Evening star., 1901-12-03
profit for successful home making n bue
another name for the upbuilding OF the m

The necessary foundation has already
| been laid for the Inauguration of the policy
just described II would be unwise to begin
by doing too much for a great deal will
| doubtless be learned, both as TO what can
and what cannot be safely attempted, by
the early efforts. which must Of necessity
be partly experimental In character. AT
the very beginning the government should
| make clear. beyond shadow OF doubt its In
tention to pursue this policy on lines OF the
| broadest public interest. No reservoir or
canal should ever be built 70 satisfy selfish
personal or local interests: but only In ac-
cordance with the advice OF trained experts
after long investigation has shown the To-
cality where all the conditions combine 20
make the work most needed and fraught
with the greatest usefulness to the COM
munity as whole. There should be no
| extravaganza. and the believers in the need
of irrigation win most benefit their cause by
seeing TO it that 1t is free from the least
| taint OF excessive or reckless expenditure
! of the public moneys.
Whatever the Nation does for the extern
sion of irrigation should harmonize with
ana tend to Improve. the condition OF those
now living on irrigated land. We are not
| at the starting point OF this development
Over two hundred millions OF private capt.
| tai has already been expended in the con-
struction of irrigation works. and many mil
lion acres of arid land reclaimed. high
degree Of enterprise and ability has been
shown In the work itself: bat as much cam
not De said In reference to the laws relating
thereto. The security and value Of the
homes created depend largely on the sta
| bility Of titles 20 water; but the majority OF
these rest on the uncertain foundation OF
| court decisions rendered in ordinary suits at
law. With few creditable exceptions the
ar1d states have failed to provide for the
certain and just division Of streams IN
times of scarcity. Lax and uncertain laws
have made 1t possible to establish rights to
| water in excess OF actual uses or necessi-
ties, and many streams have already passed
into private ownership. or a control equiya-
| lent to ownership.
| Whoever controls a stream practically
controls the land II renders productive and
the doctrine Of private ownership of water
apart from land cannot prevail without
causing enduring wrong. The recognition
of such ownership. which has been permit
| ted to grow up in the arid regions. should
| give way to more enlightened and larger
recognition of the rights of the public In the
| control and disposal of the public water
| supplies. Laws founded upon conditions OBJ
| tanning in humid regions where water is
| too abundant to justify boarding IT, have
no proper application in a dry country.
In the arid states the only right to water
| which should be recognized is that Of use
In irrigation this right should attach to the
land reclaimed and be inseparable there
from. Granting perpetual water rights to
others than users. without compensation to
the public, is open to all the objections
which apply to giving away perpetual fran
chases to the public utilities of cities A few
! of the Western States have already recos-
nized this, and have incorporated In their
constitutions the doctrine of perpetual State
ownership Of water.
The benefits which have followed the un-
aided development of the past justify the
| Nations aid and cooperation in the more
difficult and important work yet TO be ac-
complished. Laws so vitality affecting
homes as those which control the water
supply will only be effective when they
have the sanction of the irrigators: re-
forms can only be final and satisfactory
when they come through the enlightenment
Of the people most concerned. The larger
development which national aid insures,
should. however. awaken in every arid
State the determination to make its irri-
cation system equal In justice and effect
| iyeness that of any country in the civilized
| world Nothing could be more unwise than
for isolated communities to continue to
| learn everything experimentally instead OF
profiting by what is already known else
| where. We are dealing with a new and
momentous question. in the pregnant years
while institutions are forming. and what
We do will affect not only the present but
| future generations.
Our aim should be not simply to reclaim
| the largest area of land and provide homes
| for the largest number of people but to
| fe md hao
| sible social and industrial conditions; and
| this requires that not only understand
the existing situation, but avail ourselves
| of the best experience of the time in the
| solution Of its problems. A careful study
| should be made. both by the Nation and
the States, of the irrigation laws and con-
| ditions here and abroad. Ultimately il will
| probably be necessary for the Nation to CO.
| operate with the several arid States in pro-
| portion as these States by their legislation
| and administration show themselves lt to
| receive it.
| InsuIar Affairs.
| In Hawaii our aim must be to develop
| the Territory on the traditional American
| lines. We do not wish a region of large es-
| tates titled by cheap labor; we wish
| healthy American community of men who
themselves till the farms they own. All
|
shaped with this end in view; the we'll
| being Of the average home-maker must af-
| ford the true test of the healthy develop
ment of the islands The land policy should
as nearly as possible be modelled on our
| homestead system.
| 1t is a pleasure to say that it is hardly
more necessary to report as to Porto Rico
| than to any State or Territory within
| our continental limits. The island is thriv-
| ing as never before, and it is being admin
| istered efficiently and honestly. Its people
are now enjoying liberty and order under
| the protection of the United States, and
| upon this fact we congratulate them and
| ourselves. Their material welfare must be
as carefully and jealousy considered as the
| welfare of any other portion of our country.
We have given them the great gift of free
| access for their products to the markets OF
| the United States. / ask the attention OF
| the Congress to the need of legislation con-
cerning the public lands of Porto Rico.