Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1900-01-19
UNTIMELY OPPOSITION.

Opposition has been made to the fed
eral storage proposition on the ground
along these lines although efforts
have been made for years, and there
fore, it is argued, the project might as
we'll be abandoned. Attention has
been called to Ex-Governor McCord's
statement that congress last winter
came very near to approprtatinq $0l6,-
600 to begin work upon national
system of irrigation for the arid west,
and that the leaders agreed with
Senators Warren and Carter that at
least that sum should be appropriated
by the present congress-, it they
would then consent to let the matter
90 ever Therein, it is stated, il the
measure of what can be expected for
federal irrigation construction by the
present congress. Two hundred odd
thousand dollars appropriated among
the arid states and territories would
make sum for each SO paltry as to
amount to naught, and the citizen of
today would haye to live to be hun
drrd before he could ses any appre-
ciable results from government irriga-
ton development.
This entire position is certainly er-
roneous and misleading. The small
appropriation asked last year was
not intended to be apportioned among
the states Interested in irrigation. Il
was for the express purpose OF build
ing one or two storage reservoirs
This was to be the beginning o
policy which should include the com-
plete survey of all the arid regions
and the building of storage reservoirs
BY direct and continuing appropria-
tions from congress to congress, in
every arid state and territory. Rome
was not built in day, aud western
Legislators did not expect congress to
build &C once q hundred storage
reservoirs, but this. appropriation
would been i beginning AS Senator
Garter said alet it be distinctly un-
derstood that this is the on: ering
wedge of a new policy, ETC." II is
not expected of the present congress
that it will by any favorable rossi-
bility make an appropriation Of $780,
900, 900, or even enough money to
build single reservoir in each arid
state.
One-,hird Of the United States 10
yet vacant public land, rich in possi-
bilities. Here lies broad field for
craftsmanship in directing the utilize
tion OF untouched opportunities, and
our success in handling these problems
in our midst may naturally measure
our ability to handle our external
afiai=s, but if it appropriatss funds
for one reservoir and for complete
surveys in other states, the hopes OF
the people who have been arguing
federal storage will be realized. This
would be the entering wedge and
nothing could prevent its widening
and broadening the opening. Wyom-
ing is not going to have o RESERVOIRS
built oy the government without
Nevada and Montana and dozen
others claiming the same privilege,
any more than San Francisco can get
government Improvement and the
rest of the coast ask in vain for like
assistance.
So. in these times when congress
seems "very near" to approdriatipg
money for nafiona! Storage OF Wa1era,
it behooves every citizen of the terri
tory interested to stand shoulder to
shoulder with his neighbor in support
of policy which il carried through
TO completion, will make q new west
over the present west even as the west
OF today is a different land from the
west OF the Fixtiss.
There is nothing in the Federal
mining law which prevents any locator
or any set of loca'ors from appropria
ting as many locations on tho same
lode as they may be able TO find inde-