Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-02-16

The reclamation of arid lands, which
was a prominent feature of food produc.
ing operations in India, China, Egypt
and Mexico many centuries ago, is now
receiving more attention from the Unit.
ed States government than ever before
In congress the house has appointed a
strong standing CON mittee on irrigation
with a chairman and a majority of its
members interested in or representing
irrigablc sections. In the senate the
committee on reclamation of arid lands
is similarly constituted.
These committees listen to the de.
mands of the people and formulate legis.
lation which is intended to add to the
resourcesof nature quite as substantially
as if large areas Of prolific territory were
being acquired from the outside.
The officers of the geological survey
are making an extended investigation of
the quantity and consistency of water
supplies in irrigablc districts, locating
and surveying sites available for perma-
ncnt impounding reservoirs, measuring
the wastes from secpage, evaporation
and unchecked floods, and generally de-
termining or comparing the values of
different methods of irrigation and the
utility of different sources of water sup
ply.
The census office, combining itself strict
ly to exact facts and conditions, is sup
plcmenting these efforts of the govern
ment by making a ensus of irrigation
wells, dams, reservoirs, springs, canals
and bitches and the cost and character
thereof: of ownership, volume and con-
stancy of water sources, of water rights,
sales and rates, of the acreage. quantity
and value of irrigated crops, of unre-
claimed but irrigable land areas, etc.
Most of this work is being accomplish
ed by means of schedules sent through
the mails in advance of the main field
work, which the law says shall be done
in June, 1900. Director Merriam deemed
such a course warranted by the estimat-
ed increase in irrigation wells to 1900
and the bitches and canals to 15,y 100 dur
ing the past ten years, which means that
probably more than 100000 producers
are now raising crops and herds abund-
antly on lands which without irrigation
were desolate and valueless.
1t has been claimed that the demo-
cratic party will be in a stronger position
this year than it was in 1896, because
while then silver was the only issue
now the party has a number of issues to
choose from, nay it can ever take them
all, silver, antitrust, anti expansion, and
with three issues can meet the demands
of every section. This would offer an at
tractive program were it not for the fact
that many Of the men who favor one of
these issues are unalterably opposed to
the others and vice versa. For instance
Bourke Cochran is a gold;democrat who
sturdily fought silver in 1896: but he is
willing to allow silver in the platform if
the principal issue is anti imperialism.
Senator Morgan on the other hand is a
silver democrat, but he is a strong ex-
pansionist, and he believes that any
other course than a declaration for ex-
pansion wouldb the costliest of mistakes.
Henry Waterson is a gold democrat who
says free silver is done for: but he urges
expansion as democratic policy and as a
national necessity, Chairman Jones
and Senator Pettigrew are both silver
men and ardent anti expansioists. Sen
ator McLaurin sees in expansion a neces-
ity for the south. These men are lead
res and are not to be fooled into seeing
one issue used in one part of the country
and another in a different section. 1t
appears that the work of organizing the
various discordant elements of the dem
ocratic party into an harmonious unity
is herculean indeed, if not quite impos-
cihla