The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-04
MEANS MUCH
To The WEST
Manager of the Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern
Heartily Endorses Presidents
Position on Irrigation
AT PUBLIC EXPENSE.
Water Supply Must Be Kept
From Syndicates
As Matter of Protection For
Coming Generations.
AT PUBLIC EXPENSE.

Chicago, Dec. Nv. c. Brown, vice
president and general manager of the
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern rail-
way, with headquarters at Cleveland,
when asked for an expression of opinion
of the presidents message. as regards
the development of the west, said:
L cannot express too strongly my ap-
probation of the recommendation of
the president looking to the reclamation
of the now arid regions in our western
states and territories bv the conStruc-
ton of great reservoirs for the storing
of water.
THE fact that the president favors
the undertaking of this work by the
general government is the logical re-
suit of his familiarity with conditions
in the west and his practical knowledge
of the subject under consideration.
The work of reclamation of arid
lands, undertaken in the comprehensive
and thorough manner which its import
ance not only Justifies but demands,
will require a larger expenditure of
money than the sparsely settled states
of the west can command. Money for
this purpose expended by the state
must be raised by taxation; this is an
obvious impossibility, therefore the only
alternative left to the state or terri
tory unaided by the general govern
ment would be to farm out to great
syndicateS composed of eastern capital
lists the right to construct the reser-
the land reclaimed. Under this plan the
settler seeking a home upon govern
ment land must pay tribute to the syn
dictate thus formed, in such amount as
the syndicate might elect to exact.
Each year a new generation of young
men is being graduated from farms.
villages and cities of the east and mid
die west: men who must find some To-
cation for a home and some vocation by
which they may become self-support-
ing.
For years the fertile prairies of
Iowa, Missouri Kansas, Nebraska,
Minnesota mr. a 10 at
tracted thousands of these homeseek-
ers and home makers. These states are
rapidly filling up and soon the annual
exodus of young men will look in vain
for attractive opportunities for secur-
ing farms and homes in any of this
territory. When this time comes, some
territory must be found for this rising
westward tide of civilization.
THE one overshadowing cloud more
portentous than any other today is the
rapidly growing political representation
population, as against the country The
hope of the country is in the 40 so and
100 acre farm-thousands of them
owned and titled by happy, prosperous
citizens. and in no way can
this condition be brought about so
speedily as by the government under
taking at once the work of retaining
and making fruitful and fertile the mill
lions of acres of land now its property
but absolutely worthless without wa
ter.
1T is well within the limits of ex-
treme conservatism to say that 40
acres of irrigated land will produce on
an average more than the best 80 acres
In the fertile valleys of the Mississippi
and the Missouri Personally I believe
that acre for acre the irrigated land
may be depended upon to produce three |
times much. Taking the former es- !
innate, however, as basis and at |
tempt to compute the addition to the |
wealth of this country which |
would result from the expenditure IN |
this work of one-half the money which |
IS appropriated annually in the river |
and harbor bill. much of which (to put |
t very mildly is spent without hope or |
will beggar comprehension.
But above and beyond the material |
consider the moral effect
filing the foothills and the valleys of |
The transmissouri states with the null
-itudes of hardy pioneers and home
builders that would be attracted by the
ield thus opened to them.
mo Recommendation or suggestion
has ever been made by a president
more important than this or worthy of
more careful consideration, and hope
o see an appropriation for the reclama-
ion of the arid lands of the nation
made as regularly as that for rivers
md harbOrS, or for any other great and
necessary work of the national govern
nent, and that the apprOpria ton wiz
re commensurate in amount with the
-reat Importance Of the work.