The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-18


durtior OF grain. but in wheat, rye, barley
and potatoes the arid belt shows better
results than the best land in the rainfall
districts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, indiana
and Illinois. In the culture Of fruit under
irrigation oranges, lemons, olives, fgs'
almonds. English walnuts pay from $50
to 500 an acre In California, while the net
reeeipts for aprlcots, nectarines, peaches,
yellow egg plums and French prunes
range from $3.50 to $50 per acre.
In California the Law regulates the price
of water on the same principle that the
state controls and regulates railroad
freiybt charges. The power Of the state
to regulate the price of water is unques-
TONED and will be asserted TO prevent
ruinous. unjust and prohibitive charges
as the land in irrigation countries IS
utterly yalueless separated from the
water.
For the solution of the problem OF water
storage or the reservoir system three plans
have been urged: first. that it be under
taken By the government of the United
States as a national work second, that the
state or territory provide the reservoirs
within its borders; third, that the work be
done by private capital. The secretary OF
the interior in his report for 1891 points
out that private corporations and associ-
atoms are now substantially given the
field of water supply for that domain that
may be redeemed by irrigation, and that
this field is being rapidly seized upon.
The United States by existing legislation
does not retain any control, but weakly
and insufficiently establishes the authority
of the states or territories; the control of
the water is handed over to corporations
and associations"
The secretary holds that the United
States should not release altogether its
hold upon the water supply and its ulti-
mate distribution; he does not advise the
construction of the reservoirs by United
States government; he says that ''the
reservoirs, canals and bitches may be
transferred, so far rs already located by
the United States, 10 the states and terri
tories, and those yet to be located will be
put under local legislation and control"
But if this is done he deems it essential
that "there should be reserved to the
United States the power of forfeiture and
resumption in case of great abuse or
conflict of interests between states
threatening to lead to actual violence be-
tween their respective populations, or
allowing the irrigation of vast districts to
fall into the hands of monopolies without
sufficient protection TO the people," and
recommends that as the subject is of such
great and immediate importance compre-
hensiye laws should be passed at once
determining the national policy upon
this subject" The president in his mes
sage TO congress says: "The government
should not part with its ownership of the
water sources except on the condition of
insuring water to settlers at reasonable
rates"
The advocates of q system of storage
reservoirs built and constructed by the
United States argue that since the govern
ment builds dikes along the lower Missis-
sippi to keep water off private lands the
government can hardly refuse TO build
private lands. The government will
hardly do more than make appropriations
for complete and accurate surveys of the
arid region, and carefully designate the
proper sites for storage reservoirs.
There are many practical students of the
irrigation problem who advocate that the
states or territories should build the stor-
age reservoirs each within its own bor-
ders; that the general government should
grant to the respective states and territor-
les all desert lands remaining unsold.
With the proceeds of the sale of these
lands, the necessary reservoirs and water
ways can be constructed.
This plan would seem to be favored by
the present House committee on irriga-
ton. The objection made TO national or
state construction is that private capital
will do the work with less friction and
with greater advantage to the people.
--
General Francis A. Walker would have the