Arizona silver belt., 1889-08-24
THE IRREGlTEaN ENTERPRISE
4 Grand Project to Sulju. gate the Arid Lands of
 the West.
Why the Government Should Ac-
 lively Engage in the Work.
Action of tho Fiftieth Congress
 Upon the Question.

Upon the Question.
 In view of the recent order issued hy Acting Land Commissioner Stone to Registers and Receivers, respecting the irrigation survey, ordering the cancellation of all filings made since October,2, 1888, on sites fer reservoirs. canals and ditches and land that may be susceptible of irrigation by such m the region to be sUrycyed, the follow. ing letter, written by the junior editor ot tho BELT IS pertinent It was written during he fore part of March, 1889, and sent to the lobe-Democrat for publication, but refused by that paper because of the positive views advanced in regard to the necessity of the Government undertaking the rec lamation of the ard reglon, and also because ofthe interpretation given the clause of the amendment withdrawing from entry all sites for irrigation works, and lands susceptible of irriga. ton. The late ruling of the General Land Office SD fully supports the posi-. iion taken by the writer that We deem tt weli 10 give the letter publicity
 In a country ot sucd vast extent as ours few persons have 6 eomprehen. size knowledge of the needs of see tions remote from tbeir own, and ol the relative importance of the various questions upon which Congress is called to legis!ate. Therefore, meas ureS which are new, or cope suddenly into prominence, no matter hcw mer- itorious tney may be, very often meet with stubborn opposition, and they who advocate them must not only be provided with irrcfutable arguments, but must present them w,tb irresis,i- bic force, t IS Q labor of diifusing knowledge, of combating preludices. often.deep-scatej, and of convincing tho intelligent masses of the people that tho measure or policy advocated is both essential and urgent.
 TIE iEElGATInN PROJECT RAPIDLY CROW
 ING IN FAVOR.
 4 question which has assumed conspicuous place among the foremost subjects ol National legislation, dur ing the past year, IS irrigation and the practlcabilily of is employment Tn re claiming the extensive areas Of desert land ID that portion ol the United States west oi the l00lh meridian of longitude. The rapidi'y witb which the project has gained in favor, in consequence Of the discussion in Gen. gress, it's able presentation ny Maj. J. " Powell, Director of the Geological Survey, and through the agency of the press, is highly gratifying to the peo- pie of the Western States and Terri tories, who agree with Senator Stew art in regarding irrigation as "one of the most important subects now be- fore the country The appropria-  tons made by the last Congress, 10 carry on the surveys, aggregat,ng $35O000 are more libera, than the friends of tho enterprise expected wcuid ba granted. Another po'nt gained Is inc appointment of a special Senate committee cn irrigation, to visit and cXaminc the territory in yoiged, during the approaching recess of Congress, which is viewed as of considerable importance, and promis- ing results favorable 10 the project ot reclaimjng Inc arid lands of the United States. II is to Le regretted that this committee was not enlarged by the addition of members Of the House. This would have been Tn the line of Congressman ONeil's sugges- tlon in hts speech supporting the ap- propriation 10 inaugurate the hydro graphic survey.
 TRAVEL AS AN EDUCATOR.
 He contcnded that it should be made incumbent upon Congressman to travel and iamiliarize themselves with every portion of the country, in order that they might legislate more intelligenly. Mr. O'Neil said: 1t QrayeD would change marvelously not only the Judgment of members, but speeches. If gentlemen had per- sonally visited the region in question here, there are very few who would require any appeals to them to vote for the pending measure ,
 PERMANENT PROSPERITY DEPENDENT UPON
 AGRICULTURE.
 Persons who have watched the pro gress of irrigation in the West, and observed how civllizatlon and wealth have followed in it's wake, have been impressed by tue uniform permaneney and steady growth of these oases dot