St. Paul daily globe., 1889-08-02
ruined under the CLEVELAND admins
LET US IRRIGATE.

1t is exceedingly fortunate that the
commission On irrigation, which held a
session IN this city yesterday, is CON-
posed of gentlemen who have such
thorough practical knowledge of their
subject. Senator STEWART, the chair
man of the commission. is an enthusiast
on the subject, and has himself expert
mented with different systems of
irrigation in an endeavor to reclaim
some of the arid lands of Colorado ana
California. Senator REAGAN, of Texas,
is noted for the practical common sense
method with which he handles every
subject that is committed to his con-
sideration, while Major POWELL, the
head of the national geological bureau,
and the expert of the commission, pos
sesses a greater store Of scientific knoWl-
edge than any other American savant.
The earnest attention that the members
of the commission gave to the subject
of irrigation during their deliberations
yesterday, and the respectful audience
they gave to a number of gentlemen
who appeared before them and pre-
sented their views on the subject, is an
assurance that the work of the commits
sion will not be fruitless. This is a
question of vast Importance to all this
great Northwest, as we'll as of
national Importance to the en-
tire nation. According to Major
PowELL's theory the arid lands are the
most fertile. They have not been SUBJ
jected to the bleaching and eXhauSting
processes which inevitably result from
a succession of rainfalls, and conse-
quently the soil of these arid tracts still
retain all the elements of virgin fertil-
ity. All that has 10 be done is to pro-
vide artificial irrigation to convert what
are now only barren wastes into verita
BILE Edens.
There are two questions to be consid-
cred in connection with the work of the
commission. One is to determine
what method or system of irrigation is
the best and least expensive; the other
to determine to what extent the general
government would be justified in max
appropriations for irrigating purposes.
Artesian wells have been experimental
with, and successfully. yet the cost OF
well is too great in proportion to the
area that can be irrigated. The stor-
age reservoir system is the best wher-
ever it is practicable. A Dakota gentle
man suggested yesterday that the hills
back of the Missouri could be utilized
for reservoirs, and with the combined
supply from artesan wells and what
would be gathered from the rain
falls and melting of the SHOWS,
water enough could be accumulated to
irritate the whole of the arid district of
the Dakotas. 1t was estimated that
this could be done at an expense of
about one million of dollars. When it is
remembered that this arid belt includes
slip of country 300 miles long and
from 50 to $50 miles wide, we can at
once see that the S1,00O,O0O thus ex-
pended would be an insignificant sum
in comparison with the benefits that
would result. If the general govern
ment did not feel warranted in appro-
priating outright this sum for such an
improvement, it would be an easy mat
ter for congress to have the work done
at public expense and then establish
system of tolls or water rents by which
the government would get its money
back. Still we are of opinion that the
same provision of the constitution
which gives congress the right to ap-
propriate money for the Improvement
of harbors and waterways would au
thorize the appropriation of public
money for irrigating purposes. The
principle is the same, inasmuch as the
results of both classes of improvement
are beneficial to commerce.