Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-05
DELAWARE

arid region useful by engineering works
for water storage as TO make useful the
rivers and harborH Of the humid region by
engineering works Of another kind. The
storing of the floods in reservoirs at the
headwaters of our rivers 10 but an en-
largement OF our present policy OF river
control under which levees are built on
the lower reaches OF the same streams.
The government should construct and
maintain these reservoirs as 1t does other
public works. Where their purpose is to
regulate the fiow Of streams the water
should be turned freely into the channels
in the dry season to take the same course
under the same laws as the natural flow
The reclamation of the unsettled arid
public lands presents different problem.
Here II is not enough to regulate the flow
OF streams. The object of the government
Is to dispose of the land to settlers who
will build homes upon IT. To accomplish
this object water must be brought within
their reach.
The pioneer settlers on the arid public
domain chose their homes along streams
from which they could themselves divert
the water to reclaim their holdings Such
opportunities are practically gone. There
remain, however, vast areas OF public
lnnd which can be made available for
homestead settlement. but only by reser-
voirs and main line canals lmpracticable
for private enterprise. These irrigation
works should be built by the uiional
government. The lands reclaimed by
Them should be reserved by The govern
ment for actual settlers. and the cost OF
construction should SO far as possible
be repaid by the land reclaimed. The
distribution OF the water, the division OF
the streams among irrgaiors, should be
lett to the setGers themselves In conform
ity with state laws and without Interior
ence with those laws or with vested
rigbtR The IOliCv nj the ont
eminent should lie 90 aid irrigation in the
several states und territories In such man
ner as Will enable the people in the local
communities to help themselves and as
Will stimulate needed reforms in the state
laws and regulations governing irrigation.
VIII Enrich the whole Country.
The reclamation and settlement of TIE
arid lands will enrich every portion OF
our country. just as the settlement OF the
Ohio and Mississippi valleys brought
prosperity to the Atlantic states. Tho
Increased demand for manufactured arti-
cles Will stimulate Industrial production,
while wider home markets and the trade
OF Ash will consume the larger food sun
plies and efiectually prevent western COM
petition with eastern agriculture. sr.deed
the products OF irrigation will be con-
sumed chiefly Ia upbulldlng local centers
of mining and other industries which
would otherwise not come into existence
Mt all. Our people us a whole will profit.
foT successful homemaking Ia but another
name for the npbuilding of the nation
The necessary foundation has already
been laid for the inauguration of the poli-
cy just described. 1t would be unwIse to
begin by doing too much, for great deal
will doubtless be learned, both as to what
can and what cannot he safely attempted.
by the early efforts. which must of neces-
sity be partly experimental in character
AZ the very beginning the government
should make clear. beyond shadow OF
doubt, It's intention to pursue this policy
on lines of the broadcast public interest.
No reservoir or canal should ever be built
to satisfy selfish personal or local inter-
ests but only In accordance with the adj
vice OF trained experts after long investi-
cation has shown the locality where all
the conditions combine to make the work
most needed and fraught with the great
est usefulness to the community as a
whole. There should be no extravaganza,
and the believers In the need of irriga-
tion VIII most benefit their cause by see
ing to IL that 1t is free from the least
faint of excessive or reckless expenditure
OF the public moneys.
Irrigation Lnws.
Whatever the nation does for the exten-
sion 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 expended
In the construction of irrigation works
and many million acres of arid land re-
claimed A high degree of enterprise and
aDlnty mas been shown In the work itself
but as much cannot be said in reference
TO tho laws relating thereto. Tho securi-
" and value of the homes created depend
largely on the stability of titles to water.
put the majority of these rest on the UNI
certain foundation of court decisions rem
Qered In ordinary NJ Inv, WI
rev creditable exceptions. the aSid states
nave rallied to provide for the certain and
Just division of streaEls in times of search
ty Lax and uncertain laws have made IL
possible to establish rights to water in
excess OF actual uses or necessities, and
many streams have already passed into
private ownership or a control eduivalent
to ownership
whoever controls stream practically
controls the land II renders productive
and the doctrine OF private ownership of
water apart from land cannot prevail
without causing enduring wrong The rec
o8nition of such ownership, which has
Deen permitted to grow UP In tho arid
r,,esions. should give way to a more en-
iBhtened 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
apunoant 10 Justify boarding It, have no
The Only Right to Water.
In the arid states tho only right "a wa
ter which should be recognized is that OF
use. In irrigation this right should attach
TO the land reclaimed and be inseparable
therefrom. Granting perpetual water
rights TO others than users without COM
pensation TO the public is open to ali the
objections which apply to giving away
perpetual franchises to the public utilities
OF eitles' few OF the western states
nave already recognized this and have in
corporated in their constitutions the doc
Urine OF perpetual state ownership OF wa
ter.
me benefits which have followed the
u aided development of the past Justify
ny na i,,m hid and cooperation in the
more difficult and important work vet 10
pe accomplished Laws so vitality Affect
nB homes us those which control the wa
yer supply will only be effective when
-hey nave tho sanction of the irrirators.
reLorms can only be final and satisfactory
" en they come through the enlighten-
nent OF the people most Concerned Tho
anger development which national Ala ino
'ures should. however, awaken in avarv
via state the determination to make ita
rrisation system equal in Justice and ef
,vetiVehess mat of any country in the CIV
liZeu world Nothing could be moro nm
WISE than Tor Isolated communities to
' o,,.i 10 learn everything experiment
any instead of proflting by what is nj
eady known elsewhere. We are deai,,g
YIN new and momentous question in
ne pregnant years while institutions are
ornllng' ana what we do will affect NOT
my the present but future generations.
our ann should be not simply to reclaim
ne iarsest area OF land and provide
nut TO create for this new INDUSTRY, ~,
est possible social and induatrioI conai