The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-08


tions, that congress should establish {
settled policy regarding the work o.
! this department on irrigation, and thai
! If 1t is deemed wise to continue sucf
work under my direction appropriations
| shall be made which will enable the de.
partment ITO plan irrigation invest1ga
tons on a comparatively large scale
and continue them through series OF
years. Some of the reasons which seem
to make it very desirable that fnvesti-
cations on irriga ton should be system
atfcally pursued by this department are
set forth in the report above referred
to, and | ask that careful consideration
be given to the arguments there made
in support of this proposition.
1T is clear that a crisis has been
reached in the life of the communities
in which agriculture is dependent upon
irrigation for its success. The laws
and institutions relating to irrigation,
which have grown up in these commun-
| tiles, have in many ways proved so in
| adequate and unsatisfactory that there
| is a widespread feeling that radical and
| immediate action is demanded for their
| reformation. Unfortunately, the accur-
ate information on which alone inteln-
gent reforms can be based is almost
wholly lacking. AS the problems which
confront these communities are, in a
general way, the same, and in many
particulars affect the national as we'll
as local interests, it is highly appro-
pirate that the national government
should undertake investiga tions to aid
in the solution of the problems of irriga-
ton. AS many of these problems are
directly connected with those in other
agricultural lines in which this depart
ment and the experiment stations are
working it is my judgment that this
department should be put in a position
to efficiently organize and conduct inn
portant Investigations in this line.
AS already stated the investigations
OF the department may properly follow
two general lines: First a careful
study should be made of the laws and
institutions of the irrigated region with
special reference to their improvement.
The objects of this work will be "a to
aid courts and administrative officers
in the adjudication of claims respect
ing water rights; t2) to bring out the
defects in existing laws and methods of
administration, and to furnish impair
tial and adequate information on which
wiser and more equitable legislation
and court decisions may be based; and
go to assist farmers in the requirement
of water rights and to protect their in
terests in the appropriation and use of
water for irrigation. The other brancn
of work which the department should
take up is the carrying on of thorough
original Investigations along a number
of different lines. The agricultural ex
pertinent stations in the irrigated re-
sions have already shown the way in
which such Investigations should be
conducted. Their means have, however,
been too limited to enable them to make
more than a beginning of the work in
this direction.
.One fundamental Investigation
which should be Immediately underta-
ken relates to the correct determine
ton of the practice of successful farm
erS in the use of water for irriga ton
with different soils and crops. Al pres
ent such information is almost wholly
lacking. The collation. of such informa-
ton in sufficient amount to warrant the
conclusions on which agricultural prac-
tees, laws and judicial and adinnistra
tive proceedings may properly be based
is in itself large task. s
'The data thus obtained would be of
great value not only for practical pur-
poses, but also as a guide to investi-
cations by the experiment stations and
other agencies. When once the actual
amounts of water used by farmers in
the irrigated regions have been deter
mined Investigations should be under
taken to find out what Is the minimum
of water required by different soils and
crops, in order that we may know to
what extent the available water supply
of the irrigated region may be utilized
in the development of its agriculture
There are numerous other irrigation
investigations which the department
and the experiment stations might
well undertake; such are those which
relate to the most economical methods
for the application of water to crops,
the utilization of the rainfall as affect
ing the need for irrigation waters, the
problems of seepage and drainage, the
effect of irrigation water on the growth
and productivity of plants of different
kinds. the prevention of the accumula-
ton of alkali in the surface soils, and
the reclamation of the alkali lands. l
believe that the Importance and variety
of the work demanded in the interests
of irrigation in this country will justify
a large increase in the appropriation
for irrigation Investigations by the de-
Senator Mantle made a long, hard
fight to carry into effect the agreement
with the Tongue river Indians, but was
He carried the appro-
priation twice through the senate
once as an amendment to the Indian
bill, and once as an indie
pendent measure, but both failed in the
the amendment, but at last recon-
mended that the senate recede, The
house conferees would not agree to
placing any treaties upon the appro-
priation bill. The chairman of the
house committee on Indian affairs gave
reasonable assurance that the matter
would be disposed of in the house be-
fore final adjournment, but thus far
nothing has come of the promise.
In the c1nSiDo 1ayrS Of ia
the great democratic leader, Senator
A. P. German, gave a splendid exhibit
ton of this potency as factor in legis-
lation. He compelled the administration
senators to accept an amended army
bill, substantially as dictated by him.
self and the democratic minority. He
also signaliZed the occasion by strong
speech in opposition to expansion and a
large standing army. The administra
ton senators p1ttpd Senator Carter
against him. The Montana senator did
not succeed in carrying the administra-
ton measure, but his speech may be
called THE Speech That Failed"
Frank A. Hail of Bozeman has been
in the EitN itl,