Arizona silver belt., 1889-08-24
THE PEosPERiTY OF THE WEST THREAT
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 This amendment, therefore, sus- pends the operation of the desert land, presumption and timber culture laws completely, over the entire area sus- cepiible ot irrigation by the reservoir system, and also the homestead law except when entries under it are authorized by the President. Obvious ly, this will work great injustice, and IS ehtirc unnecessary, since tue reser- vation of the watersheds, and most eligible sites for reservoirs, canals and dltehes would afford sufficient. safe guard against monopoly by private parties or corporations, whereas. now, no title can be acquired to any of these lands. As the topographic and hy drographlc survey Is expected 10 con sume over five years, and no irriga- ton works to be constructed on its findings could be completed fer sev- eral years thereafter, the withdrawal of these immense areas of land from settlement assumes q serious phase, and demands the repeal of this restric. ton, else the further immediate inn proyement of the arid region will be seriously hindered.
 VALUE os TIE WATERSHEDS.
 The most important part of the amendment IS that relating 10 the watersheds, as their preservation is essential 10 the complete success of the irrigation project. They are na- tnre'S reservoirs, which, like a sponge, hold the moisture preeipltaied in the form of raia and snow (which on tho great mountain ranges reaches to from 30 to 100 inches annuallyl parting with it slowly, and furnishing through out the year constant supply of water to the streams which feed the country below and make agriculture possible Denude these mountains of their timber and the most disastrous results follow. The saows of winter which before required months to dis solve are quickly dIssIpated; likewise the ram failing upon ground divested of it's vegetable mould, and, in canse- quence, robbed of its ab>orptive power, Is repelled. and courses down the mountain gorges in torrents, which deluge the valleys and flainS. and oft tines cause widespread disaster. These results have been witnessed in parts of California where the timber has been cut with reckless waste, until tbe people in some instances have pur- chased large areas of these watersheds, and protected them from tue despoll ing hand of the woodman; and as result of the renewed growth of tbe forests, this great evil has abated, and streams winch were torrents for few months each year, and the remainder of the time dry, or nearly so, now flow with tolcrable uniformity of volume through the growing season, and the waters are distributed by the network of canals and ditches, which are the arteries and veins of the surrounding land, dii'using the yiYiiving liquid through the soll.
 TIE VAST AREA re HE RECLAIMED.
 The lands coming within the scope of this irrigation enterprise aggregate 100000 square miles. or about one. third of the surface of tbe United slates, excluding Alaska. In extent they are greater by one-third than the combined area of Great Britain, France, Italy, Austria, and tbe Ger man Empire--6yc of the greatest Ma lions of 'ho earth, which have a total population of nearly 2000G0,000 in habiiants Within this desert region are three sovereign States seven CT. ganized Territories, and portions of four other States and one Territory.
 It is not to be inferred that all of this great area IS susceptible of culti- vation. The coniignration of the country Is so broken that, obviously, considerable portion must remain yalueloss for agriculture. Major Pow ell estimates that 100000 square miles are arable, but coming down to practicable proposition, he bpiieyes 1t feasible to reclaim 150000 square miles, or 96,000,000 acres-an area greater than one-half the land now cultivated in the United States. This land he estimates will be worth B, ,S00,000,000, when water is brought upon if, or $50 per acre, which is not an unreasonable estimate compared with the values of good irrigated lands in California, Colorado, and in this Territory. However, this is irrel- evapt in debating the eypediency of the Government performing the work of reclamation. In no event should 1t be considered in the light of a spec ulation.
 THE TRUE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT should it engage in this work, would seem to be to exact as small price per acre for land supplied with water, as is consistent with the prosecution