The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-28


ing the claims of arid America as a
great national living issue and Uncle
Samuel is at last aroused. He is an
Sry at the stupidity of his political
sons. He is giving earnest attention
10 the views and opinions of few of
his boys Of the west who are striking
out boldly as refcrmers have ever
done, with only their hopes and en-
thusiasm TO support their efforts.
striking at the dead wall of conserv-
atlsm-crying out in the wilderness
that tine vacant lands of the west
must be reclaimed; that progress and
prosperity were arrested Temporarily
as the cheap lands of the middle states
We're exhausted; that surplus men Of
the central and eastern states must he
transferred to the idle lands of the
new west, or the second great crisis
in the life Of the nation cannot he sue
cessfully met The justice of treir
cause and the great opportunity now
hesented, with the audacIty OF the
<2mplons Of the new movement nave
falned the attention and touched TIE
N.eart of Uncle Sam.
Our Uncle discovers that he Owns
60OOO8.e00 Of acres in arid America:
that the development CT seventeen
wonderful states is delayed because
of the stupidity with when This great
farm has been handled Els heart
bleeds for the two million of his sons,
strong armed and Wiling but suffer-
ing in idleness. lie IS anxious about
another two million employed part Ct
the time and just able ID keep body
and soul together. lie knows some of
them shouldered the muskets a few
years ago to save their Uncla's neck.
He knows ii was not the schemes of
these men thar got his neck under the
yoke of John Bulls gold; that il Il Is
not these men VINO work up and carry
into effect schemes 10 barter away
his financial strength and place him
at rhe mercy of the Shylocks Of The
world.
Our Uncle is alarmed at the NUT
terings among the idle millions They
are thinking and talking of the strug-
giles of the past and of the blunders
and selhShneSs of men Who have led
them into their helpless condition
They are talking strange doctrines
and saying that something must be
done; that they will not starve in ST
lence III a land of plenty. They are
anxious for homes and willing to
work to get them. They want to know
more about the great idle farm in the
west and why they cannot get a share |
of it,
Their brothers of the south are rus
ding hard TO take to their arms a |
great many OF the idle men of the |
NORTH but Uncle Sam knows now that |
his own great farm in the west is the !
place where at least a million men |
ought to be sent and put TO work at |
once and found homes.
Less than one-fifth of this great |
farm. will be sufficient for this pur- |
pose and there is water running to |
waste to make these deserts of today |
the gardens of tomorrow. In 1888 Web
sster said we did not want this worth
less area, this region of savages wild /
beasts and shifting sands Today
the world sees with wonder the
deserts transformed into fruitful {
farms-all in the land of gold and sill
YER The census of 1890 shows that
within this worthless area is a re-
gion where nature has been most prod
igal of her endowmen.ts. The soil of
its plains and valleys is of marvellous
depth and richness, needing but the 1
touch of water to ciothe itself with 4
Ierdure and blossom into frlIitfulness. /
That there were about 100000 acres
= der irrigation, and the value of the
lands end water-rights was $500 600 900.
Since this 100, 600, 600 has been added to /
the value of these works, and there
are now ready for settlement ten mil
lion acres. Conventions at Salt Lake.
Los Angeles and Denver discussed the
arid land problem and declared that
they Were dealing with problems
4bsss5. involve the happiness and pros
rer;ty' IF millions of freemen and the
tranquility of states"
Our Uncle jumped high when he
heard his Wyoming boy Mead at St
Louis earnestly state the cause Of the {
new west and boldly declare: I'm this !
region the United States is the great
est land owner. Over six hundred ,
millions of acres of this domain is I'M {
der the ownership and control of the !
federal authorities. Thus far, this au- |
rl1ority has done little or nothing TO q
secure q rational or satisfactory solu- :
ton of the problem of retaining these :
lands. The attitude of the general e
government in regard to the develop i
,nent of the arid states has been that I
of am alien landlord who made no i'm /
and paid no taxes. The !,
time has come VIXEN this condition OF :
affairs should cease, when the arid re- c
gion should have laws suited to its a
conditions, when the requirements of I
its climate and the necessities of its l
conditions should be met by suitable =
legislative enactment and industrial 4
conditions G
The arid west is the hope of the fu- d
ture homeseeker. It's reclamation is n
the greatest industrial problem now 7
before the people of this country
on the success of this rests the
growth and prosperity of the seven .