Arizona silver belt., 1889-08-24

| 7 the water which (after deductiug the expense of maintaining the reservoirs, canals and ditches, and the salaries of the officers and eniployes) should, if wisely managed, yield considerable revenue to the Government.
 BENEFIcEyT SCHEME.
 One of the strongest claims made for the irrigation project is that It would rebound to the benefit of the laboring class, by affording small holdings of desirable land at q very moderate price, and thereby prove q stimulus to agriculture, and to be closely followed by the building up of great mercantile and manufacturing centers in the West, drawing hardy and industrious class of people from the over populated East, and thus re- leving the congestion which exists m so many industrial pursuits, a prob lem which is yearly becoming more difficult of solution. Our pubic do. faain is rapidly diminishing, and not many years hence it will be deemed necessary, in order to preserve our re- publican institutions, to provide homes , for our ever increasing population, I HG.
 that tLe great middle class of our peo- pie may be invested with a proprie- tary interest in the soil Therefore, the beneficent feature of this enter. prise should be kept constantly in view. The lands reclaimed should be disposed ot only in small holdings, from 10 to lG0 acres, and at price withing the means Of the laboring class.
 WHY TaE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO THE
 WORK.
 While the acton taken by Congress III the matter does not commit the [ EGeyernment to anything further ihan to make a systematic survey of the re- zion in question and ascertain the feasibility of retaining the ard lands, yet in tho proceedings of the House upon the amendment is discernable ? well defined purpose upon the part of the advocates Of the measure, to have the Government inaugurate and ac- lively prosecute the building of the required hydraulic works, upon the completion of the surveys five or SIX years hence. It fact four Western representatives, Messrs. Smith, of Ari. zona, Toole, of Montana, Eandeyer, of i California, and one of the members from Nebraska, openly ayowed that tbIs was their expectation. Persons wdo know tbs Western country, and are familiar with the obstacles 10 be overcome, are well aware that a ma JoF part of this land can never be re- claimed by private enterprise. l be- lief that It can must be summavily dismissed.
 PRIVATE OWNERSHIP DANGEROUS.
 And if 1t were possible, would it be wise to give over to wealthy corpora tions the immense grants of land which would be exacted as an induce ment to tuild the extensive works re- cessary to their reclamation? To fol- low such policy would create mono polies winch would rival any of inc trusts which have come to be recog- nized in this country as great public evils. It would .fasteu upon us sys- tem of landiordism equally as ipju- rious as that with which Ireland is cursed, and threaten the stability of our free institutions. No, there is but one way by winch tho arid region can be reclaimed, and that is 10 have the Government build and maintain the necessary works, and supervise the distribution of the water.
 PROBABLE COST OF TIE ENTERPRISE.
 It must be admitted that the irriga- ton of the desert lands of the West is a stupchdous undertaking. one which will involve large expenditures. No reliable estimate can be made until the surveys have been completed, but il an area approSimating 96,o00,000 acres is 10 be reclaimed, It Is evident that the cost will be enormous as the contemplated irrigation works meuld necessarily be extensive. Mr Forney, of Alabama, who opposed the amend ment, reckoned the cost at Sl0 per acre, or total of $960, ,000,000. How ever, this is excessive. It can be safely assumed that the cost of irrigation works will be proportloned to the area of land supplied with water-the greater the acreage the less will be the cost per acre of the works. h be- ginning the work the Government, naturally, would select sites where the area of arable land susceptible of irri- gation is largest, and the water supply greatest and most permanent, and, consequently, the first works con strueted would be the most extensive, and at the sam, time the cheapest, relatively.
 WOULD SION BE sgLF-sUPPoRTISG.
 Upon their completion, the lands to