Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-06-06
the IRRIGATION PROBLEM.

his recent journey President Mckin-
ley said that irrigation will bring
immigration" IL will be noticed. says
the st. Louis Globe-D Democrat, that
the president takes II for granted that
irrigation will come in the arid region
and that its sequel in growth Of popu.
lation, Is beyond question. Secretary
Hitchcock. a thoroughly practical man
and prudent in judgment, is In favor
of a broad irrigation system and re-
CARDS It as a legitimate branch Of in.
ternal improvement by the govern.
ment. All trans-M Mississippi conven-
tons that have been held emphasize
the Importance Of irrigation measures
in the policy OF national development.
The advocates in congress OF this idea
have a powerful weapon and used II
with decisive effect at the last SEES
sion. 1t was a senator from the arid
section, Carter, OF Montana, who
talked the river and harbor bill to
death in the last hours Of the Fifty
sixth congress. No avowal has been
made that Senator Carter took this
course in behalf of a recognition of
irrigation as n proper part OF internal
improvements by the government, but
IL is easy TO believe that such was his
motive.
Leading political platforms last year
contained planks on the subject OF ir-
rigation. The republican platform
says: In further pursuance Of the
constant policy of the republican par
ty to provide free homes on the public
domain, we recommend adequate ma
tional legislation 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 democratic
platform says more briefly: we IA
vor an intelligent system Of improv
ing the arid lands of the west. storinl
the water for purposes Of irrigation
and the holding Of such lands for &C
tual settlers" The silver republican
party presented the matter more a
length, as follows: we believe tn,
national government should lend ev
cry aid. encouragement and assistanc,
toward the reclamation of the ariC
lands OF the United States. and to thai
end we are In favor OF a %cemprehen
sive survey thereof and an immediate
ascertainment OF the water supply
available for such reclamation. and
we believe IL to be the duty Of the
general government to provide for the
construction OF storage reservoirs and
irrigation works. 80 that the water
supply of the arid region may be utll
lied to the greatest possible extent In
the interests Of the people, while pre-
serving all rights of the state"
More than is realized, political par,
ties have declared for a participation
by the government in the reclamation
OF arid lands, and II members OF con
gress from the states more particular
ly interested intend to block all
schemes of internal improvement until
irrigation is included they will force
a hearing. Millions OF acres now lying
useless can be rendered highly produc.
tive by an assured supply OF water,
Private enterprise is doing much One
company Is tapping the Colorado riv.
er with a canal sixty miles long
which will irrigate 300 900 acres, now
unstable, but which will be worth
$4,000. 900 when water is obtained,
There are lands in California worth
several hundred dollars an acre which
could not be given away II the irriga.
ton bitches to which they W. their
fertility could be cut of. Irrigation Is
a large subject and 1t is coming to the
front.