Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1891-07-02

100000 in money, in order to complete
what it termed proper and perfect irrl-
CATION survey. At the end of the eight
years there would nave been no works
constructed, no reservoirs completed, no
bitches dug, and no areas reclaimed, but
the scientists of the survey would have
had the pleasure, for them, of presenting
to the American people Il checker board
of the land, on which would have been
mapped out an elaborately artificial sys-
tenn of drainage basins. storage reservoirs,
high line and distrbutory canals, with
other suggestions as to the preparation OF
an irrigation system. No system, how
ever, would have been inaugurated, and
the settlers might have rejected the whole
process. Our American pioneer is an
obstinate "cuss" and has good deal of
"horse" sense. The west naturally re-
volted as congress has done from such a
policy as this. And now our friends who
desire to promote irrigation and want to
organize great enterprises everywhere,
succeeded at the Denver congress in &C.
curing the approval Of a resolution by
which eighteen different systems of land
management, water CONTROL the construC-
ton of irrigation works and the admins
tration of the same would have to be es-
tablished. They do not intend it, but the
effect would surely be cut-throat policy
on the part OF each of these eighteen com
munities, all of them anxious to retain all
of the water and all of the advantages to
be derived therefrom within their own
borders.
1t is doubtless probable, that the
transfer of the public lands, could it be
achieved, would accomplish for a time
a rapid formation of great speculative
enterprises in the way of canals and other
works; but whether it would create ir-
rigation on large scale is a question
of another character. However this
may be, 1t is quite certain that the next
congress with its peculiar shades of
feeling and leaning toward an Alliance
policy, will be wholly unlikely to look
with even decent recognition upon
policy which involves the surrender to
the states of the public lands in the arid
west. The feeling of the older sections
of the country will be expressed in
congress-; and such policy as the Dem
yer body proposed will be considered as
a gigantic attempt at a land steal All
chance and possibility, or ultimate pros
pect of favorable legislation for irrigation
inquiry and experimentation wou,d at
once be killed by such an outcry. There
fore to push such a policy even If it is
right at the ensuing session of congress
would not be wise act on the part of the
west.
What is the alternative, however?
Granting, as we reasonably must, that the
arid west has large claims, and that con-
gress or the general government ought
to take some action in regard to assisting
the normal development of irrigation and
reclamation thereby, might it not be
found in direction different from that
by the policy of public land
transfer. California within the last five
years has adopted legislation which leads
that state out of litigation and opens the
way to the settlement OF the conflicting
questions involved in irrigation and the
control of water. The people of New
Mexico have their Inherited system of
water "servitudes," regarding water as
natural wealth and common property,
and their policy of land division, all OF
which are deeply interested in the char
acter and results of the California plan.
The neighbnrhnod or community bitches
in existence in New Mexico have long
been proven to be inadequate for the
wider progress of irrigation. The more
people see this and desire to
make some changes.
The California system points the way
for the making of these changes in a
which would produce the least
Under that system COM
munity bitches, as they now exist in
New Mexico, corporation works, as they |
are being formed, can all he absorbed
with just compensation shd security into
,he municipal organization, known in
California as an irrigation district"
Under that plan district works may be
or purchased and merged |
INTO larger system, liens be held upon
ands, systems of water control and rights |
bonds issued; interest
and the payment of bonds made
secure. There would be no owner and
no controller in any irrigation district but
,he owners and users Of the water and
and. Capital will be paid for the use of
It's tool-money, and be paid handsomely;
out it will not command royalties as at
present for permanent rents for all the
uture. 1t will get It's interest and large
)ne, and the people will gather the, crop,
control the water, and serve the land just
rs they should do and as they want it.
In what way then can the general gov
ernment help progress and facilitate work
such as this? Senator Stewart, of Nevada,
has reported from the irrigation commit
lee bill which would seem in large
measure to insure considerable degree of
help to irrigation districts when legally
formed. No action was taken on the bill |
IN the last congress. The ugly dissen-
ions which existed made it unwise to
press for vote at that time.
The bill proposed.
1st. That whenever state or territory
egislates favorably for the location of lrri-
cation districts, the general government
through the department that may be
charged with the same, upon notification
)y the governor of any state or territory
hat citizens have voted to establish an
irrigation district system upon any area
more or less public lands,
'hall cause the same to be surveyed for
irrigation purpose, at public expense.
This irrigation survey shall embrace the
boundaries of the district, its adaptation
% irrigation purposes as unit, the char
scter and sources OF water therein, and
hall lay out for the use of the people the
works that may be necessary to utilize
'aid water and to accomplish the recla-
nation of the arabic lands in the district.
This survey will of course ascertain the
nature of the supply and character of the
works best adapted thereto, whether the
'ame be surface, ditch, high storage, or
underground supplies. |