The herald., 1897-08-14
THE INTEREST IN IRRIGATION
Is GROWING

The sixth meeting of the national irri-
cation congress will be held at Lincoln.
Neb., on the 5th, 9Th and 7th of next
October. The meetings Of the congress
have been more largely attended from
year to year, and deeper interest in the
subject is manifested as the people
become better informed. 1t will be re-
membered that the second congress as
sembled in Los Angeles and was very
successful.
The present executive committee oil
the association comprises men from the
south, the extreme east and the
Mississippi valley. The people where
irrigation is not necessary have
commenced to study the subject.
and they begin to see that irrigation
in the arid region is important to the
welfare of the entire nation; that some
thing must be done to relieve the congest-
country, and to supply food to our rap
idly increasing population. Irrigation
is one among the most important phys
ical questions Of the day, and interest
in it will increase as time advances.
The value of irrigation has been DEM
onstrated in Kansas and Nebraska and
in many other states. The greatest en-
ployment of 1t, however, has been in
California, and results here have been
most auspicious. California was the pio-
neer in the practice of irrigation and
stands in the forefront for proficiency
in the science and art. Baron Rauner.
a member of the household of the car
of all the Russias, was sent over here
a few years ago to investigate the irri-
cation question, preparatory to applying
it to the vast estates of the czar in Tur-
kestan, and it was in California tina.
he obtained the best ideas as to methods
and results, and the system in vogue here
has been introduced there SO far as cir
cumstances permit.
The congress has already given
thought to many difficult questions.
Among them are the distribution of
water from interstate streams, and wha:
shall be done with the claim of Mexico
to prescriptive right to portion of the
water in the Rio Grande. These are
both perplexing problems The first will
the latter by International agreement.
The greatest question is, how shall
irrigation be systematized so as to as
sure the greatest good to the greatest
guarded against is monopoly of the
water, for whoever controls it controls
the land. Our theory has been to leave
the development of irrigation to pri-
vate enterprise. Experience has dem
onstrated that it has led to ABUSES
Water, like light and air, Is a common
heritage; while persons who have de-
veloped water are entitled to just COM
pensation for expenditures of money
and time, it is an, element Of which the
public cannot be deprived, and exclusive
control is hostile to the general welfare.
A system of irrigation under condi-
tions which exist will necessarily be
under dual control from the fact that
the lands in the arid regions are owned
by the general government the states
and individuals. How to create a jus.
control is a question which it is a part
of the business of the national irrigation
congress to aid in solving. Among its
delegates will be many intelligent and
practical men. Several propositions
have been made and discussed, some OF
which have been put forward to promote
the general welfare. The influence OF
these congresses cannot be otherwise
than valuable to the country.