Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-12-18

IRRIGATION III KANSAS.
The question Of irrigation is Que that
is taking the attention Of Kansas peo-
pie at the present time: particularly SO
in the western and middle thirds of the
stat>- II Is beyond dispute nhat the
soil Of the western two-thirds of Kan
sas is all that could be desired for
agricultural purposes, and, excepting q
short period in the summer months,
sometimes Of only few days duration,
the climate Is every way adapted to
agriculture. We have Sufficient fall
snd spring rains for Al Kinds of vege-.
hsion. and it is only the short period of
soorching hpt winds lext prevent sue
eessful Wc] bach - II
There is nN ds0s - that. in the
course Of time. a q re more lands
broken, moro tr7 knted and the
country sout ~ s becomes settled
and cultivated HaeFe win he less trouble
from the hot win and a greater Ger.
tainty of caops; but it will take years to
bring about this change With a gen.
eral system o. irrigation this time
would be shortened and the wonderful
productiveness of our soil would be
sooner developed.
Within the last week q big conven-
tion of representatives from the
counties Of northwest Kansas has been
held at Oberlin, Decatur county, and
the matter Of irrigation thoroughly dis
cussed. A nupber were present who
are well posted on the resources of the
country, among them Prof. Hayes, who
is engaged IN investigating the matter
of obtaining water for irrigation purs
poses in the arid regions, by the gove
ernment. He was of the opinion that
the sheet OF water underlying this
whole country could be brought to the
surface and utilized for purposes of
irrigation.
| The convention passed a set of feso-
lutions calling for further and more
thorough investigation and setting
forth the great advantages that would
accrue TO the country through irriEA-
tioa.
Among the resolutions we reproduce
the following. which are timely and to
the point:
Through personal observatiof and
experience and through scientific deter
mination we have been led to and do
believe that the irrigation Of our lands
is practicable and possible, but We are
unable to demonstrzte to Stbe satisr
faction Of private capital the truth or
falsity of our conclusion.
ITO the end that our future may be
ldetermtned with both spsed and Ger
itainty aud roc0gniEI1g Che established
policy Of the government in the protec-
ton and preservation of the interests
of settled localities for the public good.
We ask sufficient and early apprepria-
ton of public monies to demonstrate
the practicabiiity Of the irrigation of
the settled portion of our arid domain.
I've ask that this test be made thor
ough and certain and with such test
that government aid shall cease.
I'VE believe that our location and
our circumstances justify this demand,
particularly IS We cannot hope to share
| in the vast expenditures of the govern
ment for rivers and harbors and other
internal improvements and fer the
| reason that in the settlement and pur-
chase of our lands We have contributed
from our earnings millions of dollars to
the United States treasury, more than
8 900 900 having been covered into the
treasury from this land district alone
within the past eight years.
I'VE are unalterably opposed TO the
further opening of arid lands to settle
ment and demand that governmental
experiment in irrigation investigation
be confined for the present to the occu-
pied arid lands.
perience and investigation in ouT behalf
the advancement of science, the COM
pilation of costly and voluminous
| reports and the enlargement of polit-
ical patronage shall be disregarded,
except in 20 far as necessarily incident
al to the work in hand.
THAT the senators and representa-
| tives in congress from Kansas be fur
| nished copy of these resolutions. and
| requested to make an earnest and
united effort tn secure compliance there
with by congress during the present
session"
The demand that further Ipvestiga-
tion at government expense be confined
to the sections Of the country now occu-
pied is one that should be given great
weight. 1t will be Of a vast deal more
advantage to the country and the peo-
pie therof TO improve the condition of
territory already occupied, than to ex-
pend vast sums of money investigating
the topography of unoccupied lands
1t would be well for central and
southwest Kansas to take some steps
towards acting in concert with the peo-
pie represented in the Oberlin conven-
tion. Who viii take the initiative and
call a convention at some convenient
and central point2