Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-08-15
TO WATER ARID LAND
WATERLESs WEST TO BE RECLAIMED
BY IRRIGATION.

Republican Platform Declares Itself
In Favor of National Legislation to
That End-I> Line with the Pnrty's
Homestead Law.
Senator Warren, before leaving
Washington for his home In Wyoming,
speaking Of the work of the national
Republican convention, said:
The platform adopted by the con.
yention conveys TO the people OF my
state and Of every western state and
territory the most hopeful tIdings CIV
en- them for many years. They are in
the declaration that, in further pur-
suance of the constant policy of the
Republican party to provide free
homes on the public domain, we rec
ommend adequate national legislation
to reclaim the arid lands of the United
States, reserving control of the dis
trIbution of water for irrigation TO the
respective states and territories
"The fact that the Republican party
puts no idle words In its platforms
and redeems every promise 1t makes
to the fullest degree Is appreciated In
the west, and with the positive declara-
ton that the party is committed to
reclamation of the arid lands of the
country all doubts that this will be
done. and done speedily, are removed.
GaIInI n la1 C,ra1, n .1nalN s.n ffan ~ Inntr
me up at the close of the Fifty-iifth
congress, when we attempted TO Sc
cure an appropriation for the building
Of storage reservoirs In the west, sue
cess would have been assured. With
such a declaration now as q plank In
the platform of the Republican party
success Is in sight, aud | confidently
believe that before the Fifty-fifth con-
gress closes II will provide e for
the Inauguration Of a system Of rec
lamatlon of our arid lands which will
do as much for the waterless west as
the adoption Of the homestead law did
for the middle west country.
"The Republican party has already
taken the preliminary steps In the
work of retaining the arid lands Of
the west, and what 1t has done Is Of
such practical nature that a substan-
tial foundation is already establish
ed upon which the work Of reclama-
ton can be continued and be made OF
lasting material benefit TO the east.
The first definite action taken toward
reclamation of arid lands by the gov
eminent was secured by the Itepub-
llcan party in 1896 when. by the pro-
visions Of the river and harbor act,
under a section which | had the honor
TO present, an appropriation of $1,000
was made for the examination OF
sites and a report upon the practi-
cability and d~esirability of con-
structing reservoirs and hydraulic
works necessary for the storage
and utilization Of water; to prevent
floods and overfows. erosion of river
banks and breaks of leyees, and to
reinforce the flow of streams during
drought and low water seasons. at
least one site each in the states Of
Wyoming and Colorado
1.-THE most practical step in the d.
rection Of arid land reclamation was
taken in the Fifty-ffth congress when.
by provisions of the agricultural ap-
preparation bill, appropriations Of
$4,000 and $4,000 were provided TO
make n series of Investigations by ex-
perts in practical irrigation. These
Investigations were placed in charge
Of Professor Elwood Mead Of Wyo-
ming, recognized rs the lcadiu; author
ity on irrigation problems In America.
The present congress has increased
the amount for this years investlga.
tons under Professor Mead to $4,000,
and the scope of his work has been
enlarged to cover many new irriga.
ton experiments and problems.
"In addition to these Investigations,
congress has encouraged and sustain.
ed by liberal appropriation the work
of stream measurements and lnvesti
ton Of water resources of the country
conducted by the United States geo.
logical survey, and the AMOUNT appro.
priated by the congress Just closed
for this work was 100000, an in.
"A Of $4,000 over that OF last year.
"The Republican party, as 1 have
said, never makes a promise 1t does not
fulfill, and | confidently anticipate that
at q very early day the practical work
Of irrigation investigation under Pro-
fessor Mead, the collection of data of
water our by the geological sur
vey and the location and survey Of
storage reservoir sites in Wyoming and
Colorado by Captain Chlttenden will
be followed by the erection by the
government on the headwaters OF our
principal western rivers of reservoirs
which viii serve to reclaim millions Of
acres Of land now arid and useless and
transform them into productive farms.
The increase in value of land as soon
as II Is reclaimed and Is insured n per-
manent water supply Is enormous.
and with the waters of our western
rivers now running to waste fully util-
lied the growth that will come TO the
west will be almost beyond compre-
tension"