The Florence tribune., 1901-08-03
THE LEADING ISSUE.
Reclamation of Arid Lands Before the
 Transmlssissipp Congress.
From the Fl Paso Hsrald.l ]

region, and especially ot the vicinity or El Paso, as that of the irrigation of the arid lands. More time was allotted to this subject than to any other, and rightly, for without the utilization of the resources of the arid west through a general policy of watering the public lands, the development of the west must be seriously retarded.
 There was some difference of opin. ion before the resolutions committee and in the congress upon the question between a national system of reclama- tion of the arid lands, and cession to the states of the public reservoirs and public lands. The advocates of na- tional system were largely in the ma jority, and the resolutions looking to- ward state cession were killed in com mittee. It is not hard to understand the attitude of those who urge the ces- sion of the public lands to the states, and the cession of the reservoirs after they have been constructed by the na- tional government. These people, it may be noted, are practically confined in geographical location to the states of Colorado and Wyoming, the two states which contain the head waters of almost all the rivers of importance in tue arid region. Colorado's attitude especially is well known; it is uucom- promising selfshness. Colorado would like to be conceded the right to take every drop of water at the head of every stream in the state, letting the country bordering on the lower reach es of the river take its chances from the rainfall along the way. Colorado advocates state control of irrigation waters, because national control would mean restrictive regulations. Wyom. ing's scheme is to have the national government survey reservoir sites and build the the storage reservoirs at the public expense, then 10 cede the reser- voirs and the reclaimed public lands to the state, for use and control. The naivete of the proposal is almost ludi- crous. It is pretty certain that the sell fish policy advocated by these states will not receive much recog milton at the expense of the eleven states and terri- tories more or less dependent on the rivers heading in the mountains of Colo. rado and Wyoming for irrigation
 waters.
 The national system of reclamation
 as advocated by the National Irriga-
 tion association and again and again
 strongly endorsed by the Transmissis-
 sippi Commercial congress, contem-
 plates the construction of great stor-
 age reservoirs on the principal strea ms
 to be supplemented by a comprehen-
 sive system of main line canals, all t,
 be under the supervision and contro
 of the national government. Unde
 proper regulations. farmers would b
 allowed to construct their own lateral
 and receive the water for use iu irri
 gating the land. The proposition is t
 put the water where the farmer cal
 reach it, and store the flood waters fo
 beneficial use.
 Save the forests and store the flood |. that is the cry of the National Irr
 gation association and the Transmi !. sissippi Commercial congress. Dow
 in this section we have no forests {
 save, but the storing of the floods is s matter of vital and immediate impo : tance. Every year enough water go' f to waste to irrigate the entire vale if properly conserved and distribute - The cost of constructing suitab system would be mere bagatelle cor Il pared with the benefits to be derive if The irrigation advocates say that If least 100, ,000, ,000 acres of the arid T h zion can be reclaimed at an appro, l. mate cost of one dollar an acre, and tn If homes can be provided for five to t ss millions of people. The national go ,s ernment is interested in this, as t "a chief beneficiary, since it owns all u '. land and could sell it for ten tim .s what it would cost to reclaim it.. S ,i- tling five millions of people in the w na would enable the mining industry be extend, manufacturing to increa
 and all the industries to expand, sin
 the chief charge in commercial int
 course, transportation, would be st. duced and producers and mark he would be brought closer together. A ,le the five millions of people would p oy duce mainly for export, not competi rn with the producers of the east, wf !. is the manufacturers of the east wo nb have five millions of the richest peo ht. on earth, the largest buyers and he best payers, right at their doors om home market. of the best kind, in wh lat all the profits of handling are kep' me home and equitably distributed. ing Only by earnest cooperation am, ldy the people and states of the arid of zion can congress be brought to re
 zation of the needs of this section,