The Washington weekly post., 1900-11-27
IRRIGATION CONGRESS.
Better for rhe states. Under Proper Re.
strietisn.. 10 Do the Work.


From the PhnasslrAia Press
The national irrigation congress, which
was in session in Chicago last week. Is to
make another appeal to Congress AT tie
coming Session to take up this diiiicu I
irrigation problem. though the outlook
for action il not very hopeful. At the
last session sio00fo was appropriated for
the purpose OF making surveys OF water
sources. which Is regarded as a stepping
stone for further action By Congress But
that does not necessarily follow. Congress
took action 10 set aside reservoir sites
several years ago. but that was not fol-
lowed up. In fact. a strong and partly
successful effort was made by Western
men to undo what had been done In that
direction.
This is a great problem and must be
;arefully considered. Secretary Hitchcock.
In his last annual report, estimated that
the arid land OF the West. IL properly re-
claimed. would support 2 population OF
no less than 50e0.000. Other reports sas'
that with irrigation the waste lands would
be worth at least S00.OoO0 coo. II is gener-
ally conceded that these lands ought 10
be reclaimed. But II will be a costly un-
dertaking, and perhaps only the govern
men can undertake 10. Moreover, the
longer the work Is delayed the more diff
cult II will be to do. because private in
terests are absorbing so much OF the
water supply
The alternative proposition Is for the
government to deed 10 the various States
all the arid public lands within their re-
spective borders, and to grant 10 them the
use Of such reservoir sites, water and
forest reservations as shall be necessary 20
reclaim the waste districts. This meets
with opposition. but It seems the most
feasible plan. There IS no doubt that II
the work could be carried out by the gov
ernment on business principles and the
reclaimed land sold for its value IL would
be paving investment But we fear that
the business feature of Ii would soon dis
appear, II IL ever existed from the start.
Congress is too much given TO legislation
for short hours. big pay, long vacations,
and other things Of that kind to make any
government work pay.
Moreover. 1t would probably turn out in
the end just as did the purchase OF the
Indian lands. Congress was induced to
appropriate vast millions of dollars 10
purchase those lands, with the under
standing that they should be sold at cost
ana thus the government would lose moth
ing The Republicans appropriated the
money in the Fffty-frst Congress under
that provision. Immediately the Demo-
Gratis raised howl about the "extrava-
gance" of the Republicans and defeated
The party Then, when the lands were
purchased and much of il sold at the low
price Of $L25 an acre. the persons who
rushed in and got the first pick secured
lobbyists and came to Congress and asked
that they be relieved from paying any
thing for the land. Pettigrew and a few
others took the matter up, and by meth
DDS we'll known, the Democrats aiding.
finally worked up sentiment that secured
the passage OF the bill.
And so II would be with the reclaimed
arid lands. If. by the expenditure of enor-
nous millions of dollars. the governmen;
once reclaimed the waste lands a bill
would probably be rushed through giving
them away. Under the circumstances IL
would be much better for the States
under proper restrictions, to be allowed
to do the work. But there will be diff
Guilty about the>reservoirs and water SUD-
plies which in many cases will involve
the rights of more than one State. Hence
it is not an easy problem, but it is a very
important one. and should be solved as
early as possible.