Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-28
WARNING OF OPPOSITION.

There Is reason TO expect n some-
what vigorous opposition from the east
to the proposal that the government
shall embark in an extensive system Of
irrigation for the arid regions OF the
west. The New York Sun doubtless
voices a quite general sentiment in
that section in asking what right
the general government has to
use the money OF the whole peo-
pie to improve the lands OF few
states and territories, and 1T is
to be expected that this argument
will be freely used in congress
when the irrigation question is pre-
sented for the consideration Of that
body. The Sun may have taken its cue
from the expressions OF Senator Reagan
unfavorable to the government having
anything to do with providing a system
OF irrigation. The idea will undoubt-
edly find numerous supporters in the
east and some from the south also The
western people so deeply concerned in
this question of irrigation may there
fore conclude that they are not to have
their demands acceded to without a
struggle. 1t is not doubted that the
senate committee will report that irri-
cation is necessary and feasible, but
this will hardly be sufficient to silence
the opposition, bulwarked behind the
plea of paternalism, OF which there is
already warning.
The demand tor government aid in
reclaiming the arid regions OF the west
is not q selfish demand, urged wholly in
the interest of the section making it.
The contemplated scheme of land re-
demption is of national concern. and it
is hardly possible to overstate its inn
portance. 1t proposes to render avail
able for agriculture vast area which
under favorable conditions would sup
port q population equal to or greater
than that of the country at present, and
which would add intellectually to the
national wealth. A considerable por-
tion OF the lands to be reclaimed is q
part of the public domain, and it is
directly in the general public in
terest that this portion shall be
put ia condition for settlemen t,
duty clearly devolving on the general
government. In discharging this duty
the benefits resulting to private lands
would be incidental, and it should be
understood that the people OF the west
do not ask the government to do more
than this. They simply ask that the
government shall construct reservoirs
on its own domain, maintaining them
under national control, and with this in
view the area examined by the senate
committee is almost wholly the property
of the United States.
Certainly. a project which coutem-
plates the reclamation from aridity to
fertility of an area out OF which eight
states, each as large as Indiana, can be
made may fairly be regarded as of sur
passing national Importance. 1t is be-
lieved that at least one hundred and
twenty-five million acres of land out of
over eight hundred million acres can
be, within few years, brought under
cultivation at no great cost. Taking
the generally accepted fact that
twenty-five acres of irrigated land,
properly located, is equal to one hun
dred acres of ordinary farming land,
this would mean twenty-five million
farms, sufficient to support one hundred
millions of people. Assuming that the
cost of reclaiming this land did not ex-
ceed fifty million dollars, as has been
estimated, and that it's value with the
privileges OF irrigation would be no more
than fifty dollars an acre. and it is easy
TO calculate what vast addition it
would make to the wealth of the gov
ernment. 1t would return fifty times
the investment of the government.
1t is an extremely narrow view which
regards this great project as of merely
! sectional benefit, and the propositio n
that the government should have moth
ing to do with developing the great
possibilities involved in this project,
and in the benefits of which the whole
people must inevitably share, is essen
TALLY unwise and unsound. Never
theless, opposition on this ground is to
be expected, and it may be found no
easy matter to overcome it.
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COSTLY LESSON