Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-11-21
PRESS COMMENT.
Ex-Gov. Ross on Irrigation.

In the North American Review for DC
tober the Hon. Edmund G. Ross, former
governor of New Mexico, contributes
timely article on irrigation that is wor-
thy of careful perusal. Briefly sketching
the system in vogue prior to the oc-
cupation of New Mexico by the Ameri-
cans, which was confined to the larger
streams and valleys, he calls attention to
the fact that vast areas aligning the
smaller streams yet await development.
These streams-often running "dry" dur
ing the summer-lying usually at the
base OF mountains and between eleva-
tions, might Ia many cases be made
catchment basins for water storage; but
IN the construction of storage reservoirs
and canals Mr.. Ross is opposed to gov
eminent aid. He holds that the govern
ment has no constitutional right to de.
vote public moneys to private ends. he
is no less opposed to large corporations
controlling water privileges, rightly ar
guing that corporations have already Sc
cured too much land and too many water
rights in the arid region. In place of
these two agencies Mr.. Ross thinks that
limited, local and independent irrigation
is possible, and that in the long run it
would cost less than any of the larger
schemes.
Touching the unconstitutional phases
of the matter Of government aid, the
whole question rests upon the supposi-
ton that water development, as it is I'M
derstood in the arid region, is not a pub
lie measure. In this view Mr.. Ross
seems to be-in a measure at least-sus-
tanned by the Judge Ross decision de-
claring the Wright law unconstitutional
on that very point. His second objec-
tion against corporation control of land
and water rights will meet with public
sympathy, but the fact remains that I'M
der California conditions land the same
conditions prevail quite generally
througout the arid west) and the develop
ment of water aud conducting it over
large areas of land is simply impossible
by Limited, and independent irrigation"
The necessary outlay is too great, and
hence recourse must be had to corporate
operative nature. The Carey law affords
the several states comprising the arid
region an opportunity to work out their
own salvation, and yet avoiding the ag
gressions of combined capital. At any
rate it is substitute for asking aid from
the federal government-an aid, we are
afraid, that under most any conditions
cen hardly be expected, since about nine
tenths of the population of the country is
situated in the humid regions where irri-
CATION is not essential, and would not
therefore tax itself to benefit the remain
ing one tenth.
Regarding the storage of water Mr..
Ross wonld not dam the streams in the
ordinary sense. Nearly every dam thus
far constructed has sooner or later been
destroyed by floods, and seven were it
possible to construct permanent dam in
these streams, the basins thus created
would soon fill up with sand and sediment
carried down from the mountains in every
flood, and the waters thereby forced out
and over adjoining farms to their fatal
injury" He draws the following con-
illusions from the plans and experiences
of the natives of his own section of coun-
try:
"All that is needed is to adopt and i'm
prove upon their method, which is not by
damming, but simply placing an obstruc-
ton in the stream, 80 as to divide the
current and divert the desired proportion
of its waters into previously construct
cd acequia, or lrrigatinp canal. By this
canal the water is carried across and dis
tributed over the fields under cultivation.
The system thus suggested is admirable
in it's simplicity. Taking the Mexican
acequia as basis, there should be built
in the centre OF the stream from which
water for irrigation is to be taken pier
high enough. to divert portion of the
food or surplus waters into a lateral canal
at the pier, and thence con-