Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-06-13
CONTROL OF WATER
Government Should Have Supervis-
ion Of Distribution of Water As
It Controls Public Domain.
APPROPRIATIONS NEEDED
They Must Not Be Regarded As a Sop
Given to Secure Support for Other
Measures, But As the Right
of the West.

Inc following paper on gat Is
by Thomas knight, Of Kansas City:
las a factor in the prosperity of the
west, irrigation has for many years
beer all important. But the recognition
of the science as a factor has come with
the last decade, and ever now that rec
ognition is in many instances but
grudgingly accorded, and under pro-
test, as it were, from those whose per-
sonal interests are not actually con-
cerned, or whose vested rights APP
pear to be threatened by any course of
i n dancer, even when the common veal
is concerned in their curtailment.
But with the pressure of an advanc-
ing civilization it is clear that western
progression demands definite settle
ment as to the nature of those claims
which may be properly maintained by
the individual and those which can or
ought to be maintained by the people.
And it Is equally clear that upon the
just apportionment Of these depends
not only the prosperity of the west, but
to the largest extent that Of the nation,
since in our western country of unoc-
cupied lands, mountain streams and I'M
developed resources generally, we have
Thai outlet for the employment of both
capital and labor which will render for
eign conquest and occupation uncalled
for, and the repatriation Of any of our
people unnecessary.
The primary factors of production
are land and labor. 1t is not within the
power Of capital to compel men who
can obtain free access to the land to sell
their labor for less than they are in
clined to take for it. In the west we
have a vast territory of unoccupied
land, at present practically free to the
laborer who wishes to enter into pos
session of it. Therefore, the first con-
dition that confronts us is at least ia
vorable to our position, and since CAPT
tai is a product of these factors of land
and labor, out Of these springs another
circumstance which would appear to
further strengthen it.
1T would seem, then, that at the out
set such legislation as would secure a
continuance of these conditions and en-
courage their natural development
would be a sine qua non. And it would
further appear that necessarily such
legislation should proceed upon some
fixed principles, the s%oundness of which
would be beyond dispute, and Of a
character unassailable from the stand
point of the moralist."
MI. Knight went on to say that all
legislation respecting public domain
originated in the humid region Of our
country, consequently the conditions
prevailing in the west were unprovided
for. This state Of affairs gave rise to
the impression that 100 acres Of public
domain anywhere was enough to make
a farm, and hat one 100 was as good as
another, no matter in what latitude or
longitude, or at what elevation.
"To a far greater degree, however,
are we in the west concerned with the
underlying principle, which, although
nowhere expressed, yet asserts itself
most forcibly, that the right to the land
itself must carry with it all the rights
which pertain to It's beneficial occupa-
| ton. If 1t can be shown that n i'm
pediment exists which tends to contro.
vert this principle, 1t Is towards the e
moval of this, that III primary legisla.
ton must be directed, and until this
end be effectually secured no amount Of
secondary legislation will avail us, Ell
Their in effecting development or in add
Ing to our prosperity.
1.-THE land owner should be entitled
to water as much as air.
For certainly no more equitable RICH
could be claimed to the water than t.
the air, since there could be no posi-
bility by any settlement as to the poin'
of origin in either case, and at the mos
+, nothing more than the temporary US,
of either could be claimed or permitted
Before our western lands can be set
tied, and our western ranges brough'
into beneficial occupation, Legislation
must be assured us which will onser