Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-12-06


perpetual protection to the native fauna
and fora, safe Ravens of refuge to our
rapidly diminishing wild animals of the
larger kinds and free camping grounds for
women who have learned to find rest,
health and recreation in the splendid for
ests and flower clad meadows of our
set apart forever for the use and benefit
of cur people as a whole and not sacrificed
to ,r the tshortsighted greed Of a few.
restraining the streams in flood and re-
plenishing them in drought they make
possible the use of waters otherwise
ng and
from filling up with silt. Forest conserva-
ton is therefore an essential condition of
water conservation.
The Government Should Assist.
The forests alone cannot, however, fully
regulate, and conserve the waters OF the
arid region. Great storage works are nee
essary to equalize the flow of streams and
to save the flood waters: Their construc-
undertaking too vast for private effort.
Nor can it be best accomplished by the In
dividual states acting alone. Far-reaching
interstate problems are involved' ana the
resources of single states would often De
inadequate. 1t is properly a natlonal
function, at least in some of it's features:
1t is as right for the national government
arid region useful by engineering works
for water storage as to make useful the
rivers and harbors Of the humid region by
storing of the floods in reservoirs at the
headwaters of our rivers is but an en-
largement of our present policy OF RIVER
control under which levees are built on
the lower reaches Of the same streams.
The government should construct ana
maintain these reservoirs as it does other
public works. Where their purpose IS to
regulate the flow of streams the water
should be turned freely into the channels
in the dry season to take the same course
under the same laws as the natural flow
public lands presents different problem:
Here it is not enough to regulate the nov
of streams. The object of the government
is to dispose Of the land to settlers Wn6
will build homes upon it. 10 accomplish
this object water must be Drousht Within
their reach.
The pioneer settlers on the arid public
from which they could themselves d1vert
the water to reclaim their holdings. Such
opportunities are practically gone Ihefe
land which can be made available for
homestead settlement, but only by reser-
voirs and main line canals impriac;tlcaainie
works U should be built by the national
government The lands reclaimed by
them should be reserved by the govern
ment for actual settlers, and the COSY Of
construction should so far as posslDle
he repaid by the land reclaimed: Inc
distribution of the water, the division OF
the streams among irrigators, snou1o DC
left to the settlers themselves IN CONFORM
ity with state laws and without lnter1er,
ence with those laws or with yesteu
rights. The policy of the nationai s1 ~
several states and territories in such man
ner as will enable the people in the iocal
communities to help themselves ana as
will stimulate needed REFORMS II: sie
laws and regulations governing lrrlsal1o'''
Value of Irrigation.
The reclamation and settlement of the
arid lands will enrich every portion OF
our country, Just as the settlement OF the
Ohio and Mississippi valleys brought pros
perty to, the Atlantic states ane ar III
cles will stimulate industrial productlon,
while wider home markets and the traue
of Asia will consume the larger 1000 ae sep
competition with eastern agriculture; II
deed the products OF irrigation VIII ne
consumed chiefly in upbuilding local s;n
tiers of mining and other industries when
would otherwise not come into existence
at all. Our people as a whole VIII pront.
for successful homemaking is but announcer
name for the upbulldl9g OF the %as aireadv
been laid for the inauguration OF the poll
cy Just described. 1t would be unwise 70
begin by doing too mucn' TOT a gr "a Ieat
will doubtless be learned. both as to what
can and what cannot be safely attempt..
ed, by the early efforts. which must OF
necessity be partly sxpsrlmenttaha IN nocn1n-
ment should make clear. beyond SHADOW
of doubt, it's intention to pursue TINS
policy on lines of the broadcast pupllc m
terest No reservoir or canal should ever
be built to satisfy selfish persona! or
local interests, but only in accordance
with the advice of trained experts after
long investigation mas $nown co Inc 70
make the work most needed and fraught
with the greatest usefulness to the com
munty as whole There rs,;s should IN De tho no
need of irrigation will most benefit their
cause by seeing to it that 1t Is tree from from
the least faint of excessive or reckless
Expenditure Of the public moneys
Needed Irrigation Laws.
Whatever the nation does for the ex-
tension of irrigation should harmonize
with and tend to improve the condition
of those now living on irrigated land
MS n5e n9t at over Hs Of
capital has already been expended in the
construction of irrigation works and
many million acres Of Of ard Iana and md
SELF. but as much cannot, be said in
reference to the laws relating thereto
The security and value of the MONIES
created depend largely on the STABILITY
of titles to water. but the majority of
these rest on the uncertain foundation of
e0nr at ]sW with fe% credtaSe
ceptions, the arid states have failed to
nrovide 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 necessities. and many
streams have already passed into private
ownership or a control equivalent to
ownership.
Whoever controls a stream practically
controls the land it 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
beeH permitted to grow up in the arid
regions. should give way to more en-
lightened and larger recognition of the
rights of the public in the control and
disposal Of the public water supplies
Laws founded upon conditions obtaining
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 wa
ter which should be recognized is that of
use In irrigation this right should at
tach to the land reclaimed and be insep-
arabic therefrom. Granting perpetual
water rights to others than users with
out compensation to the public is open
70 all the objections which apply to CIV
ing away perpetual franchises to the
public utilities Of cities. few of the
western states have already recognized
this and have incorporated in their con-
situations the doctrine Of perpetual state
ownership of water.