, 1900-07-09
HOPE FOR THE WEST
SENATOR WARREN'S OPINION
ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR IR-
RIGATION.
Declaration of National Republican
Platform on the Question of the
Reclamation CT Arid Lands Carries
Hopeful Tidings<for Wyoming and
Other Western States Interested.

oNh'l NVoltlH ctalNo 'S'St.
Washington, d. c., July S.-Senator
Warren before leaving for his home
in Wyoming. speaking of the work Of
the national republican convention,
said:
The platform adopted BY the con
vention conveys to the people of MY
state. and for every western state and
territory. the most hopeful tiGings
contained in the declaration that In
further pursuance of the constant poll
cy Of the republican party to provide
free homes on the public domain, we
recommend adequate national legisla-
ton to reclaim the arid lands of the
United States. reserving control of the
distribution 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 declaration
that the party is committed to recla-
nation Of the arid lands of the coun-
TRY, all doubts that this will be done,
and lone speedily, are removed.
Had | had such a declaration to back
me up at the close Of the Ffft-fifth con-
gress when l attempted to secure an
appropriation for the building of stor-
age reservoirs in the west, success
would have been assured. With such a
declaration now a plank in the plat
form of the republican party, success is
in sight, and l confidently believe that
before the Fifty-sixth congress closes,
it will provide means for the Inaugural
ton of a system of reclamation of our
arid lands which will do as much for
the arid west as the adoption of the
homestead law did for the great 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 it has done is Of such practi-
cal and useful nature that a substantial
foundation is already established up
on which the work of reclamation can
be continued and be made of lasting
material benefit to the west. The first
definite action taken towards reclama-
ton Of arid lands by the government
was secured by the republican party in
1896 when by the provisions Of the riv-
er and harbor act, under a section
which l had the honor to present, an
appropriation Of $4,000 was made for
on the practicability and desirability OF
constructing reservoirs and other hy-
draulic works necessary for the stor-
age and utilization of water, to proven,
floods and o%verflows, erosion of river
banks, and breaks of ~levees, and to re-
~inforce the flow of streams during
drought and low water seasons, at least
one site each in the states of Wyoming
and Colorado
THE examination thus provided for
was made by Captain H. N. Chitten,
den, corps Of engineers, and the report
made by him showed most conclusive,
ly the practicability, utility and COMO
my of land reclamation by means OF
storage reservoirs to be built at gov
eminent expense. The report Of Cap
tain Chittenden is regarded as the most
valuable contribution OF information
obtainable upon this subject, and is in
so great demand that the Fifth-sixth
congress has directed that 5000 addi-
ton copies be printed.
"The next practical step in the direc-
ton Of arid land reclamation was TAX
en- in the Fifty-fifth congress when by
provisions Of the agricultural appro-
priation bill, appropriations Of $4,000
and $35 5000 were provided to make a
series of investigations by experts in
practical irrigation. These investiga-
tons were placed in charge Of Prof. Ell
wood Mead Of Wyoming, recognized as
the leading authority on irrigation
problems in America. The present
congress has increased the amount for
this years investigation under Prof.
Mead to $4,000, and the scope of his
work has been enlarged to cover many
new irrigation experiments and prob
lens.
In addition to these Investigations,
congress has encouraged and sustained
by liberal appropriation the work of
stream measurements and investiga-
lions of water u of the coun-
try. conducted by the United States
geological survey.
THE republican party, as I have said,
never makes a promise it does not full
fiji, and l confidently anticipate that at