Arizona republican., 1901-03-01

couraSlnS Qrllcle on IrrlSatlon TOT
 Arid Lands" is taken IT WILL from the Mail and Ex- COME SOME press of New York and TIME. in way strongly con-
 firms reports of the east, from Mir. George H. Maxwell, and gentlemen of Phoenix. of the growth of q sentiment in favor of federal aid:
 In the senate Amendment to the river and harbor bill appropriating $2900O0 for constructing reservoirs for arid lands in Wyor-ng the first federal step has been taken in a colossal project which, if 1t is ever completed. will add nearly 600 000.000 acres to the product i've area of the public domain In the western states The preliminary to this action was arranged at the last session of congress. when an appro- prlation of sl00.OO0 was set aside to pay for surveys t5 ascertain in what re- gions and to what extent the work of irrigation could be successfully under taken by the federal government. An other stage was reached when the na- tional irrigation congress met in Chl. cago in November last and agreed up a vast project of operations. to con- duct which congress was memorialized to appropriate sl0.OOO,OOO a year for a period If fifteen years. This memorial has not yet received any direct con sideration in Washington. but repre- sentatives of the national irrigation congress have been industrlously at ,I senlatlves. and the S29O,0O0 apprcpria- ton for reservoirs in Wyoming Ia a sign that their efforts have not been wholly ineffective.
 The scope of the undertaking which has thus received practical recogni- ton from the federal government is treme ndous. Its prOmUiers contend that more than 600. .000. GOO acres of land HOW arid and useless can be reclaimed and made capable of supporting pop ulation Of 50.0O0.000 persons If the avail able water supply is properly utilized. These lands are scattered throughout the vast reaches extending from Colo rado. New Mexico and Arizona 10 Wyoming and Montana. 1o fertilize these tracts and make them productive by constructing storage reservoirs and irrigation dtches would give them value estimated as high as s5O0. 900. 900 and attract tJ them an enormous and prosperous pcpulat nn. Tho lands ar" there. at present sterile and worthless. The water is within reach. but now largely running to waste. The question Is: Can these two elements be brought together and made productive at a cost that will justify the enter prise?" Men of practical experience In such work say that they can be- and If such is the fact all sensible Americans will agree that they should be.
 The practicability Of irrigation on an extensive scale has been concluslvely demonstrated In the west mora than sl00. 900 has alrcady been thus ip- vested under state end indivllua. .on- trol. and the lands SD treated have in- creased In value hundred fold. Tlrc only things to consider ace whether the wJrk should be undertaken by the federal government on the large tracts of arid land belonging to the nation, whether these tracts should be turned over to the states within &rose boyders they lie on condiSion that they shall be watered. or whether the who'll project of irrigation should be intrusted to pri~ vate enterprise.
 With what has been accomplished the question of irrigation Is bound to com mand a yearly inert asing degree of public attention from this time for ward. In it's scope and importance 1t is a national question. The possibility. l,,1. ..x.t "a. the desert ac area of territory large enough for an empire and compelling 1t to yield subsistence flr 5O.00O 900 hu- man beings who shall thIs be aided to our 77,O00.000 cf American producers and consumers-this IT agniflcent pro- Ject is enough to stir the dulest imag- lnatlon.
 As we have said, this Is encouraging, but since at was written. the house by the overwhelming ovte of 97 to 5S. on Wedne sday of this week, rejected the senate amendment Go the Indian ap- propriation bill of slto. GOO coward q dam on the Gila river at san Carlos for the government wards. It vas not reasoD- ably expected that an old prejudice could be overcome in day. It will no doubt be many days before govern mcnt aid will be given to the arid west and rot until long after we have been driven to the poidt of helping our selves. As Yet the experimental stage of government aid has not quite been reached.