The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-30
a QUESTION or rHE HOUR.

| n QUESTEON OF THO HOUR.
The irrigation of arid lands is one OF
the questions of the hour. 1t is one which
will appeal to congress at it's next ses-
sion for some intelligent consideration.
The problem of making the arid lands
of our states and territories in the North
west and Southwest productive, and
placing them at the disposal of the peo-
pie, is up for action. The next congress
will be expected to furnish it's practical
solution.
At a joint meeting of state engineers
and senators and representatives of West
ern states, held in Cheyenne, Wyo., some
ten days ago, bill was prepared by a
committee embodying provision for
| government aid In the reclama ton of
the arid region. The measure then de-
! cided on will be submitted next winter
to the delegations in congress of the
! Western states, and steps will be taken
for united action in behalf of that meas
ure, IN its present or in some modified
| form.
| as at pACoCill LIdIISu Tie measure
agreed on at Cheyenne provides sub
| stantiaily as follows: That all moneys
received from the sale or disposal of
public lands in Arizona, California.
Idaho, Utah, Montana, New Mexico,
! North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota
and Washington, beginning June 80,
| 1902, shall be reserved for the benefit of
the state or territory in which the lands
are sold. The moneys so secured shall
! be kept as a special fund under the di-
| rection of the secretary of the interior.
The engineering plans for land reclama-
! ton shall be made by the several states
and territories, but shall be approved
! by the secretary of the interior With
such approval the moneys received from
the sale of lands in each particular state
shall be set aside for the establishment
! of aqueducts and other similar under
| takings, and the lands Shall be reserved
from entry
The great end to be attained is, of
course, to make the arid lands productive.
| This should be done as nearly as possible
at the expense of the several states which
will ultimately derive the benefit from
| the bringing of the lands into the market,
! and securing the occupancy Of them by
settlers. Many of the states and terri
tories concerned cannot be expected in
the present condition of their finances to
! he able to meet the demands made on
them by this proposed system. Many of
the states receive large incomes from
the sale of lands; others comparatively
little. 1t VIII be found that in those
states which derive small revenue from
! their sales Of lands the arid belt is more
exte nded than in those when have large
incomes These former states and terri
tories will benefit relatively most on the
adoption of a plan of irrigation, and will
subsequently he well able to meet the
zpenses entailed by the establishment of
aqueducts and ether necessary works.
In order the more readily to reach the
end aimed at some provision must be
made whereby the necessary aid Will in
the first instance be furnished to the
states and territories which will not be
able to engage with any promptitude
! from their own resources in the neces-
sary work. The tide of immigration has
set in with augmented force. 1t will be
but a few years before government lands
! will cease to be available for settlers
| The prices of existing lands in the owner
! ship of the railroads and other corpora
! tions available for settlement will have
risen considerably in value, and the task
of making the lands of the arid region
productive will have reached the pro-
| portions of a national problem
the difficulties in the path of the under
! taking are comparatively few. The cost
| of irrigation will be greater in some
| states than in others; but there is only
small proportion of the vast area that
cannot be made available by an ex-
! penditure which the land itself will
furnish ample security for the repayment
of. With the proper support given to any
measure agreed on as the outcome Of
the Cheyenne conference it is safe to
j predict that within a few years the
| bulk of the lands included in the arid
region will be open to settlement.
!