may or may not ba excessive, bat it shsuld be remembered that this work of recla-
 nation will require probably half a century to complete. The survey alone Is expected to consume six years, at an expenditure of S6, 250000. And Int is best that the prosecution of this
 work should be gradual, adding to the surveyed portions of the public do-
 man million and half or two mll-
 lion acres of fertile land annually
 Such a policy, adhered to, would ln-
 sure a long era of prosperity of steady
 growth. Even should the work cost
 the Government as much as it's oppo-
 neuts assert, distributed equally over
 a series of say ferty-eigbt years, tho
 annual appropriation required would
 be only S20,000,000 This does not ap-
 pear extravagant, when the resulting
 benefits are considered, and also " hen
 compared with some of this years appropriations, of which we will emu
 merate, Rivers and Harbors, S22 900, r 900; Qualifications, S24,000,000, and
 Pensions, $S0,000,00 = the amount
 paid for ponsions since 1861 is S963,- r 0S6,441.73. Admitting the justice of
 these demands upon the National Treasury, eau any one with a knewi' edge of the subject maintain that tho
 reclamation of the immense area be. twosn the ne-hundredth meridian
 and tue Pacific Ocean is of less i'm portancs?
 Our aim has been to give the reader f clear understanding of tho salient
 features of this irrigation question and We regret that our limited space forbids reference to what irrigation
 has accomplished in Kansas, Nebras Sa, Colorado, California and cur owr
 Territory, where barren surfaces have Q been transformed into gardens,
 , In conclusion We quote the eloqpen
 words ei Representative Helman, in bi' , speech on the Oklahoma bill, whicl apply with equal force to this enter prise. He said: "There is no hopt o now, as all cSnsiderate men see, 0 f preserving republican institution with eur eysr rapidly increasing pop
 ulatien swelling the multitudes of ou , cities with startling rapidity, unles the great body oi tho people are in vested with an actual interest in tn, soil of their country. It is on the con
 seryative power of these freebolds tha
 our free institutions must est. There r fore any measure that seeks to en I, large the number of freeholds is f measure of public safety and worth of the highest consideration of th American Congress. Those freeholds :, even if they are but half or quarte section of land, are better than forti
 hcatiens and armed bulwarks fer th x support of free institutions and ire d government; and any measure of pol = icy that will tend to diminish tn V number of these freeholds by an m h wise appropriation of the public Ian ,r still under national control ought no q to be approved by Congress, while an. measure that tends to enlarge thei number ought to commend itself to u 70 as the representatives of tho Ameri .. can people"
 s -
 10 A correspondent facetlously asks tn d editor of the Tombstone Epitaph if U girl who is in favor of protection, a d far as coat-sleeves is concerned, ca '- consistently be a free trader in kisses