The Arizona sentinel., 1889-06-08
Water Storage and Irrigation.

The outrage of water in sections
where the rainfall is inadequate to ir-
sure crop, has become a question of
much moment, and in the arid West
much rich land belonging to the Gov
eminent is ard has been fellow since
the dawn of creation, yielding no sup
port to either the Government or the
multitude of people who otherwise
would reclaim it and associate the idea
of a plentiful harvest garnished with
golden fruit.
The cultivation of the soil, accor-
ding to Vattel, els an obligation i'm
posed by nature on mankind" and
every nation, according to the same
authority, "is obliged by the law of
nature to cultivate the ground that
has fallen to its share" But how is
that to be done in a country like Ari-
IONA "where thirsty earth soaks up
the ram and drinks and gapes for
drink again" unless the the general
government assists in providing water
storage, which she can easily afford
to do by donating land, which in it;
present condition is uninhabitable and
not worth a silver. Or will the Co :
erment still persist in its supine policy
towards western possessions, which
even begrudges pioneers (who empha-
size their presence, by their thrift, in
an Indian country that assistance
which the surroundings demand.
The total area of the United States
is 3,603,8S4 square miles, for which
was paid 500, 100000, and which was
acquired of Great Britain, France,
Spain, Texas and Russia, and not an
inch by discovery, which goes to prove
that our boosted governmental enter
prise is simply mythical, and that the
push and energy which clears the for
est, by swamp and stream, frightens
the hooting owl, rears the log school
house, creates history, and upons the
way for the formation of additional
States, belong not to the class who
figure gin my lady's chamber" or pos
ture before a looking glass, but to
those whose energies have carried
them to where they find elbow room,
and who are now imploring assistance
from a Rip Van Wrinkle Congress tc
render newly acquired possessions
habitable by assisting in outstanding
the water which now runs to waste
without refreshing the soil. in Esop's
fable of the dog in the manger, the
hay and the OK illustrates the fedora
governments position on the question
Of water storage.
/ While water storage is a secondary
consideration to Congressional legisla-
tors, they, no doubt, knit their brows
occasioned by profound thought Of
now to solve the Indian question
without having logically entertained
the idea that the question of irrigation
might prove helpful adjunct to the
army in its effort to extend the bles-
sings of civilization to where Indian
superstition now, through the influence
of their medicine men, leads whole
tribes to believe that antagonism to
/ the whites is commanded of them by
the great spirit. The effect of suppl,
of water in the arid West, easily OBJ
tanned by means of reservoirs. would
attract immigration, which would
speedily surround our expensive
troublesome and dangerous no mad.
with the influence ''of christian purity
in which hallowed influence no guilty
thought can live," and also with the
certain knowledge that "the way O
the trangressor is hard" and under
such circumstances would not tn,
indians also, like the white man, be
come "hewers of wood and drawers o
waters, and if they will not profit oy
association, tell them of the fate of TIL
Pequods who were, in 1857, almos
wholly exterminated by the English
and the few who escaped were givel
to the Narragasetts for adoption.-Sil
yer Belt.
We are Bound to Boom.
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