The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-09-04
1T WAS ThE FIRST GUN.
a"ngvs--~nsan'- Tsssslr's speech tm ~COsgrr~.
"H tssr uW~-si0n Ss lrrix~siom.

sm tss~ slue-sI1u os Irrix.siom.
The tirst speech ever heard M
Os TIM question: of governmental irrigation
WAS dciIvcrssi ny congressman =. N.
iooic. Juuc "a, less. ~ dlrscts general
IA its results. Following are extracts ta-
ken from the, to.gfesss""of kesssssf of str.
issIic = stss,ch. INA tise s-o,ir-s, ct which tie
>saIi:-
ne statesmen of this day and genera
tiOii. WAN coInunsnSs.Dlc zeal ami rlrs.
aniii,y. are cnslg.si ~ Inc soiution at the
nnIurlant ,sot,i.-rn of how tai prevent tis,
stCiiin,iist.os al AZ surplus ma tiC treasury
ss.yotid tiss, amount necessary Tor AN .c.-
iioii,iCsli administration an the government
witiiotit inAualrtsi4 oar isUrie intiii-irIes
ana without i~nJuriOtisiy Affecting An,s.ri-
problem ~ of tire li.gis.st concern tO tins
rrptitBiic. 4 here II "A wide divergence Ds-
tween the two great Isoiiticai Is,r.rsss upon
TINS quc-tiori, with NO ps,ssitility an AN
agreement hciors. another election.
hoidiIiE THIS view ami dssiriiig to mill
gate m SOME degrees. AN existing cvil, as
well as tO proIno,c ANA encourage "a well
s'oiisiticrssd scheme, 1 venture to bring to-
tlis. attention an lire tiotsss. IL nsritorlOsss
and altogether feasible plan of dislosinH
of "A coiisisiersst,ic amount at money ai-
ready accumulated M tire treasury, ami
10y which new me and prs'sinrity Will In
INFUSED INTO a. ssstiol Oh our common
country hitherto largely neglected.. 1 re-
ter to Al system of governmental irrigation
in the ts'rritoris's ga the United StaU.s by
means al dams anu reservoirs, whereby
ttic l.UD,taU square miles at land now an
soiu,ciy stcrIis. ANA worthless and which
need only water To In rendered produce
tive will ,c reclaimed tor the Use of the
citizeD. Many at You, indeed, I may say
all of You, with IA few eNts.piIoiis, come.
from iociiIti..s where. the rainfall h suiti-
cIcnt la secure tho grow III of crops without
irrigation, and 4 ,mnk Tor tI.s reason l
may larry inter that tine subject IL NOT "a
familiar one TAI you. The amendment
proposed 10y ma. and Just sent to the cierN's
desk, II in,s.nded tn give to the director of
the geological survey "a comparatively
small amount of money win wiIicii tO M
iti;.tc tine enterprise, and ~ az foiiows:
"rOr tic purpose Of investigating the
extent tn wnicn the ara rs.giOn or the
1 nitcd States can tc redeemed hy irriH;s-
tioi, and the sa'grrgatioIi at the irriga.sie
LANDS IN such ard region. ANA Tor tire So
lection at sites for fs'ssrvOirs and other
hydraulic works necessary tor tine storage
ANA uiiiiziltioiI al water tor irrigation, and
to make INC necessary maps, including
tilc pay at y e~ IA iicIu and IN oiiic,,
tine cost at all Instruments, apparatus.
ana materials, and All other necessary eN-
ptIissrs connected tiicrs.witti. thc WORK to-
IN performed by tire geological survey,
under the direction al tiic secretary al tin,
iut'rIur.
Much has iscn written of great value.
upon ,fn' s.iDJsrt al irrIgatior,. which 4
would iI<c to present b,u winch l reserve.
for n tutIrc occasion when ~ snail be dis
GUESSED sis am independent proposition, hut
enough has been shown To demonstrate
the absolute certainty ot prOiiiic crops
aided 10y the proposed system al irrigation.
4 hey i,rs. mot dependent upon nor subject
to the vIs.is-ItuttcS al rainfall. 4 he fear ot
,lrought. does not alarm the farmer nor
lessen ms failii m the sIuaitit! or qualify
at his crops.
The WAFER used for irrigation * living
water, coming from the mountains ana
platcaus witii tho richest fcrtii-
izIng niateriais derived from decaying veg
etatIoit and the soils of ltic upper region,
which are spread by the water used IN ir-
rigittIOfi over tho cultivated lands. Dbser-
Walton and experience haas demonstrated
in the western states and territories that
all lands upon winch water can Tx, sup.
piled 10y artificial means arr. capable of
ibciiIg reduced to the highest state of Guilt
vatioii, so TAR as the cereals are con-
atrIIei. and as bcfoiS suggested, enjoy
complete immunity from the vicissitnties
of ~Ciiut or excessive rainfall. Ihe opin-
ion IL fast gaining ground that too much
attention has heretofore been paid to the
chemical composition of the soils. and too
little tn thos. physical conditions 10y which
moisture i,Iid air are supplitd To tile roots
of vegctati"n.x
While the West has contributed largely
in building MP the enormous surplus now
i'm the treasury and has received very
slight corresponding benefits in the way
of public expenditures, I do not wish to-
aid ON that account or as "a bounty or
gratuity. IL il not the section but the sub
Jss.t to IL. fosterssl and encouraged. Agri-
cultuIs. lies at the foundation of our ma
tional prosperity and il justly entitled to "a
fair share of the fostering rare of the gov
crument. Other Industries are fosts'rsti
and encouraged. Agriculture should he
stimulated and promoted.
After all your golden dreams
or golden fountains and golden streams,
The sweat at patient labor seems
The true l~'lttulian water.
But. Mr.. Chairman. above and beyond
these considerations il the important fact
that the system proposed will return i'm
the years tai come, whcn "a surplus may bt
needed. ~ large revenue to the govern
mcnt 10y the Increased value of the lands
now ~noii-productivc and worthless and
still a part of the public domaine, and
without which the citizens and the govern.
mcnt are alike the sufferer. Ii * csti.
mated 10y MIR. Powell. of the geological
survey. that the ext, VT of the region IN
which agriculture depends on irrigation il
about .sO.ObO square miles. We are in
formed 10y him that the general survey,
topographic and geological. tn serve as a
basis for the. classification of the public
lands. il being made 10y the geological,
survey with s,ich rate of progress as APP.
preparations permit; hut that gentleman
insists that the proper discrimination
of irrigable from pastirauc lands requires
such careful consideration of details thai
special local surveys are needed FOR This
purpose.
But there. il another view of this pro
posed new departure. which l ann not now
prepared to discuss. bsit which deserves a
yassing notice. IL has been confidently
asserted aud plausibly maintained that
the judicions construction OF rs'ss.rvoirs al