Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-10-10
Reclamation OF the Arid Lands.

keCIamatl0n OF me ARID LandS.
A movement has been started in the
east for the reclamation of the arid
lands by eastern people. and the Ma
tional Irrigation Societ" has been or
ganized. Its object is the rapid devel-
opment and settlement of the western
half of the United States, thus opening
new markets for eastern manufacture
ers and merchants. Some of the points
made by the association are being eX-
planned to every business man Of the
country by mean of circular letters
and Il map, which shows the immense
area which can be recovered by irriga-
ton. The society is in favor of "the
adoption by the federal government of
d permanent policy for the reclamation
and settlement of the public domain.
The federal government now owns
100, 600, 900 acres of land which is worth
less only because. arid. If reclaimed by
irrigation it would become marvelously
productive and sustain a dense popu-
lation.
1T is proposed that the government
shall build the large irrigation works
necessary for the reclamation of this
arid land, so as to bring the waters
that now go to waste within reach OF
private enterprise, and then sell the
land with an interest in the water tt
actual settlers in small tracts for
enough to cover the entire cost of recla-
nation, in addition to the government
price of the land.
The government would thus be reim-
bursed from the sale of the land for it's
entire expenditure, besides realizing
many millions in addition from what is
now a worthless asset, and transform
ing uninhabitable wastes into fertile
fields and farms and prosperous COM
munities.
1T is proposed that the west shall
hereafter have a fair share of each river
and harbor bill, as recommended in the
Chittenden report, to build storage res
ervoirs to store the waters that now
cause overflow and destruction as they
go to waste in winter floods.
THE government would be reim-
bursed for these appropriations, just as
for other improvements of rivers and
harbors, through the general develop
ment and prosperity of the country and
the increase of
Besides this. a reasonable increase
in the price Of the 100, 600, 900 acres of IT.
rigable public land, when reclaimed by
irrigation, would far more than cover
the cost Of all reservoirs the govern
ment would build.
The carrying out of this policy by
the national government would be
equivalent to the creation and anneXa-
new territory. If its original acquisi-
ton under the Louisiana purchase was
a wise policy, it must be equally wise
to make that land habitable. 1t can
never be done by private enterprise.
The irrigation works necessary for it's
reclamation must be built on too large
a scale.
"Whatever there may be of opposition
to this policy arises from misapprehen-
sion. Some think it is proposed to in
volve the federal government in large
expenditures without returns. This is
a totally erroneous view. On the con-
trary. the government would get back
from sales of it's now worthless arid
Expenditures.
1T is conceded that the western half
of the United States would support a
greater population than the whole Unit
ed States contains to-day if the waters
which now go to waste were saved and
utilized for irrigation. The Inaugural
ton of the policy advocated by the Ma
tiCnal Irrigation Association would in
crease population in the west with mar
velous rapidity and enormously enlarge
the demand for everything the west
buys from the eastern merchant and
manufacturer.
Every eastern interest would be ben
Gifted. The eastern merchants and man.
ufacturers. because of increased home
markets. the eastern wage earners be-
cause of increased opportunities for
employment in the eastern factories;
the eastern farmers, because they
would feed the workers in the fac
tories
There is a good deal of truth in the
above, The Republican party has
pledged itself to the reclamation of the
arid lands under government auspices
and at government expense. at the same
time leaving to the states the DISPOSE
ton of the water. There is no reason
to doubt that the Republican party, If
retained in power, will fulfill it's pledges
in that respect.