The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-01

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were now returning fair interest on the
original capital employed
We have an anomalous condition exist
Ing 81 great enterprises OF state or national
importance ianguishIng for reed % capt
tAs- Al the same time II Is admitted that
these enterprises Will benefit the connnu-
nifty 10 a far greater extent than the first
cost. On the other hand. millions % dol
lars awaiting AZ investment, but deferred
from the facf thar X cannot be shown that
these enterprises viii prove profitable 10
ire investors. although unauestionabiy
yielding returns far In excess of their cost
Putting these things together. the aues-
ton arises. what shati De done, And the
answer must be that the community hene-
ffed. whether the state or nation. must
In some way either furnish the capital
TO the men who take the riyk fair earn
ing on their investment How this is TO
be done IL a matter Of detail and cannot
can be had of the conditions just de
scribed.
The utilization OF the vacant lands now
comprising third az the whole United
States and the consequent increase of
population and OF all Industries. is TO
large extent dependent upon securing more
water II is not possible. taking the year
as whole, to secure greater amount
than now exists. but IL IL possible TO In
crease the available supply many fold by
saving that portion which now goes to
waste.
In order to increase the available supply
two methods are especially prominent. The
first n that OF storage OF the foods Of
winter waters. and the second is by run
ming water from underground or from
streams from which Ii cannot be taken by
gravity Pumping is essentially the, prob
lem OF the great plains region, and 10
less extent for many parts OF the West
II Is particularly important in many por-
tons OF California. where the conditions
are such that water storage can not De
had.
Pumping Plants for Farmers.
THE great advantage. or one Of the great
advantages. of pumping water for trriea-
ton. is that the man who would develop
"A tract Of land or the farmer who cult
Yates it. is practically independent. Most
CT the successful pumping plants are and
always viii be small. and matters Of indi-
vidmal CONCERN. Pumping on large scale
localities viii. from the nature of the
case. never be az important as the raising
of water by small, cheap. or home made
Installed by almost any farmer or mechan-
ic and with little ingenuity and care
can b. made highly profitable, II not sue
ceessul the first time. IL Is capable of in
definite modification and change. mis-
take made at the outset does not ruin the
whole enterprise. as In the case of water
storage
THE power used for pumping water is
varied the kinds of machine. In
some localities horses or oxen are success
fnEiT employer. ana III DINERS various rQrInS
OF motors operated by gasoline. or steam
engines. by water wheels. or by other de-
Vices. The most common source OF power
and h, far the most important: Is that
from the wind. This is particularly the
Gaze on the great plains, whore thousands
and possibly millions of wsndmiIs have
been or Are about to be erected The power
is sufficient for all purposes and the kind
OF mill and pump matters little. although
In the long run the best must be used
Every encourag ement should be given 10
. sv~r 90 an ~ ala
ed 20 local circumstances. for by the use
OF these farmers learn quickly how TO pro-
duce the best results with the least amount
Of water or Of waste energy They thus
become experienced and competent II take
UP irrigation farming on a larger scale
Reasons for Failure.
The reasons for the financial failure
Of large irrigation works need not be dis
cussed at this time. but IL is important
To know that one of the causes. II not the
most important. has been the fact that
few farmers purchasing or occupying
lands under these great systems have been
competent at first 10 handle the water
and To successfully raise crops. Many
have failed or have become discouraged
and the great majority have not been able
to make the payments agreed upon These
who have succeeded have often done so
by using the water in the most wasteful
fashion, and have not only injured their
own lands but have often ruined adjacent
tracts and have jeoparhlZed the success
Of the others by the lavish spreading of
water over the surface. Using water
from the pumping plant. Ii is not possible
for a man to be as wasteful as when he
obtains his supply from a gravity system.
aud thus the thousands Of farmers who
are dependent upon windmiils or other
forms OF motors for raising water are lie
coming adopts in the ART OF producing the
iarges, crops with the least waste. When
ever a large body Of such experienced men
can he induced tn settle under a great
irrigation canal enc Of the principal causes
- failure viii be removed.
The development OF the vacant lands
by pumping can be left largely 10 itself.
az II Is matter OF growth and of the
spread Df information. But the providing
OF great storage works il an entirely eli.
feTent question; Il can come only through
sustained effort and interest on the part
CT the public as a whole. Pumping water
may suffice for the great plains and ~
some favored valleys. but for the arid
West az a whole water conservation Is
the only source OF relief. It is useless TO
hope that ,his Will come through private
enterprise ReseTNelfs mostly small may
be butt here or there by corporations hev-
.ng large landed interests or concerned
with the increase of supplies for 81 CitS ar
suburban population. BAT they cannot hss
constructed for a development OF great
areas OF improved. az partially improved,
farming land These must either lie Idle.
or united action must be taken along
definite lines established by careful ia
vestlssSloa and expert repart-
The Importance az water storage has
already been recognized ~ me congress
cf ihs United States. hut the efforts of
Senator Warren. II wyoming. ard other
/ Western senators have not 6een ~ strong"
Is sustained as - necessary fer ultimate
slCeeSs. They mast 70 continually ana
ssrangly hacked ~ the great corfasnertis
AMI transportation interests 90 tAe C0uu.
tsy. well az by the people al large. II
th0 locations are wisely selected ana re
STRUCTURES are economically built there -
ua doubt taat sseraSS works viii return.
directly ana indirectly taeiy cost and ~
8uss;elX + reasonable percentage "A tae
investment especially & az ,ake the III
crease! values e al taxable property. 10
ftsrsS thwS used Is snnr8Era rated ny tae
state o. nation. all ultimately come A8ck
sad can re HSe3 over aaA @N%T aeAlr.
Introduction Of Resolutions.
A resolution su'vo4acef ~ ISsts -
0slshoma condemned Atkinson ~ Boston
for his pamphlet sgsinSt ihs VAR ~ the
! Philippines. sa3 aSket the national con.
gTess 10 encourage the expectation % re-
gvcss 80 sAr Philippines.
G7a.T resolutions were
sy eS-(scv. Prime. II >ss Nsxsco- asa.