Graham guardian., 1899-09-01
EASTERN OPPOSITION.
It Is Strong and Can be Overcome Only
Through United Effort on the Part of
the Western states and Territories.

liz is Strong and Can be Overcome Only
Through United Effort on the Part of
the Western states and Territories.
The greatest obstacle in the path
of storage of water in the West by
the Federal Government lies in
Eastern opposition among farm
ers. Many Eastern men cannot
be convinced that the develop
ment Of the West means a sympa
thetic quickening in the East
through increased manufacturing
to supply Western communities,
which will employ additional labor
and cause an increased Eastern
demand for farm products.
An official Of the eastern Grange
aud member of other farmers
organizations man liberal mind
ed on most large questions-said,
| in discussing the question, that he
could not see anything but local
benefit to the West to result from
irrigation, and as far as Govern
ment assistance was concerned he
was strongly opposed to it,. The
whole people should not be taxed
to help out a few sparsely settled
arid states.
"But how about doing the work
thu ough an equitable division of
the river and harbor bill appro-
priations, giving the immense an
nual expenditure in the East under
thus blll?" was asked.
"No, no; it would be direct in.
Jury to the Eastern farmer. East
ern farmer. Eastern farmers don't
want the opening up of more
Western lands"
Upon the suggestion that this
was narrow view Ito retard the
development of any part of the
United States--the reply was
made that the people as whole
were not called upon to subsidize
the West; let the western states do
their own developing. Moreover he
said, he believed the East, par
ticular the Grange and other or
ganizations, would shut down
squarely upon such projects when
the matter was brought before them
as an issue. They only needed to
understand it to veto it.
While this dog ip-the.manger
policy is not general IN the East
there are undoubtedly many East
erners who entertain just such
narrow views, as was very clearly
seen in the fight for national aid
along these lines made in the last
congress. The west should not
deceive itself in the belief that
there will be no eastern opposi,
tion to government expenditures
for storage of water. This fact,
then, simply emphasizes tho neces-
sity for the utmost harmony of
purpose and action by the people
of the west in demanding the ad-
option by the government of a
policy whose enactment means the
future life of the western country.
The great arid west is no mere
corner of land to be showed aside
and allotted any administration de-
sired by the rest of the country.
The west is fast becoming the cen
ter of attention from standpoint
of sound financial investment, and
no such narrow policy and treat
ment by the east will be tolerated.
Nor is the west powerless, as was
forcibly demonstrated in the
United States Senate in closing
days of last Congress. 1t can de-
mand a fair consideration of its
claim and a fair adjustment, and it
can enforce its demand. But this
1T can accomplish only through a
united effort. If the west speaks
as one voice and for one thing, its
demand will be heard. If different
factions cry for different things it,
will be easy and plausible for the
eastern statesman to say to the
west: "Why, you come to us with
a diversity of demands and we
cannot tell what is the real wish of
the people Of the west; therefore,
it is not wise to take any action.
But this ready excuse to avoid ac-
tion is throttled In its inception by
a unanimous delegation of western
senators and congressman, stating
IN no uncertain terms that what
the whole west wants, each and
every state and territory, is the
adoption of a policy by congress
whereby the National Government
shall build storage reservoirs aud
control their waters for the use of
settlers, out of general appropria-
tions, which shall thus give to the
west its fair share of the public
money for internal improvements.
Will the west make this demand?