Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-04-04
THURSDAY. APRIL. 1.
RECLAIMING OUR DESERT.

We repubish the following from the
Boston Herald the subject being one Of
vital importance to New Mexico;
Senator Stewart, in the April Forum, is
Not the lIrst to call attention to the possl-
bi!tty OF placingu population OF 2O6, 100000
IA the great American desert. MAJOR
Powell, rs Il scientific man, has drawn up
It report on TINS matter, at the instance OF
the government, and, AS the population
presses westward the great district east
Of ale Rocky mountains comes more and
more into demand rs place OF habitatlon.
The first question to be met is whether
these sandy wastes can be reclaimed.
Major Powell says that they can, and
Senator Stewart says the same thing
Even in America, the evidence exists in
Arizona and Mexico, to say nothing of
places in South America, where engineer
iug skill in former days has been applied
10 the irri Iation OF waste lands, that they
can he reclaimed, and the problem which
waits the guidance Of the government and
the stimulus OF individual enterprise at
the west s no greater than that which
the English have had to solve under gov
eminent control in India, or than the
ancient Egyptians had to consider when
they made Egypt the granary OF the
world.
Senator Stewart is at pains to point out
the lines OF political, as Major Powell has
heretofore pointed out the lines OF s,'ien-
Ii ic, operation, by which these great arid
fields IAN he made habitable. What is
required OF congress is that II harmonious
and proper system OF laws shall be enact
ed, under which the several states and
territories may also take legal measures,
hy which the water and the land may be
treated TO .ether. the tax being laid upon
the water rather than upon the land, but
always in proper relation to the two
There is no reason Why the irrigation
whi'h has been applied to Palestine,
Egypt, Cevlon, India and in former times
to Arizona ami Mexico, should not be ap-
pied to the great sand plains east of the
Rocky mountains, and the conviction is
growing that some popular action CON
trolling this part OF the country Is near 1T
hand.
1t is said that the land is more abun-
dant than the water in this region. This
makes the water the principal thing OF
value. and the land incidental to it. 1t
also compels the taking of the control OF
the water out OF individual hands, 30 that
no monopoly shall be acquired. Much OF
the water required for the irrigation OF
this paft Of the country has already fallen
into the hands of monopolists; but SEN
atOr Stewart believes that il is not yet too
late to inalgurate u proper system by
which the united action OF the states and
territories and Of the general government
can remove much OF the evil. The Illus
trutnn5 viii n Senator Stewart brings for
wari to show the feasibility OF this plan
are taken from the experience OF the Calf
iornla miners in $4,000, when the min
ers. engaged in enterprises involving vast
expenditures for the irrigation OF the part
of California in which they were at work,
accomplished their ends perfe tly without
accumulated capital by means OF ordinary
association in labor.
Senator Stewart believes, and it Is rea-
sonable to expect, that after congress and
th1 s.ate3 and territories having Jurls-
diCtOn in this region shall have enacted
general and special laws which secure the
proper control OF irrigation, the practical
Development OF these plans may be lett to
individual enterprise. California has al
ready passed laws providing Tor the organ.
Ihation of similar districts within its own
limits, and successful private organlza:.
tons are now operating for the purpose OF
rri5ating the great valley OF that state.
The people OF Colorado are also acting in
that direction but nothing can be done
toward the reclamation OF any consider
able part OF this land by irrigation without
definite congressional legislation.
Congress has already appropriated
$2JJ,UuJ to continue the surveys which
are necessary preliminaries to the CON
struction OF hydraulic works, and
selected committee of the senate will re-
y IT next December what legislation Is
ne essary for the reclamation OF the arid
reLiOns This is as far as public action
has gone but it is important that private
opinion shall sustain any action that con-
gress may take, and it is in this light that
the reports Of Maj. Powell and the article
here under consideration are vi i'm port
ance in educating public opinion as to the
possibility Of making this arid region
blossom like a rose.