Amador ledger., 1900-07-27
ON NATIONAL irrigation
The Work Of photographer
Newell.
INCREASED INTEREST TAKEN IN IRRIGATION
Important Surveys That Are Benefic-
ial to Both the East and
West Alike.
INCREASED INTEREST TAKEN IN IRRIGATION

Opposition to the irrigation problem
among eastern men seems to be tho
spectre which is frightening so many
people OF the west, and paralyzing
them into such inaction against what
seems to be such an insurmountable
obstacle, that it seems not out of place
to quote few words of Mr.. Frederick
H. Newell, the photographer of the
Geological Survey along the lines of
what the east really thinks of irriga-
tion and showing that it is becoming
more and more educated on this sub
ject and more reconeiled to policy of
government expenditure which will
eventually reclaim the arid lands OF the
west. Mr.. Newell, as is we'll known,
is an expert on irrigation. He has
studied the subject for many years and
looking into the future of this question
he commenced years ago plan of sys-
tematic education of the country on
this subject. He has delivered hun
dreds of lectures on irrigation for the
great west. throughout the length and
breadth of the land. They have al
ways been given deep attention by his
fellow scientists and few people who
have gained a good understanding of
the subject, but the question, he says.
stands in very different light today
with the populace of all sections from
what it did some years ago.
In years back" he said, ''when I
delivered lecture on irrigation, it was
considered a new thing. q fad TO this
country. The newspapers knew moth
ing about it, and nine out of ten news
paper men, having to write something
about it, wrote something purporting
to be funny or ridiculous. 1t was not
that they we're hostile for they knew
nothing of the subject, but that plan
seemed to be the easiest way to pro-
duce something readable for their
papers, My lectures were subject for
the newspaper photographers and what
publicity ! secured did not help the
cause OF American irrigation But
there is nothing of that kind now.
The newspaper man has learned some
thing about irrigation in this country,
of its possibilities and future, and he
treats the subject as one of the great
national questions. | am doing con-
siderable lecturing this year-all the
time can spare for it-and the news
papers are alert to know what is being
done and what has been done. Their
readers take an interest in the question
and anything concerning it, is news.
Irrigation is an art almost as old
as the world. IT is new to this coun-
try because the influx of population
came by tbs Atlantic seaboard instead
of by the Pacific and SO great areas of
humid country were appropriated aud
settled before the arid lands were
reached. When l view the progress
that has been made. however, in in
forming the inhabitants of this humid
region OF the United States of the pos
sibilities lying In the arid region
through great system OF national
irrigation, and when l see the evident
interest which is being manifested by
them today, 1 think that the prospects
for the west to receive a full recogni-
tion in the near years of the future, are
very bright and promising"
IMPORTANT SURVEYS FOR FHE WEST
AND EAST ALIKE.
The surveys which the government
is carrying on along irrigation lines
throughout the arid west interest
deeply not only that section OF the
country, but likewise many interests in
the east. For their future highest de-
velopment the east and the west must
necessarily pull together One coun-
Try, one prosperity. No section of the
country benefits that some other Sec
tion does not likewise profit. Take the
east and the west in a broad general
sense. The east is great manufactur-
ing region. Her factories are scattered
shout in every eastern state. They
must find markets for theIr goods. A
home market is the more preferable,
The west is great producing section.
Under complete irrigation its popula-
tion and production would be ten times
doubled and ships of commerce would
pour its products into the Orient. But
this vast western population would
draw heavily upon the manufacturing
east for the products of those same
factories looking for markets for their
goods, and the gold of the Orient and
the West would GO back TO the eastern
manufacturers, whose increased labor
demands would lisewise draw heavily
upon the products of the eastern
farmer.
NATIONAL IRRIGATION.
In no other country having an arid
belt has the general government done
SO little in the matter of irrigation de-
veiopment. Everything ip the United
States has been left TO individual en-
terprise and to State regulation, until
i'll many of the western States and
Territories water rights and the like
hSye come to be in badly tangled
condition. It needs the hand of the
central government TO adjust and con-
troll matters which are interstate i'll
character, and until this is done, set