The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17
The American Desert.


of ten years Of work and study in va
rious parts of the West. The title indi-
Gates with sufficient clcarness the nature
of his Investigations. He says in his very
brief preface:
The man who removes from a crowded neigh
borhood in New England to a sparsely settled
locality in the Far Wess viii he struck with
the immensely of the country which awaits set
Element and development. He will not belong IN
discovering that the new land possesses certain
advantages of climate, soil. and other natural
resources over the place whence he came. If he
has the slightest interest in social and econo-
mic things he will find himself speculatlng on
the anomaly of surplus people in one place and
surplus land in another-on the stern fact OF
region OF landless man and region oil manless
land, and both under the same flag. Such was
the authors experience; hence this book
Mr.. Smythe is of the opinion that the
true opportunity of the American people
lies not in the tropical islands of the Pa
cific or Caribbean, but in the undeveloped
lands of their own country. He says that
there Is room for one hundred million peo-
pie in the States and Territories between
the Missouri River and the Pacific Ocean.
Whatever anyone may think about colo
NAL expansion, there is no doubt that
there is room for much work in the west
There are four parts to this book; IN
the first. colonial expansion at home is
considered; then the author takes up
Utah. Colorado. southern California, and
the States of the plains, and shows what
has been done there; then he considers
what he calls undeveloped America, and.
last, the relation of these undeveioped
lands to the unemployed.
The first notion which the author brings
out is that. contrary to generally ac-
cepted idea. America is not the product
of its institutions, but the reverse. That
is. free institutions and the general pros
perity of the country have come through
natural advantages and material conquest
In other words, our advantage lies rather
in our country than in our Government or
national character. Mr.. Smythe has that
abiding and far-reaching faith in the West
which Is characteristic of the Western
Institutions, his climate, his great men,
his little men, and everything that is his.
And it is a good faith to have.
The author then advances the peculiar
but entirely plausible theory that the arid
ity of the vast American Desert, as it was
called fifty years ago, proved to be its
greatest advantage, because thereby pub
lie spirit was developed. Men had to or
ganize or starve, form irrigation compa-
mics or get out Of the country. No one
man could accomplish work SO gigantic
and far-reaching in its effects and de-
mands. He says:
1t has puzzled the historian TO account for the
fact that the glories OF antiquity sprang from the
heart OF the desert. The fact itself is OF course be-
You'd dispute. Egypt, Asia Minor, and SYRIA with
Palestine ''the land of milk and honey Persia,
ArsD.a. and the classic lands OF northern India
as well as the countries OF the Carthaginians and
Il II -
chosen homes Of the lEcas in South America and Of
the Aztocs and Toltecs in Mexico and our own
Southwest, the fame of whose vanished ciyiliza-
tions is infected in the pages Of Prescott and
Baldwin. For aucht we know to the contrary
these departed nations have been perfect types
OF the cooperative commonwealth. and the knack
OF governing them for the equal benefit of all may
be the most precious OF the lost arts.
In chapter on THE Miracle of Irriga-
ton" the author declares that irrigation is
Tar from being merely an adjunct to ag-
riculture; that it is a social and industrial
factor, because the large farm does not
pay under irrigation, and only the small
holding, under democratic government,
can be permanently valuable. II is his idea
that the farm-life of the future in the
West, will combine all the advantages of
both city and country existence. This is
very different from Western agriculture
as we have been led to suppose it is. but
Mr.. Smythe's argument is logical He also
says that irrigation is the foundation OF
scientific agriculture. because 1t reduces
the whole business to scientific principles,
instead OF allowing it to remain dependent
upon the caprice of climate.
Then follows sketch OF the Mormon
Commonwealth and its history, in which it
Is shown that the material prosperity of
Utah is dependent upon its Industrial sys-
TEN, system which at once discouraged
land speculation or gambling in values.
What he says of Mormonism is interesting:
II would perhaps he tenable position 10 say
that in Utah sound economic system, working
In conjunction with religious enthusiasm produced
the result now known of all men: but that would
be very nearly equivalent to saying that the only
way to solve the problem OF reclamation and set
Element in the arid regions is to turn the task
over 70 the Mormon Church. and 70 advise all
who crave homes to Join that organization The
writer believes that the attraction of Normonsm
has consisted mosil, in what 1t offered to the
homeseeker and that the secret Of its cohesion
Is the prosperity that has resulted from its in
dKtral system rather than the occult power Of its
creed.
The Greeley Colony of Colorado is then
and the author expresses the
opinion that. although not pecuniarily sue
cessful. 1t had a distinct good influence on
the civic life Of the West.
In the following chapter. THE Revolution
In the Plains the history of irrigation in
Kansas and the adjoining trans Mississ-
ippi region is taken up. The author then
comes to the problem of the future of the
arid lands. He believes thor
oughly In the principle OF small holdings
In preference to the larger wheat or fruit
farms. or California he says that new
settlers could proftably supply the needs
Of the people of the State in the way of
vegetables, canned goods. and meats. now
imported from other parts OF the country.
Then follow concise yet comprehensive ac-
counts Of the conditions existing in other
Western States. and the concluding chap
ters OF the book deal with the problem of
the unemployed.
The reason why the unemployed do not
take refuge in the unoccupied land OF the
West Is very simple. They do not know
enough about that life TO think OF Il or to |
make a success in 1t. Mr.. Smythe says:
The problem Of making homes in the West for |
the masses is the problem Of bringing together |
surplus land surplus labor, and surplus capital.
This problem the author would solve by
by socialism. He is an
optimist. ard sees in such methods grand
future for the Republic. The work is Of
interest TO those who are concerned with
the future development Of the country. and
to these who are thinking Of making their
home In the West. (New York: Harper &
Bros. $500
The BOer Wnr.
Towards Pretoria" is gossipy book by
Julian Ralph. well known as picturesque
writer on many things, and dealing, OF
course, with the war in South Africa. Mr..