The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-04

esys snd aowe- clad meadows ~ cur
mountains. The forest reserves should BE
set apart forever for the use ard henras
OF our people as whole ara nos sacrificed
to the shortsighted greed OF a fcw
The forests are natural reservoirs Sy
{ restraining the streams - food ard re-
plenishsng them IL drought they make
possible The use OF waters oihervsse
wasted They prevent the soil from vaso-
.ng and so protect TIE sterage reservoirs
rom filling up with silt Forest ccnserva.
ton is therefore an essential condition Of
water conservation.
The Government Shouid AEstst.
Z The forests alone cannot. however. fully
regulate and conserve the waters 90 -
sssary TO ecualize the TOW 81 streams ard
I 60 save the flood waters. Iheir co1Strae-
tcn has been ccnclusiveiy shown o. Pc a.
undertaking too vast for private e1ctJ
Nor can II be best accomplished hy the in~
I divi1ual states acting alone Far-Teacn.1E
Interstate problems are involved. and the
resources Of single ststes would otten =
! inadequate. Il IS properly A nsl1nN
{ function. a. least in some Of SIS features
IL Is as right for the national goVesur.cnt
10 make the streams and rivers of me
arid region usef1l by engineering works
Tor water storage as &c make Gsefsl the
rivers and hsrbors % che humiG region ~
engineering works Of another kto1. ne
| storing q the hoods ia reservoirs 40 nc
I heaGvRters OF our rivers ls but an en-
/ targsment q our present policy o. riser
control under which l~yees are huili oE
! The government should construct and
1 maintain these reservoirs as it does otner
! public works. Where their purpose 80 -
/ regulate the row o. streams Che wuter
] should be turned freely into the channels
Z IN ths dry season 20 take The same course
( under the same laws as the natural row
/ The reclamation o. the unsettled aFid
public lands presents different ptao.efn.
! Here 70 IS not enough 70 regulate me Hfw
+ q streams The object Of che government
& 20 dispose OF fhr land 20 settlers who
( NrrtNA d
+ this object water must De brought wlihia
their reach
: The pioneer settlers on the arid public
domain chose their homes aonF streams
iron, which they could themselves divert
fhe water 70 reclaim their holdings Sreh
opportunities are practically gone tgese
iand which can De made available Tor
homestead settlement. hut oniy Ply reser-
voi~s and main line canals iwgrac iicsaie
for private enterprise Thesis irrigation
works should be built hy the national
government The lands reclaimed ~
hem should - reserved by The govern
uent for actual settlers ana ine ,.-i,s.
construction should SO far as p9es5g
- repaid By the land reclaimed I'D
I distribution OF the water me dlNisioN p
the streams arnong irriEstofs shoess es
ieft 20 the settlers Themselves iu confaf m
NV with state laws ard without intefirF
ence with those laws or With testr1
rights The policy Of the naiiena. 80
eminent should be 20 ais irI Eaiton - nc
several states ard territories in such man.
ner ss VIII enable the people On the iocal
communities TO help fhenseiNc ~ ~. -
wlU stimulate needed reforms ~ We s'4te
laws and regulations govefHink HfiAas''"'
vaiue Of Irrigation.
THE reeiamation and settlement % ne
,rid faude Will enrich every portion -
,ur country just as the setf.enenl ~ w
1hio ard Mississippi NAtieft nI'thet
oerifv 10 the Atlantic states ne
-reasea demand for msuuf actured nFH-
.ies viii stimulate Industrial production.
While wider home markets ana .N' tlt.f
81 Asia will consume The larger ia1l .Af
go ~,a eNp-fuailv prevent western
competition with eastern agfit uitNtr
iced the products Or Nf. sAiion N"
consumed chiefly IN npbn.ta.it ..." .-elh
Ter IN mining ard other ndpstrirs ra.h
o-oufd otherwise not come into rtittstl-e
a. All orr people a. a whole WI rfthi
Tor successful hofneuaklng = naI
aarne for the mpbuiiains - ne no f.nn
The necessary foundation has allea4F
senn laid FOR me inauEuration qf tne po
y Just described lt would - un~
begin BY doing too much. tnr ffNat W..
ri doffbtIess be learned both az io Nnat
-an and what cannot Dc rairlE al'-lnf
ID b. the Early efforts. HaIfn ni-h
,scessltv b. partly experimental ir fEef
.-fe~ A. the very b~Einring ftr govern
roert should make clear. beyond HnsttN
- doubt 80 intention 70 pAi f.f
noFfrV on lines o. the hTQaae4t FaHlf if
fe-a-t M rrgarvolr or canal should ever
30 bEnt 20 satisfy srinsh p@isNuel
local Interests brit oaiy ~ eeenf4aHee
Eth me Advice % trained experts altsf
long Investigation has shown nc ~
if~ vrhero an tAe conditions combine
-,axe ne work most needed and traasht
eth the greatest usefulness tq we CON-
..-s,-, - whole There should 30 -
.rfravaEancr and ~ behsFeff ~ 80
rs.6 on irrigation VIII most beneft ,h'f
cause by seeing 70 y inat = i--.t,-..
.xnsraiture % fhe public MONEYS
Needed Irrigation Laws.
rrrtsfe-or fhe ratIan does for the -