The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21

chase and the abundance and luxuries of
the forest, plain and waters, that they
might obtain peace, even with toll. With
toll commenced civilization. Man could
not, in his primitive condition and with
his rude implements, subdue and conquer
nature in her rank luxuriance of savanna
and primeval forest. He could lead water
onto desert land easier than he could fell
trees. He could control the spring gush-
ing from the rock on the edge of the des-
ert easier than he could destroy the vigor-
Gus plants Of the humid region.
From small systems of agriculture and
irrigation, there gradually developed great
systems, and the arts Of war and the
chase gave place to the useful industries
and state of civilization and power. Ag
rlculture under irrigation was at first pet
ty. 1t began on the smaller streams and
brooks which could be controlled by in
dividuals or small congregations of men
and had its origin on the borders of the
desert. Then having learned to cultivate
little patches of corn or barley, the early
farmer gradually widened his operations
until he utilized the waters of the rivers
and built large irrigation bitches
While in Egypt irrigation commenced
on this small scale, at the present time
the water is controlled by great dams
near the mouth Of the Nile and work is
now being projected where %, 000,0 900 of
dollars are to be expended by the British
government in stupendous irrigation oper-
ations
In India, the people first learned to
store the flood waters in little reservoirs
constructed by erecting dams across
gulches, and thousands of these tanks
were ultimately made. England has pur-
sued far-sighted policy IN her treatment
| of the irrigation question in her colonies
Since her control of India irrigation
works have been constructed on a vast
scale at an aggregate cost of three hun
dred and sixty millions of dollars. This
| represents miles upon miles of great ir-
rigatins canals, some of them a hundred
| and seventy-f1ve feet in width-and the
| hydraulic engineering of which vies with
| the best in the wor,d-resulting in an enor-
mously increased production from the soil
and the certainty of crop returns
In sunny Italy, whence emanated some
OF the greatest warriors, poets, philosophers
and statesmen of the world. agriculture
was an honored profession and irrigation
was brought to such a high state of per-
| lection that the regions are now known
as the classic lands of irrigation The
works constructed by the Romans are of
the most substantial character; they were
| skillfully and masslve.y built and compare
| favoraby with the modern works of In
! dia.
Although modern irrigation in the Unit
| ed states is not an untried problem, it is
! yet in its infancy and no national policy
has been adopted. In no country in the
| world are the conditions more favora BILE
! than in the United States, but the indus
| try is new and Americans have yet to
| learn important lessons which the inhabi-
tants Of Oriental countries have learned
! by centuries of experience.
| With the abundant results attained nv,
| government support in other countries as
an object lesson, is anything more rea-
| sonable than that the United States gov
eminent should enter upon a policy of re-
Claiming its arid regions and making them
again productive and wealthy as in ages
past? By the judcious expenditure of
public money-an expenditure which il IS
known fact through mathematical rea-
soning Will bring certain results-an area
can be opened and developed which will
| surpass in richness and productiveness the
most fertile valleys of the continent