Mohave County miner., 1901-03-02
An Unwatered Empire.
BY Gen. Nelson A. Miles.


cation began some three decades ago
when, in the performance of official
duty. had occasion to explore more
or less thoroughly that vast extent of
sparsely settled or unoccupied land
bounded on the east by the one-hun-
dredth meridian, on the north by the
49th parallel, on the south by the Rio
Grande, and extending TO the Sierra
Nevada and Cascade ranges on the
west. The thought often occurred to
me then-and the thought has grown
into conviction as the years have
gone by-that it was not the part of
economy of nature to have this enor-
nous eXpapse of land lie inert and
waste. Millions of acres were APP
parently desert, where the coyote
starved and only the cactus and sage
bush could live; yet the soil held with
in itself the elements of productive
ness, the air was as pure as heaven, the
scenery ins piring as a beautiful pic
ture, the application of the vivifying
water the only thing lacking to arouse
its rich potential energies.
Since those early days | have, from
time to time, with voice and pen, done
what could to advocate the conser-
vation of the water supply of our arid
lands and the preservation of the trees,
which are the guardians of the foun-
tains at the waters source.
Since the foundation of our govern
ment center of population has been
steadily moving westward, the pioneer
spirit of the east seeking homes and
Independence far away from the sti-
fling atmosphere of the large over
crowded cities. This united desire OF
our people 10 own home rather than
to rent One-to be their own landlords
rather than some landlords teneuts-
assures the vitality of the great Ameri-
can republic. The American farmer
is sovereign today, and the dignity and
Independence engendered by his free
environment, the healthfuluess of
mind and body resulting from the
pure air he breathes, the love of coun-
try which homecoming stimulates
make him the preserver of those bene-
fetal institutions under which we live.
1t would be sad day, full of evil
portent to the republic, if home build
ing hould become unpopular, if gravi-
tation towards the cities should over
come the outward march into the
expansive country, if tenantry in an
over crowded alley should be chosen
in preference to free quarter section
in valley or upland. Therefore / say
the devising of means whereby the
public domain is available for home
seekers, and the arid lands are made
habitable and productive, is now one
of the most i'm portant liues of Ameri.
can endeavor. | reiterate the saying
of the keen satrist and wise philoso-
pher: That whoever could make two
ears of corn or two blades of grass to
grow upon a spot of ground where
only one grew before, would deserve
better of mankind and do more essen
tisl service to his country than the
whole race of politicians put together.
The utility of irrigation ceased to be
questioned thousands of years ago,
aud we have the records of successful
methods which are as old as the first
pages of written history itself. We
have evidence that the aborigines of
the southwest had perfected system
of irrigation, aud the natives of New
Mexico aud Arizona, who brought their
methods from Mexico and Spain,
handed down their skill to posterity.
am not optimistic enough to believe
the Ingenuity of men can encom pass
the redemption of the six hundred
millions of acres which comprise the
nations vacant public lands, but it, as
had been claimed there is water enough
for the irrigation of one hundred
millions of acres providing the supply
is economically used), can easily
imagine ten millions of good citizens
finding homes Oh farms which are self.
supporting. In the state of Texas
there are still many millions of acres
of unclaimed acres which would lend
themselves readily to irrigation
methods and become valuable to
settlers. The area of this great state
may be appreciated by rememb bering
the fact that if it we're populated a: