, 1900-07-12
RISE OF IRRIGATION
RECLAMATION OF WESTERN
LANDS DISCUSSED BY PROF.
EIjWOOD MEAD,
The National Government the Logical
Supervisor-The Earliest Pathway
of Civilization on the American
Continent Led Along the Streams
bitches 800 Years Old.

the United States is the title OF ar
interesting article from the pen of Prof
Elwood Mead in the Agricultural Year
book just issued.
The earliest pathway Of civilization
on the American continent, says Prof
Mead, led along the banks Of the
streams. In various parts Of the south
west. notably in the Salt River valley
of Arizona, in northern New Mexico,
and along the southern borders OF Col
oraIy and Utah are ~well-defined re-
mains of irrigation works which have
outlived by many centuries the civili-
zation to which they belonged. In at
least one instance the bank Of an an
clent canal has been utilized as a part
of modern works.
Riding up the valley of the Rio
Grande, in the first half of the six
tenth century, Spanish explorers found
in the midst Of arid surroundings beds
of beautiful roses, mo unlike those in
the gardens of CASTLES" as they noted
in their diaries. They also found Pu-
eblo Indians irrigating the thirsty soil
as their forefathers had done for CEN
turtles before them, and as their de-
scendants are still doing today. In
this valley and along the tributary
streams and at other places in the des-
ert wastes of the southwest, Spanish
settlements sprung up and maintained
ing waters. The bitches at Las Cruces,
N. NJ, have an u%nbroken record Of
three hundred gears of service, the his
tory of which is written in the banks
of the canals and in the fields irrigated.
This is due to the sediment with which
the waters of the Rio Grande are la
added layer on layer to the sides and
bottoms of these bitches. until from
being channels cut below the surface
Of the soil they are now raised two or
three feet above. 1t is here that one
can yet find agriculture almost as
primitive as that of the days of Pha-
raoh. where grain is r,-Ded with the
sickle and thrashed by the trampling
of goats.
To reclaim all the land possible in
the west will involve the spreading OF
water over a surface as large as New
England and New York combined.
Standing now at the birth of things
and looking down the vista of the flu
ture, we can see in the course of west
ern rivers the dim outline Of a mighty
civilization, blest with peace and
crowned with a remarkable degree of
prosperity, in case wise laws and just
irrigation policies shall prevail in the
years Of the immediate future while
institutions are forming.
Looking over the field at the close
OF the century it is seen that the United
States stands practically alone among
irrigation countries in having left all
the work Of reclamation to the unaid-
ed efforts of private capital, and in
the prodigality of the surrender of pub
lie control of streams. In one respect
the policy pursued has been success
full. 1t has resulted in an enormous
investment (not less than 500, 600, 900,
and some estimates make it twice that
sum- and the creation of taxable and
productive wealth of many times the
amount invested. We have now about
reached the limit Of this sort Of growth.
There will be a few large private in
vestments in canals hereafter until We
have better and more liberal irrigation
laws. Entrance on the coming centu-
ry is confronted by larger problems;
the storage of flood waters, the inter-
state division of streams, and the in
auguration of an adequate system of
public control, which will insure to
the humblest handler of a shovel his
share Of the SHOWS falling on noun
tains above his farm, no matter how
far removed he may be.
The entire question of western jrri-
cation leads up to one inevitable con-
clusion. This is, that irrigation, over
matter demanding public supervision
and control. Every drop of water en-
tering the head gate, and every drop
escaping at the end Of the canal is a
matter of public concern. The public
must determine, through constitutions
and statutes. the nature Of water own
ership. The public must establish
means for the measurement Of streams
and for a~scertaining how much water
may be taken for each acre Of land IN
der the principle Of beneficial use. Thu
public must see that justice is done II
the distribution Of water among thos'
who have properly established thei,
rightful claim to it. We have thor
oughly tried the method of leaving al
this to private initiative AM
management, and along with mag
riacent material progress, "
have reaped a large crop O
deplorable financial results. Will
much must be left to the action O
states and communities, there Is stil
a wide field for national effort.
The national government alone ca
make the best and broadcast study &
the various economic questions relate
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