The state herald., 1890-01-31
AN APPEAL TO oonaR
The Government Asked for a Appro.
priation TO Extend lrriga@ Jon.

Ihe Government Asked for Al Appro.
priation to Extend lrrigat Jon.
WAsHINaToN. d. C., Jan. 17.-Mr.
Peters, Of Kansas, has presented to the
House u petition signed by over 10000 citi-
zens of Southwestern Kansas ahd South
eastern Colorado praying for an approprla
tion to assist In tho extension Of irrigation.
The petition reads:
Flrst-That we arc vitally interested in
the success Of agriculture In Southeast
Colorado and Southwest Kansas, because
In good faith we have settled here upon
lands which were offered TO US by the Gov.
ernment Of the United States Us suitable
| Ior settlement, and we, our friends apd
neighbors, our means Of gaining liWi.
hood and the means Of educating and prS
viding for tho children Of our families are
absolutely dependent upon achieving such
| success.
Second That after bearing more than the
usual hardships, discouragements and dis
appointments incident to frontier life, we
find ourselves not with success achieved
but with unconquered difficulties thick be.
lore US, our energies and resources drained
by repeated disastrous failures OF crops
and without m cans OF encouragement te
continue tho unequal struggle unless We
may depend upon speedy assistance.
Third-That II Is proven that some sys
tenn OF at least partial irrigation is essen
tial to successful agriculture throughout
| our bounds, ind this we are convinced can
not be obtained In time 70 savc our prop
| orty and interests unless the Government
will speedily extend Its powerful aid. We
are satisfied that an abundance OF water
can bc secured by utilizing the surplus wa
ters and tho available subtcrranean re-
sources OF tho rivor valleys, and that such
uv1Ox k.x, ,1,k ,kut,x int,
speedily md cheaply, yet the work Is OF
such nature md OF such magnitude that
to walt for the slow and uncertain process
OF developmentby private means will lose
us tho results OF our labors and the ad
vantages that may hereafter be derived
from irrigation, because we are not able to
mold on much longer under the uncertain
ties and discouragemcnts attending farm
ing under existing conditions.
t'Ourth-That tho Government having
opened these lands for settlement on pre-
cisely the same terms und conditions us
the lands In more favored localities, giving
us only the same acreage, charging and nc
cepting the same price per acre and re-
quiring the same residence and improve
ment, Is under moral and equitable Obli
cations to ut least put us in the way tc
equality OF advantages. Since II can do so
ut a reasonable expense, as we have In
good faith accepted the profferCi lands
auu PaIu Our money anu expended ouI
years OF time and our labor upon them, we
believe II to be incumbent upon the Gov
ernmcnt TO make good the implied war
rnnty that the lands were worth the effort
and expense.
Fifth-That the territory embraced with
In the limits described by the petition
yields 10 the Government In the past and
certain future payments of more than si2,
0O0,OOO in cash.
Sixth-That we believe that but part OF
the money thus paid by us into the treas
ury OF the United States, II devoted AT
once to our benefit and properly expended,
will not only make our lands habitable and
productive, but will be the means OF add
Ing to the wealth OF tho nation many mil
lions OF dollars above such cost
Sevcnth-That the Government has al
ready expended for public improvements
east OF the Mississippi River ut least five
tunes Us much money per capita as west
OF that line and as we have neither rivcrs
or harbors to deepen nor improve, moi
coast defenses TO provide for, but may on
the other hand become the garden and
granary OF the nation. the demand for pub
lie expenditures In this region must al
ways remain comparatively slight. Hence,
as our necessities arc great and pressing,
and rs action by tho Government to be OF
benefit to us must be immediate and as II
is asking the use Of but small part of the
money contributed by ourselves, we would
therefore most respectfully and urgently
pray that you will grant us from the treas
ury OF the United States q sufficient ap
preparation to carry forward TO practica
success the development of the water sup
ply, which is Of such importance TO us and
which will be so profitable to the nation n,
large.