The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-18
IRRIGATION FOR INDIAN 1ANDa
The Red Man Cannot become n Farmer On
Arid Reservations.

WASHINGTON. May lit is singular that
when scores OF millions OF dollars are invested
| ut the West in irrigation by damming md
ditching. in place OF depending on the rare
| rainfall, so little should be done for the In
| dinns in this respect
| 10 induce the red man to turn agriculturist
| Is no easy Job. under the most favorable con-
ditions But we have the testimony Of the
last report Of Commissioner Morgan that a
| largo proportion Of the lands reserved for In
| dian occupation are within the arid or semi
arid regions OF the United States. "On such
| lands the attempt to engage in agriculture
without proper facilities for irrigation can re-
| suit only in failure. Although tho Allotment
| law of 1887 provided for allotments Of farming
| lands on all reservations. very little had been
attempted. or provided previous to the last
session of Congress. in the way Of irrieatine the
lands to be allotted" Similar testimony was
given last summer by Capt. Huggins Of Gen.
Miles's staff. who visited several agencies in
the Sioux reservation: Crops" no said.
have been almost total failures the last three
years. caused by the drought. and the conse-
Qucnce is that those Indians who attempted to
farm arc now almost altogether dependent
upon what the Government furnishes them
for subsistence. Many have returned to their
old ways Of digging wild turnips. n few get n
sold. l found many farms which both Indians
md whites had attempted to work deserted.
and the owners gone away in disgust This
year the crops in the Dakotas are very fair.
but the Indians live mostly in o region that 10
cursed with drought"
However. of lato years this very important
subject has been to some extent taken up. On
the Navajo reservation. for example. some ir-
rigating works have been constructed. 1t was
found that large part Of the tribe habitually
lived Off the reservation. because they needed
the adjoining springs for the nnsturage OF
their great flocks of sheep. 1t was question
whether they should be allowed to DO this as
it brought them into conflict occasionally with
their white neiGhbors. yet tho other course
threatened the loss of one Of their chief
sources of subsistence. At length the plan OF
artificial irrigation was to a limited extent re-
irriGntne works on tho Flathrad reservation.
But far more important was tho step in this
direction taken for the Crow Indians OF Mon
taEa. In the agreement for the cesSion of q
year. it was provided that 100000 should be
dItches and laterals in ig Horn o and Ittie
Horn valleys. and on Pryor Creek and else.
the treaty had made this report
Allotments of lana in scvera,y have been nade to
The The, Indians along these streams. lloa.es have been
have been rhshsd BY tho oSernmen t or" sts
nothing because irrigation. the chef factor III niukmg
Il n'S@ a an 'a ',sG o M.
reserve system OF irrigation is the nrst Thing re-.
Quirc and until that is provided the time labor ana
money expen.iei to make the crow Indian is
mostly thrown away.
THIS Commission feel justified in progen,Ing this
question of irrigation what Mt length hy reason
Of Its great imp the future wcfnr. md pros
periiy OF the Crow tribe With irrigation tue land il
capable ot marvellous predictions hut without Al Tie
uncertainty .! raising a crop maEc- The land ro,nn,rn
tNe'y worthless exrrrt forrratug purposes. PLAINLY
rs 10 make tue ahds allotted TO them productive BY
Meats OF n thorough system Of irrigation.
Last spring Congress took still another nota-
bio stop. by making an appropriation Of $40
irrigating machinery and appliances in Ari-
IONA. Montana, and Nevada. IlnnS have been
considered for arranging irrigntinC works on
the Colorado River and Fort MoJavs rrssrvn-
Nevada. and on the Fort Hall in idaho. In
California such work nre needed.
The irrigation 81 Indian lands Is not likely
to lac carried out to- the fullest extent BY tho
Government. But the attempt to lead tho
filling the land implies acurtain degree OF hcp
Of this character, sine" they are not now able
10 arrange for 1t properly themselves With
the removal of the disoourngrmcnts resulting
from thoughts and tho fertilization of lnnds
be apparent Tho suggestion has houn thrown
out by iii" Indian bureau that while Indians
Mt least "f II" unriyliZcd tribes. cannot COM
hinu rs white men 40 10 procure costly r-
rlgat ing plants. they might do n afg" part Of
the labor ~ ditchliE. and might br instructed
in the subsequent care Of reservoirs. Under
the new severalty allotment system tho agency
authorities may also b. able t. arrange for
plans Of irrigation to which each owner OF an
allotment would contribute.