The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-02


east to west and ], 600 miles from nortl
to south. This great area could be di
vided into nearly 40 political divisions
each of which would be of the size o
the Empire state
WHO ARE INTERESTED
Approximately, three-f1fths of thu
territory of the United States, eXclu
sive of Alaska, is directly interested il
the subjects which this congress vii
consider To the people living west o.
the Missouri river these questions, o.
all questions, are the most important
Seventeen states and territories arr
now asking: How can we best reclaim
our arid lands and make them capabl,
of supporting the increasing popula.
ton? What legislation, national anc
state, is reQuired2 1t would be in
appropriate for me at this time to &c
into details. / am happy to know thai
there are those here who will ably and
eloquentiy present every phase of these
questions. None will doubt that these
questions must be met by congress
and the several states interested must
contribute much legislation.
1.-THE general government is inter
ested in a material way, for the rea-
son that it owns most of the land in
the arid country, and under the exist
ence settlement laws il will be many,
many years before it can parcel out
these lands TO actual settlers. The
policy of the nation has been, and wise
has been that policy, to part with the
public domain to those who wish to
make homes or improve the lands, as
a gift, or for so small an amount as to
scarcely pay the cost of surveys and
expenses of the administrations of the
land offices.
PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
''The question daily arises with the
national legislator: Is it better for the
nation to directly undertake the con-
straction of great irrigation canals,
dams, reservoirs, etc, and then parcel
out the lands so reclaimed in small
tracts among those seeking homes, or
is it better to cede the lands without
restrictions or conditions, directly to
the states in which they are situated;
or is it wiser to pass laws with re-
strictions and conditions, but such as
will encourage the individual and the
corporation TO undertake the work of
reclamation? Much may be said in
support of either of these propositions.
They are now live questions and are
pressing themselves upon the -consid-
GRAFTON of congress. The Individual and
the corporation are at work. Much
has been accomplished under the desert
land law. Wyoming, Utah and Mon
tana are availing themselves Of the
millionaire donation act. With the
revival of business increased interest
viii be taken in this law. The individ-
ual state is passing useful laws upon
the apportionment of the water and the
settlement of disputes Hereunder
While much has been done, g COM
meneement has scarcely been made.
The population of the country west
of the Missouri river has grown rapid
a rot lxy farsr
has increased several hundred per cent
There is no doubt that this growth will
go on as rapidly in the future as it has
in the past few years. It is estimated
that the population west of the Mis-
souri, river will reach 1S,000,0 900 of peo-
pie by the time of the taking of the
census of 1900. This is a government
of the people, and the nation must be
at all times most deeply concerned for
the increase that annually takes place
in its population. The nation, I do
not think, viii belle its record; it will
meet the obstacles and remove them
The lands which do not require irriga-
ton are nearly all occupied. To make
room for the increase and influx of
population, mammoth irrigation works
must be constructed. The great coun-
tries until recently unoccupied, save by
rowing bands of Indians and a few
mining settlements, are now we'll trav-
ersed by railroad lines, and among
them are great continental roads. On
these railroads, every few miles, are
young cities, towns and villages. made
and Inhabited by enterprising people.
These people are not contented to
stand still. They are among the most
progressive people of the most progress
sive nation on the face of the globe
They are willing to venture and take
chances. The country thereabout,
wherever it is possible, is being rapid
ly occupied by the ranchman and far
Iner. These enterprising people are
urging the necessities of such legisla-
ton as they believe is best adapted to |
the conditions as they are found in |
these states and territories.
THESE questions are comparatively /
new ones to the people of the United |
States. But small number of those
who make the laws or administer the /
departments of the govern |
Iaent have ever seen irrigation canals, I
or any practical experiments made |
through this system of the cultivation !
OF the soil. Indeed, until the Mormon
people began to make homes in the /
salt Lake basin, irrigation had not been |
undertaken by any considerable num- |
Der of people under the Jurisdiction of /
TINS nation The country in which we
live was looked upon as a great. bar
rem waste that would never be occu-
pied by civilized man.
VAST POSSIBILITIES.
We who have experimental and Gull
LlVated the soil in any one of the arid /
states or territories may to some ex-
tent measure the possibilities of the
country Which was considered so bar
rem and worthless for purposes of Gull
-lVauon few years ago. There is
none OF the territory west of the Mis-
souri, river but what has, within its
borders, great irrigation plants. great
and small fields in bearing which would |
De deserted save and except for the ir-
1gating ditch and canal, which have
reclaimed them from a most unpro-
iuctive condition to that of one of
great fertility.
When we speak therefore of the
possibilities of these states. we only
assert what we know-that the broad
lcres which Will be cultivated will be
enumerated by the million, and that
heir numbers will only be limited by
he supply OF water that may be made
AVAILABLE. in some OF the states the
etal acreage that may be reclaimed
nay, De but small percentage of the
otal area. yet the small acreage COM
'afatlyelys brought under the control
f the husbandman will be sufficient to
ring about the development of other
-reat natural resources other than
hose Of agriculture, thereby building
I'D communities of varied industries.
nd providing for thousands upon
thousands of American citizens.
The country described has every va