The Atlanta constitution., 1901-12-09
ARID LANDS: Reclamation of these
tracts a great problem. Govern
ment must control to prevent pri-
vate greed.

ment must control to prevent pri-
vate greed.
..rha forests alone cannot. however.
fully regulate and conserve the waters
Of the arid region. Great storage works
are necessary TO equaliZe the flow 81
streams to save the food waters. Their
construction has been conclusiVciE shown
10 b. an undertaking too vast Tor private
ssf,rt Nor can il be best accom- hshe|
10y the individual states acdA@ alone,
Far-reaching Interstate problems r. IN
vclved: and the resources Of single states
would often DE Inadequate. IL Is prop
erly n national faction at least in some
~ its features II is as right for the
national government To max" me SIZE ms
and rivers # the arid region useful by en-
sineering works for water storage as TO
make useful the rivers and harbors ~ the
humid region by engineering works oi an
other kind. The storing Of the Hoods IN
reservoirs at the headwaters uf our rivers
i; hut an enlargement 4 oar prs mt pol
icy Of river control, under which ieNers
are built IN the lower reaches of tie
same streems-
The government shou'l Cons-r ana
rnaiitaftl these reservoirs as ~ does uiher
public works. Where their purpose is To
regulate the flow of streams. ~" water
should hc turned freely iat1 tho chan
ncls in the dry season To take the same
course under the same laws as the n3tu-
ril flow.
---Vhe reclamation of the upSrttl Il lr''i
nuhlic sands pres nts different pr7hl,m
Here il is not enough Ia regulate -he il""
of streams. The object IF the govern
ncnt Is 90 dispose Of thc laad u settlers
Who wiu build homes upon II. To accom-
plish this object water must be brought
within their reach.
There remain vast areas OF public
land which cam Dee made available Yer
homestead s,-ttlcm, n;. but only by reser-
voirs snd mlin-line canals IN 1ra ctctble
for priVJ-r enterprise F srse irrig itoh
works should d., built ly the national gov
,rumeut- The lands reclaimed lay ;hem
should D.. reserved sy the governments Tor
actual settlers. and tho cost ot conStrut-
tou should So far as possible he re-
raid hv the land reclaimed The policy
uf th. national government should he -
aid irrigation iu the several states ans
territories in such manner rs viii enahl"
the people i'm the local communities z"
hslp theinselvss. and as viii stimulate
needed reforms in the state laws and reg
tllatious governing irrigation.
-'l ae reclamation and sff tlrmcnt oi thF
arid lands viii enrich every portion 81 oar
country. just as tue seftl mcnt of inc
ohio and Mississippi valleys hrnught pros
pcrity o. the Atlantic states. Indeed. IN .
% ducts 10 irriGttstu % viii To- cons huru
chiefly in uphuildins local ccniers oi mia
Ing aud other industries, which WoUii
otherwise not come into existence az aiL
t'isr people as a whole VIII pr'ht. i'i : ~
&C. ~Sful hnm -nakiuE j. hut annih ltii'
Tor th, uphuiidlug nf iae nation
Whatever th,. nation dos for tA" "N-
tension ul Irrigation should harmnill@'
with. aud tend 90 inn rove. the condition.
of tho-, now liNirr or irriLatcd land. w"
aFc mot at the starting iuiHt ~ tii~ de-
relnpfueut. over twa hundred millions
nr rrfx..t- capital has alra adv been eN-
p.ndti in th construction of irrigation
works. and many million acres nj arid
land reclaimed = high dcgrce of enter
prise aul ability has been ~h own ~ inc
" 1rk itself. hI.t as much cannot br said
iu reference To ia" iaws relating thereto.
The security Hnl Naluo nf the homes
created depend largely on ihr stability
90 tif..S 10 water, hut the Wa I"rlty oi
tu.sss rest 0u fhH urgDrfafn tnEnt0ft sn uf
court iscisiars rendered Dos orl nary suit s
af iass- With "a fcw ere litah.. exceptions.
the arid states have failed Goo provide for
thc SO rtan ami just division of streams
in time scarcity. las ami unccrti %
laws lay" made it possible 90 establish
rights fn water iu excess of actual uses
o- nsces~itirs. and many stree ms have
already passed iutu private ownership.
or 1 control equivalent o. uwn"rShip.
-W hstV.r controls a ~frtH m practically
controls th. lHnd i r,u3er@ productive.
auu the snrfriuo uf rriy.tf. ownership of
without causing rudiriug Wrnu-. in the
srid states the cu'v right 20 water 80 hirh
should b." rreo-niZea Is that of usc. lu
IRRIGATION fass right Sls IUlA attach O.. tht
3 ul r.clHim-3 and he iuscparihlc thor.
f-un- Granting perpetual water rights
fH others than users without rump'uS.t-
ii1n to th. public. Is opcu to al thc oh-
t'rti 'ii- which apply 7" giving away per
Tttgal franchises a. th" public utilities Of
ctfir~. 4 t'tv ~ the western states have
already recognized this and have iu-
% Do. H O. ...a HH