New-York tribune., 1900-12-29
TWO IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES OF GOV
ERNMENT RECLAMATION WORK.
p1rR1Jc OWNERSHIP OF WATER SUPPLY
AND REMOVAL OF NATURAL
DISADVANTAGES
III.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

terests. The other is the removal at pupnc ex-
pense of natural disadvantages peculiar to lin
tied localities. The first idea is new depart
ure except that it finds a precedent in the pres
ent irrigation laws of certain States, notably
Wyoming. There many precedents for the
exercise of the second principle, though the pro
posed application is novel. The entire PROPOSE
ton goes further toward paternasm and CEN
tralization than any previous agrarian measure
That the Administration is prepared to accept
It, however in all it's significance, is shown in
the recent annual report of the Secretary of the
Interior where he says
The Importance of providing through wise ad-
ministration the opportunities for homes for
many millions of citizens is so great that some
steps should be taken toward completing our
knowledge of the extent to which the arid land
may be redeemed and putting this knowledge 10
practical application.
The Secretary even goes further. and recon-
mends. that commission should be appointed to
digest the data acquired by the various bu-
reaus" and present recommendations to Con-
gress. such commission being necessary to de-
wise practical plan for the reclamation of the
arid lands and their subsequent disposal to in
tending settlers, the latter point being still in a
nebulous condition in the official mind.
QUESTION OF STATE RIGHTS
When the general Government appropriates 70
streams it enters the domain of State rights. but
as these have been encroached upon more and
more each succeeding year by Federal authority
the proposed move would not now create much
comment No water could be reserved to which
title had already been acquired by others, and
as Government work would be done upon Gov
ernment land and concern water which found
its origin in the mountains, which are still Gov
ernment property. there could hardly be any
legal restriction to the enterprise. In Wyoming
the water belongs to the State. It's use is al
lowed to The land so long certain conditions
are observed. If the water is not used, or is
improperly withheld from public benefit, it re-
verts to the State to others with secondary
claims upon it.
In nearly all of the arid States the water ap-,
propriated is part and parcel Of the land, can be
used or not. and can be bought sold in part
or as whole, the same any other property.
In these States water not appropriated is still
public property. The water supply made avail
able by any of the proposed Government enter
prses would be a creation or development
hence it's ownership could give rise to no legal
controversy. Heretofore the National Govern
ment has attempted no regulation of State legis-
laton regarding the use of water. Each State
has adopted such laws deemed best, though
nearly all of this legislation originated with and
is founded upon the unwritten laws established
by the miners of the early days TO control and
divide the water necessary for washing gold
from gravel. Some of the State laws are excel
lent Others are unscientihc and confusing.
Much error has arisen from lack of knowledge
of the subject on the part of Legislatures, for
irrigation legislation necessarily precedes any
great local development. Fifty years ago. in
the territory now included in the so-called arid
region. water had no value, except for filling
canteen waterirI a horse. To-day water is
worth in this same region from $1,000 to $780,
600 for each cubic second foot, the unit of irri-
CATION measurements. second FOOT is the
amount of water which. under small gravity
pressure will pass given point I'm a second of
time through an opening IL inches square. This
comparatively small flow is worth at least
81 900 a year when used for the irrigation of
field crops and fully 100000 year when util-
lied in highly cultivated Cnd valuable fruit or
chards.
GREAT LOSSES IN FIGHTS OVER WATER.
Millions of dollars have been spent in the
courts fighting over water rights Hundreds
Of lives have been sacrificed in the struggle for
this source of all life and property in the arid
regions Where dollar spent in bringing
water to the land has been followed by peace
and prosperity many have been lost in
availing effort. There are romance and tragedy
in the conquering Of the desert which can only
be read between the lines of the wonderful
figures of domestic expansion. The Govern
ment experts have not yet evolved plan where
by the intending settler secure his home
stead after the Government has provided the
necessary water supply. This is most i'm
portant phase of the question and one of con-
siderable perplexity. Government land is now
sold at prices ranging from 81 95 TO 50 80
acre and much of the arid plains cannot be
sold at any figure With water on It, this land
is worth $50 an acre at the lowest estimate, and
500 an acre is a fair average where transporta-
tion facilities are good. Let it be known that
National irrigation was to reclaim a certain sec
ton of land and the rush of settlers. spectators
and boomers to that particular place would be
instantaneous and overwhelming. 1t follows
therefore that all land which the Government
may at some future time put water upon should
AT once be withdrawn from settlement. With
the water stored and ready to be used, an
invitation could then be extended to homeseek-
ers, but there is probably no way of preventing
in such cases a stampede for locations which
would recall the days of the rush into the
Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma.
SALE OF IRRIGATED LANDS.
The principle adopted in the sale of this land
will be that the Government should get back
within a reasonable time the money invested in
the irrigation improvement. Allowing that il
casts SO an acre to secure the necessary water
supply in the first place. or S1OOOOOO dam
for a hundred thousand acre tract or land re-
claimed, the charge against the land would be
SO an acre, plus such sum as might be de-
termined upon the necessary capitalization
of future maintenance charges Allowing this
to be 50 an acre more it is evident that IL the
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