El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-07
Comprehensive
Irrigation
Is the Imperative Need Of the
West.

| Inc recently puOllSnoC Speecu vi
United States Senator Carter before
sets forth in vivid colors the boundles:
posi- bilities of western wealth and al
the same time calls attention sharply
to the absolute necessity for the people
of the west, one and all, to make con
certed effort in favor of the Inaugural
ton of policy looking to the construc
ton by the general government Of
storage irrigation reservoirs. The
senator speaks of the present overstock.
ing of ranges, and the fact that in
Montana at least, practically every
acre of desirable land upon which al
| individual of ordinary means can con-
duct water for irrig alton, has been
taken up.
| "a comprehensive system, them" he
states, ''of irrigation must be provided
Three ways are before us for considera-
ton. The experience OF many years
| in older communities seems to demons
trate that the control of the waters OF
q country by private corporations is
alike unsatisfactory to capitalist and
consumer. 1 cannot imagine any great
er calamity than would be the control
of the waters of the state by corpora
lions, contendiug with each other, but
always uniting against the ranchman
to secure the largest possible returns
The adoption of the scheme of corpora
ton ownership would leave legacy OF
litigation and disorder which would be
a whitening blight upon the state"
FAvORS FEDERAL STORAGE.
The senator mentions as the second
proposition the scheme to cede the
land to the states, but expresses him
self as strongly opposed to this plan.
But the third proposition he heartily
favors-namely, the building of stor-
age reservoirs by the government.
"The direct purpose of their con-
struction on the part of the general
government" he says, "would be the
control of the waters of the lower Mis-
sissippi river. For nearly a century
enormous sums of money have been
banks or levees to keep that great
stream within bounds during seasons
of high water. The levee system has
proven impotent. Every few years
the waters wash the banks away and
inundate the country, carrying death
and destruction to the lowlands. Hun
dreds of millions of property have
been destroyed in this way. A small
fraction of the enormous sums spent
destroyed property would suffice to
impound the waters in the arid and
semi-arid states. The water which
held up here would be a blessing, be-
comes curse when allowed to rush
down to augment floods on the lower
river.
''During the last session we called
upon congress to provide S215, ZOO for
building reservoirs in Wyoming, and
also for an appropriation of $50, 900 to
survey canals and reservoir sites In
other arid and semi-arid land states.
After an exhaustive discussion, the
Senate committee on commerce &C.
ceeded to our demand and incorporated
the item in the river and harbor bill.
After q spirited debate the senate
adopted the amendment. The house
of representatives disagreed and the
subject was held in conference be-
tween the two houses until within a
few hours of the final adjourn
Of representatives. the friends OF the
measure were not organized for the
light and as that body was unyielding
n its opposition the senate receded |
'ather than force an extra session of
congress through q failure to pass nee
,ssary appropriation bills in the clos
ng hours of the session.
NOT DISCOURAGED.
inctly announced that the cause was
ot to be announced. It's consideration
7as merely postponed and we are cow
allied upon to consult and unite every
lemens interested directly or Indirect
? in the success of the movement to
be end that this great trans-Mississip-
i country may speak as one man in
ongress on this subject.
''This whole country west of the Mis-
mi iS Iii -