Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-12-13
Credit To Whom
Credit Is Due.
Proposed irrigation of Arid Lands
in the Basin of the Truckee
River and the Car
son Sink.
Reclamation Of Our Deserts.


Similar Views" which appeared in
the Appeal Of the 8 inst reproduced
from the Reno Journal. it appears to
The News about time to give out a lit
tie more OF the history of the present
movement for national irrigation which
we now have reason to hope. is near
ing fruitition, and which means so
much for Nevada.
The News is impelled to this, not
alone on account Of the ridiculous
claims put forward by the friends and
political henchmen of Mr.. Francis G..
Newlands, that to him is due the credit
for the work that has been. and is yet
being done in this State by the Federal
Government, and. as witness the above
mentioned editorial, that to him 1t is
due that the President of the United
States Is become an advocate to the
construction of irrigation works by the
general government, or at least that the
ideas upon that subject contained in his
recent message to Congress, were Dor
rowed from our Congressman, but also
in the interest Of truth. and that credit
may be rendered to whom credit is
due.
In the first place. by way Of reply to
the intimation of the Journal-Appeal
editorial that 1t is Mr.. Newland's plan
which the President recommends for
adoption by the nation. We would call
attention Of all ana especially the ed
itors OIL Mr.. Newlands' various news
papers. to the fact that long before that
gentleman was q member of Congress
or had eyen thought upon the irrigation
question. Major J. w. Powell, then
director Of the U. S. Geological Survey
promulgated a scheme for dealing with
the arid land reclamation problem
identical with that recommended by
President Roosevelt.
1t was the beginning Of the surveys
and investigation to determine the ex-
tent oil which this scheme Of irrigation
could be profitably carried out by the
nation, and its cost. that first attracted
Mr.. Newlands' attention to the irri-
CATION question and suggested to him
the idea Of continuing such investiga-
tons on his own personal account as q
means Of furthering his Congressional
aspiration. But the citizens Of Wa
shoe County. Ormsby. Douglas and
Lyon. are so well acquainted with this
episode in his career that there is no
need for us to go into its details. Suf-
flee 1t to say that so soon as he got in
to Congress in 1892 he ceased to pay
any further attention to this subject,
beyond efforts to dispose Of the hold
ings. landed and otherwise, he had ac-
quired. to the best advantage. until the
Senatorial bee got into his bonnet.
During the session Of Congress two
years ago he introduced a bill appro-
prlating money for the construction Of
storage reservoirs and other irrigation
work in the Humboldt River Valley.
but Senator Stewart did as much or
more, so he had no monopoly.
During the last session. he introdu-
ced what is known as the Newlands Ir-
rigation Bill and we freely give him
credit for having done his utmost to
III support for it. Also we give
him credit fol- having the good sense
as was the case--to 60 to men who,
from long study Of the irrigation prob
lem knew better than himself what was
needful in the line Of legislation, for
ideas to incorporate in and assistance
in drawing I'D that bill