The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-25

no cultivation, no seeding-nothing but
harvesting and marketing. The 400 sores
| of alfalfa referred to has not been irri-
gated for three successive years, yet that
any of the land mentioned is in enltiva-
ton at all is directly due to irrigation. /
have the information directly from our
grain buyers at Gaiden City that there
has been paid OUT there this year. for the
single item of aif ia seed. $50 eco in round
numbers. More than half OF this seed was
grown upon ground which WAS not irri
gated this year; yet. ut least SO per cent of
it grew upon land that would noi now
| bs growing alfalfa. or any other
crop, but for the assistance aud
| encouragement afforded by irrigation. In
| fact. but for the st ,rt thus given TO alfalfa
growing. il Is very doubtful If single
| acre of it would be in ex stence today in
| the region referred TO. The same thing is
| true OF very large proportion of all our
non-lrfigated crops, which are considers
bic in amount every Year in our locality;
| that Is, they are incidental 10 the growth
| of watered crops and n very large proper
ton would not be undertaken, but for the
reassuring contiguity of the irrigated
| land, which is the real reliance ard main
| stay and which has kept in the country
many families which would Otherwise
have removed to morc humid localities.
| ne value Of irrigation sheet anchor
| Is also strikingly exemplified in the case
OF the settler who installs small pumping
| outfit and by its use irrigates three or four
acres of fruits and vegetables aud so makes
| sure of tlding over any sweeping failure
! OF non-irrigated crops until tue successful
| year comes round. The successful year is
| sure to come, because, rs is well known
there are seasons-often times several in
| snccesslon-when n variety of farm crops
may be bountif ully produced, without re-
sort to artificial watering, III any part Of
western KANSAS.
So much for what may be denominated
the local features OF the irrigation interest
OF the state It's aspect as n general or
pubic, matter has not been wholly neg
, iected by its friends The facts that kan
sas has an interest in irrigation and facili-
ties for its development TO large extent
have been proclaimed. always in season
and, perhaps, sometimes out OF season,
until they arr well known to the people
OF the humid portion OF this state, not only,
but TO the country at large, as are the
same facts concerning California, or
aud other western state. The press has
been led to discuss 1t; political parties
have been induced to recognize it IN their
platforms; the legislature has passed joint
resolutions iustrurting the states repre-
sentatlves In the congress of the United
States as to desires in our behalf: aud, not
without hard struggle, a cote OF irfiga-
ton laws has been placed upon our statute
books. which is far in advance of the irri-
CATION laws in many of the older states,
which re more singulariy interested than
we are on the subject. Our irrigation
code is more complete and systematic and
more carefully protective of the rights Of
the people than are the laws Of half the
states wholly within the arid region. 1t
lacks some provisions to make it fully ef-
fective, not because they were overlooked,
but because il was certain that TO ask for
any provision for administrative officers,
or for any other feature that would lead
to any expense on the part OF the state,
would cause the defeat of the bill. The
foundations Of comprehensive code are
now safely laid and. and as our contreres
of the eastern portion Of the state Can be
induced to favor us, we may, perhaps,
hope for the further provisions which Will
render the law more effective and benefi-
cial.
As to matters outside the state, affect
ing us, Kansas has been represented at
each irrigation congress and each trans
Mississippi congress-at Denver, at Salt
Lake City. at Omaha, and so forthwith
sufficient YlgOT to command recognition
OF Kansas interests and respect for her
rights and wishes; and at Washington
City, when the movement WAS Inaugur-
ated to establish IN Irrigation Bureau in
the department of agriculture, and a re-
leutless tight was made against il, it was |
Kansas intervention that turned the scale, |
when the fight was lii fact lost, and |
established the Bureau of Irri- |
persuaded, will prove continuing |
and augmenting force beneficial to the
cause Of irrigation development through
out the United States. Every one ac- |
quainted with governmental work of this |
sort knows that where the severest effort |
is required to make "A beginning. That |
accom- plisLed, the continuation and en- |
In of il y..l U
in Competent hands.
The eastern half of the state has dealt |
with irrigation as it might be expected to |
treat any matter which concerns directly |
OR seems to do so-only the western |
half. La our efforts to enlist the interest
ed cooperation OF our fellow citizens of |
eastern Kansas, We have met with lively |
interest aud pig headed indifference, intel.
lig mt aid and supercilious re0uffs, sym
pathetic encouragement and soothing dis
couragement, he.pful suggestions, I'M
practical schemes and theories, commen-
dation as heroes and COMMUNICATION rs
cranks and loafers who ought TO get out
OF the state as soon as possible and 20 to
Arkansas. or back to wifs's folks. The
big-hearted, broad-gauge, public-spirit-
ed citizen, who knows something at
least Of the whole state, and loves the
whole state, has always teen counted
upon with certainty to favor aud encour-
Kansas. the politician who wanted our |
votes has always given us abundant lip
service before election and some OF them
have not lost all their interest after the
ballot was over. Now and then a wise
acre who knows nothing about western
Kansas, and, rs a matter of fact. does not
Care to know, has pronounced the effort |
to permanently settle our portion OF the
state n failure and its citizens frauds and
kindly advised Us to get out"
The simple word irrigation" really
comprehends a combination OF parts great
in volume aud complex i'll relation, aud
the whole can no more be boiled down 10
a page or learned in the course OF a single
convention than could the commentaries
OF Blackstone. Neither what has been
done, even i'll and for so new region as
western Kansas, nor what may unQues-
tionably still be brought forth, can tie ex-
pressed clearly, fully and ;nteliIgibly in
single address. This is u fact which seems
most difficult for many people TO grasp;
hence. 1 have found those who,
IL they attend single gathering
such AS this, and fail to learn all there IS
to know OF what has been accomplished
from the beginning, and To see the end and
contamination of the matter clearly IN
view, fail 10 com prebend the real nature
of the problems involved and jump at the
conclusion that nothing has yet been done.
Similarly, those new to the work, failing
TO grasp its true cbgracter. sometimes I'M
agine that everything has been at a stand
still waiting for their appearing md that
in some way. the fountains OF the earth
will be Immediately turned wrong side out
through their influence and broad streams
of water be running TO waste In no tune
over the erstwhIle desert. After bump /
ing against the hard corners OF the real
ity for few years aud learning few
things, the situation appears different. II