The age-herald., 1901-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,

1 deal will doubtless be learned, both as 10
 what can and what cannot be saieiy at
 tempted, by the early enorts' "hlcn
 must of necessity be partly experimenlal
 in character At the very beginning the
 government should make clear, beyond
 shadow of doubt, its intention to pursue
 this policy on lines of the broadest public 1 interest No reservoir or canal should
 ever be built to satisfy selfish personal | or local interests but only in accordance
 with the advice of trained experts after l long investigation has shown the locality
 where all the conditions combine to make
 the work most needed and fraught with
 the greatest usefulness to the community
 as a whole. There should be no extrava-
 gance, and the believers in the need of irrigation will most benefit their cause by
 seeing to 1t that 1t is free from the least | taint ofsexcessive or reckless expenditure | of the public moneys.
 Whatever the nation does for the ex- | tension of irrigation should harmonize
 with and tend to improve, the condition
 Of those now living on irrigated land. We
 are not at the starting point of this de-
 velopment. Over two hundred millions | Of private capital has already been ex-
 pended in the construction of irrigation
 works, and many million acres of arid
 land reclaimed. A high degree of enter
 prise and ability has been shown in the | work itself; but as much cannot be said | In reference to the laws relating thereto. l The security and value of the homes
 created depend largely on the stability | of titles to water, but the majority of | these rest on the uncertain foundation of
 court decisions rendered in ordinary suits at law With few creditable excep- tions, the arid states have failed to pro- in it,Gt Of streams in times of scarcity Lax and uncertain laws have made it possible to establish rights to. water in excess of &C., tual uses or necessities, and many
 streams have already passed into private ownership, or control equivalent to ownership.
 Whoever controls a stream practically
 controls the land it renders productive,
 and the doctrine of private ownership of
 water apart from land cannot prevail
 without causing enduring wrong. The
 recognition of such ownership, which has been permitted to grow up in the arid regions should give way to more en- frightened and larger recognition of the
 rights of the public in the control and disposal of the public water supplies. Laws founded upon conditions obtaining in humid regions where water is too abundant to justify hoarding it, have no d
 In the arid states the only right to
 water which should be recognized Is that | of use. In irrigation this right should at- | tach to the land reclaimed and be in- separable therefrom. Granting perpet- | ual water rights to others than users, without compensation to the public, is | open to all the objections which apply to giving away perpetual franchises to | the public utilities of cities. A few of the Western States have already recog- nized this, and have incorporated in their constitutions the doctrine of perpetual state ownership of water.
 The benefits which have followed the unaided developm ent of the past justify l the nations aid and cooperation kn the more difficult and important work yet to | be accomplished Laws so vitally affect l ing homes as those which control the water supply will only be effective when ] they come through the enlightenment of | the people most concerned. The larger development which national aid insures l should, however. awaken in every arid | state the determination to make its irri- gation system equal in justice and ef- | fectiveness that of any country In the | civilized world. Nothing could be more | unwise than for isolated com munities to | continue to learn everything experiment. | ally, instead of profiting by what is al- l ready known elsewhere. We are dealing with a new and momentous question, in | the pregnant years while institutions are 1 forming, and what we do will affect not
 only the present but future generations. | Our aim should be not simply to reclaim | the largest area of land and provide | homes for the largest number of people, | but to create for this new industry the | best possible social ano industrial condi- | tions; and this requires that we not only | understand the existing situation, but | avail ourselves of the best experience of the time in the solution of it's problems. | careful study should be made, both l by the nation and the states, of the irri- | gation laws and conditions here and
 abroad. Ultimately it will probably be
 necessary for the nation to cooperate | with the several arid states in proportion | as these states by their legislation and | administration show themselves fit to | receive it.
 Our New Possessions.
 | In Hawaii our aim must be to develop | the territory on the traditional American | lines. We do not wish region of large
 estates titled by cheap labor; we wish a | healthy American community of men | who themselves till the farms they own. | All our legislation for the islands should | be shaped with this end in view; the well-being of the average home maker l must afford the true test of the healthy 1 development of the islands. The land | policy should as nearly ss possible be modelled on our homestead system.
 | It Is pleasure to say that it is hardly more necessary to report as to Porto Rico than as to any State or Territory l within our continental limits. The island | is thriving as never before, and it is being administered efficiently and honestly. It's ! people are now enjoying liberty and order | under the protection of the United | States, and upon this fact we congratu- | late them and ourselves. Their material | welfare must be as carefully and jealous | ly considered as the welfare of any other | portion of our country We have given them the great gift of free access for | their products to the markets of the | United States. I ask the attention of Congress to the need of legislation con corning the public lands of Porto Rico. In Cuba such progress has been made toward putting the independent govern ment of the island upon a firm footing | that before the present session of the | Congress closes this will be an accom- | plished fact. Cuba will then start as her l own mistress: and to the beautiful Queer, | of the Antilles. as she unfolds this new
 page of her destiny, VIC extend our | heartiest greetings and good wishes.
 Elsewhere I have discussed the question | of reciprocity. In the case of Cuba, how | ever there are weighty reasons of inor- | ality and of national interest why the | policy should be held to have q peculiar | application, and I most earnestly ask | your attention to the wisdom, indeed to