The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-28
A SCHEME THAT WILL BEAR
WATCHING.

The Journal recently noted the fact that
a committee of Congress had given near
ing to persons advocating government irri-
cation of arid lands in the West ana re-
marked that this might become an issue
before long, adding that If the poiicy was
ever adopted it would prove enormously
extensive. Since then the evidence mas De-
come conclusive of a shrewd plan to COM
NIT the government to the irrigation policy
and that the plan is backed by well or
ganized lobby. AS the history OF all such
movements shows that sooner or later they
get into politics, and by the Endorsement Of
one party or the other become national is
sues it is well enough to understand the
scope of this movement at the beginning.
Its possible development may be inferred
from the fact that the so-called arid lands
now belonging to the government, by
which is meant lands that cannot be sue
cessfully cultivated without artificial irri-
CATION, amount to hundreds of millions of
acres and lie in ten or a dozen Western
States and Territories. An immense area
of these lands is also included in grants
to different railroads. The area of public
lands surveyed and subject to entry on
June 80, 1896, was 1861, s61 acres. and of
unsurveyed land 2SS, 1856, $40 acres. A consid-
cradle proportion of this comes under the
head of arid lands, and as they lie in
many States and Territories one can readi-
ly see that they furnish a basis for a
Ioh ha
railroad companies which hold large land
grants would be powerful factor in such
a movement. Hitherto the work of irrigat-
ing arid lands has been done by the vari-
Gus States, some of which have good laws
OF the subject and have done excellent
work in that direction. California, Colora-
do. Idaho, Wyoming. Nevada, Texas, New
Mexico and Arizona have all accomplished
more or less In the way Of State irrigation.
The policy was adopted by the Mormons
In Utah at an early day and carried out
with great success. making that original
wilderness exceedingly productive. There
is no question as to the great value and
practical results of artificial irrigation, the
only question being as TO the propriety Of
taking it up as a government work. 1t is
! argued by the advocates of national irri-
cation that the area of arid sub-arid
lands is too vast and the work of reclaim
ing them too expensive for either in
dividuals, private corporations or State
governments alone. and that the demands
of an increasing population are such as
most efforts to extend the area of produc-
tive lands. This is specious argument.
but reasonable answer seems to be that
| IL the results of artificial irrigation would
| be so profitable private capital can be de-
pended on TO do the work, IL the various
| States should drop 1t. If the Mormons
could reclaim Utah and convert many
thousands of square miles of desert into
| blooming gardens by artificial irrigation
without government aid why cannot the
same thing be done elsewhere? 1t is be-
Iieved Congress could better afford TO do
nate all the arid lands now owned by the
United States to the various States in
which they lle with full authority TO each
State 10 enact its own irrigation system,
than il could to commit the general gov
| eminent to the policy. Recent events indi-
cate beyond doubt the existence of a con-
! certed plan TO accomplish the latter re-
| suit. Maps have been drawn and circulated
| showing arid land owned by the govern
ment in various States. These maps indi-
cate the location of dams and reservoirs
needed for irrigation. Lectures have been
delivered exploiting the subject. The river
and harbor bill as first introduced in the
present Congress contained an appropria-
ton OF 10000 for dams and reservoirs in
Wyoming. This clause was eliminated In
the discussion of the bill. but the Indian