The herald., 1893-10-10
THE ISSUE OF THE HOUR.

public domain of this country. Here
tofore-or at least until very lately-we
have had large region in which the
rainfall has been ample TO guarantee
crops to the husbandman. The govern
ment has parted with this superb inher-
itance held in trust for the people with
q prodigality that has never before been
witnessed in the history of the world.
Hundreds OF millions OF acres have been
lavished on corporations upon terms
which reserved nothing to the public.
AT the same time that we lavished our
lands with an unsparing hand-imitat-
ing the Creator, who permits his sun to
shine upon the iust and the unjust
alike-we permitted European nations
to pour an unchecked food OF immigra-
grafton upon our shores. Perhaps this
was, after all, an enlightened policy.
Fortunately, until lately, the standard
OF immigration was high one. Far be
it from US to disprize the great value
which we have derived from certain
classes OF European immigration. But,
| WkbhOdu ihtO any Aict1SoASAA "a
this head, the fact remains that the
public lands OF the United States, once
supposed to be illimitable and mex
haustible, are to all practical purposes
exhausted. The mad rush to Oklahoma
q year or 30 ago and the great thronging
to the Cherokee Strip of the other day
prove that fact beyond possibility of
contradiction.
When we say that the public domain
is exhausted we OF course wish to be
understood as referring to that part Of
it as to which the settler relies on the
natural rainfall to mature his crops.
There is still large remnant of the
national domain that can be made avail
able for settlement by an enlightened
policy on the part OF the government.
The arid lands OF the United States are
now valueless for purposes of agricul-
ture and horticulture. But back OF
them, particularly on those portions
which are located on the Pacific slope
side of the divide, are watersheds that
are capable Of irrigating hundreds OF
millions of acres of lands which rejoice
in climate that will enable them to
produce anything grown on the foot
stool. Both in variety and value OF
production they are capable of being
made incompatible. The day will
come, and that shortly, when the Colo
RADIO desert, under an intelligent system
of irrigation. will blossom as the rose,
and more than surpaes the tropics in
the prodigality OF its yield Of the most
valuable staples that enter into the
commerce OF the world. California,
Montana, Idaho, Wyoming. Utah, New
Mexico and Arizona can be made to
yield the most plenteous crops by an in
telligent and persevering development Of
their water resources.
And why should not the government
of the United States lend its best efforts
to improving its own domain. In such
plan there is nothing Utopisn nor
Quixotish. Nor is there any objection
of paternalism attaching to such pro-
gramme. Since the very institution OF
the government the national treasury
has been called upon to improve rivers
and harbors and in some cases to create
the latter. Where the appropriations
were honestly made, and were carried
out in good faith, this was an enlight-
ened policy. But it must be borne in
mind that all the benefits accruing to
the government from such outlays were
purely constructive. The government
benefited because the people benefited.
Not dollar accrued directly to the
national treasury. The levees of the
Mississippi river and the improvements
on the harbor of Galveston are justified
becanse thereby the commerce of the
United States was facilitated and the
consequent expansion of business made
1t 60 much easier for the people to pay
their taxes.
In the caee of developing water for
irrgating ard lands, however, there is
not only this indirect benefit but very
positive one. 1t is always the part OF
prudence for the owner OF real property
to improve it when it is in his power.
Unproductive property yields no in
come. The people of the United States
+ own immense quantities OF lands which
are now absolutely valueless, but which
can be made TO sell for very respectable
figures. Once develop and impound
water, dig bitches and lay out townships
in the arid land regions, and lands that
would be held dead ct ten centH an acre
will readily command three and four
dollars an acre. A very logical argument
could be made against the purchase Of
land for experimental and speculative
purposes. But in this case the govern
ment owns these lands; they are worse
than useless in their present state. and
the other portions OF the national do
main are exhausted. Uncle Sans
children have no longer any place to HE
them to. What more imperative than
to recreate national domain that will
even surpass the old one in attractions,
and whose cultivation, under a sagscious
system of water development, would be
an inestimable benefit to mankind and
lesson to the whole world?
The whole country is Just now groan-
ing through the lack OF eufficiency OF
the circulating medium. What objec-
ton is there-except from coupon clip
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