Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-31
A REVIEW OF Policies.

r1torles of the arid region. These men
are now the powerful body of the western
populace. Their efforts have forced the
holding of the various irrigation con-
crosses. Indeed the frat of these con-
yentions was held for the very purpose
of ratifying the Warren bill. The oppo.
| sition to it has arisen sporadically, and
for long was publicly voiced only by Col
Richard j. Hinton. Out of the friction
between the ideas of state or national
sovereignty over the unocoupied lands of
the arid region has grown party that is
uncrystalized and disintegrate except on
one point that title to these lands should
remain in the government until they are
reclaimed. The cessionists claim that
reclamation under present conditions is
too slow. This may be questioned. Out
side of Utah anG. New Mexico irrigation
is only twenty three years old in the
United States, and already close to 90
900 600 acres are under ditch and between
100000 and 100000 acres are cult
waited This would seem to be very
substantial progress and indeed there
are enough acres now under ditch to sup
ply the estimated increase of population
| for at least five years. In New Mexico
we have available for settlement to-day
about 100000 acres of land, or sufficient
to supply $4,000 families with thirty acre
farms, which according to the census, is
the average size of irrigated farms in
this territory.
| These facts must be taken into con-
sideration, and they develop one of the
strongest reasons of opposition to the
| Vol,
in the Canadian valley the Maxwell
Land Grant corporation has reclaimed
about 100000 acres; in the Pecos valley
another corporation is engaged in re-
claiming more than 100000 acres. So far
has this work progressed that it may
be said every acre is available for settle
ment, because the water will be ready for
the land long before the people are ready
to occupy it. In the Rio Grande valley,
other large tracts are being reclaimed
under the management of the Chicago
Municipal Investment company. At
Santa Fe reservoir is building to re-
claim $4,000 acres right in and around the
town. Further down the Rio Grande
the money has been arranged for to COZ =
struct large and extensive irrigation
plants. Now following the idea of the
cessionists the rest of the lands are to be
turned over to the states and territories
to be parcelled out for reclamation to
corporations. In other words either n
land trust, greater than was ever dreamed
of, is to be fostered or scores of little
companies are to be created, whose
schemes will be shrewdly launched, and,
vhen the promoter has lined his pocket,
IL @1 lr;f %o %hair
bankruptcy. 1t is the belief of this COM
mission, however, that gigantic land
trust would be the outcome of the ces-
sion policy.
Now it is unfair and unjust to the CAPT
tai already invested in irrigation to con-
front it with condition that would in
volve, unforeseen and unnatural compe-
tition. This would not be SO bad if the
new schemes were certain to be we'll
founded, but inevitably they will not, but
will parsake of that character generally
known as "wild cat" The convention
may put New Mexico down from the out
set as opposed to any program that is
detrimental to invested capital. 1t takes
sufficient risk in coming into new
country and retaining it.
Look at the Pecos Irrigation and I'm
provement company. Since 1890 it has
added at least $4,000 to the population Of
New Mexico, has constructed over 1000
miles of irrigating bitches, large and
small, has provided annual storage for
seven billion cubic feet additional. 1t
has built railroad that will one day be
the most important short line in the
world, as it will close the gap between the
| g. b,
for6ing the shortest inter-ocean road in
the world. We would be the veriest in
CRATES in the world if appreciation was
not shown of such gigantic enterprise.
From this one scheme alone New Mexico
enjoys the fruits of $5,O0O,OOO invested
by the corporation and many millions
more of private capital. Is it just or il
it right that this corporation should be
thrown into competition with the ill-ad-
vised propositions of willy promoters,
who, having the ear of our legislatures,
would promise anything for franchise
to improve lands, and after the bonds
We're placed would leave the capitalist to
pull out as best he could. Think of it,
with about ten million acres now under
ditch and unoccupied, what would be the
| future of these lands if unhealthy stimu-
lation were given to the work of reclama-
ton.
| FUTURE POLICY.
This brings up the delicate subj ect of
a future policy. The only point of unity
is that the desert land act should be re-
pealed. 1t is pernicious in it's conce ption,
i'll adapted to conditions and false in
theory. AS amended by the act of March 3,
1891, restricting locations to bona fide
residents of the state or territory where
the location is made, it is worse than use
less. If it had any reason at all it was to
induce settlement-to secure new resi-.
dents in the west, not to drive them away.
Legislation to take it's place is of a
peculiarly delicate nature. Land cession
will not be entirely satisfactory; an
amended homestead law would be useless.
The hurrying Spectator would of course
cut this Gordian knot by cession.
It is TO be hoped that this assembly
will recommend legislation that acknowl-
edges the conditions of irrigation; that
it will urge congress to enact a law Civ
ing individuals or corporations right
to reclaim land and to own it in fee SIM
pie on proof of reclamation. But not an
acre more could be given than is actually
reclaimed Rigid rules of inspection
and proof should be laid down, the i'm
proven of the land should be compelled
to prove to the satisfaction of the gov
eminent engineer that he has developed a
system and has the water to fertiize
every foot of soil that he claims. There
should be no charge for this other than
the expense of the engineer; and this
should be fixed at an average acre price
SO that 1t would not be over burdensoms
regulation should be provided also of the