Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-10-06

While the foregoing list there are
several states-North and South Dakota,
Kansas, Nebraska. Oregon and Wash
ington-in portions of which, crops can
be raised without irrigation, it is safe to
assume that the lands where this can
be done, have already been settled and
are, therefore, not included within the
foregoing estimate, as in all these states
irrigation has already been resorted to
which would hardly have been done,
could lands equally good. have been OBJ
tanned within the area where agri-
culture can be carried on without re-
sorting to artificial means of securing
water. OF this total of 541 ,265, 248
acres, located in the arid region, &C
cording to the report of the special
committee Of the United States senate,
on the Irrigation and Reclamation of
arid lands (1890;) from 100,000,000 to
10000, 900 acres only can ever be made
productive-and those only by irriga-
tion-on account of the limited supply
of water. This, if correct, and the best
authorities regard it as being so, would,
under the most liberal estimate, re-
duce the public lands susceptible of
cultivation, with and without irriga-
ton, now subject to settlement, to 49,
32l, $3.50 acres, conceding that all the
vacant lands still part of the public
domain, outside of the states and terri
tories in the foregoing list, are arabic.
When it is considered that if the exist
ing rate of increase in population con-
tinues-doubling the number of in
habitants every thirty-three years
that men now living within the next
fifty years will see over 225, 000.0 900
souls within the present boundaries of
the United States, the question of how
best to conserve this remaining area,
is worthy of the most careful considera-
ton and the application of the broad
est and most liberal principles of state
manship. Through the settlement OF
these 176, 1921 $3.50 acres-of which $780,
100000 acres are and will always be
valueless without the construction of
works of irrigation-can be maintained
and then for only few decades the
alone prevented the congestion of popu-
lation in the older communities. With
the closing of that outlet-which unless
a different policy from that now pur-
sued by the government, is adopted,
will occur before the end of the present
decade-will devolve on each section
the care of providing for it's own in
crease-with the concomitant debasing
and dwarfng competition incident to
density settled communities, until the
nation is forced to seek relief by the ex-
patriation of its sons in foreign coloni-
cation. In one state at least-Mas-
sachusetts-th density of population
267 Inhabitants to the square mile-al-
ready exceeds that of either Austria,
France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ire
land, Japan Russia, Scotland and
Switzerland, countries which have fur.
nished over eighty per cent. of the i'm
migrants, who have landed on our
shore during the last fifty years. In the
face of this certainty of the future, the
disposition of this comparatively small
area OF public lands remaining, be.
comes national in it's importance. In
the settlement of which the man, tc
whom may fall the actual work of cul
tivation, has no greater interest thar
has the humblest wage worker in the
east-to whom each newly settled farm
means one less competing hand from
work bench or pillow, and correspond
ing increase in the general producing
capacity of the nation, which, at leas
does not mean higher price for brest
or meat.
To realize what the future Of thes,
1000 900 acres of land will one da,
mean to the nation, it is only necessar,
to consider that Egypt from time i'm
memorial has not only maintained it