El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-19

NV interest in the subject of irriga-
ton began some three decades ago
when. in the performance OF Official
duty, 1 had occasion to explore more
or less thoroughly that vast extent OF
sparsely settled or unoccupied land
Rounded ON the east by the one humid
redth meridian, on the north by the
49th parallel, on the south by the hlo
Grande, and extending to the Sierra
Nevada and Cascade ranges on the
west The thought often occurred to
me then-and the thought has grown
into a conviction as the years nave
gone by-that it was not a part OF the
economy of nature to have this enor,
NOUS expanse Of land lie inert and
waste. Millions of acres were appar-
emily desert, when the coyote starved
and only the castus and sage brush
could live; yet the soil held within It
self the elements of productiveness.
the air was pure as heaven, the
scenery inspiring as beautiful pic
ture. the application of the vivifying
water the only thing lacking to arouse
its rich potential energies.
Since those early days 1 have, from
time to time. with voice and pen, done
what 1 could to advocate the conser-
walton of the water supply OF our arid
lands and the preservation of the trees,
which are the guardians of the foun-
fains at the waters source.
Moving Westward.
Since the foundation of the govern
ment the center of population has been
steadily moving westward. the pioneer
spirit of the east seeking homes and
independence far away from the stiff
ling atmosphere of the large over
crowded cities. This united desire of
our people to own a home rather than
to rent one-to be their own landlord
rather than some landlords tenants
assures the vitality of the treat Amer
lean republic. The American farmer
is sovereign today. and the dignity
and independence engendered by his
free environment, the healthfullness of
mind and body resulting from the pure
air he breathes. the love of country
which home owning stimulates. make
him the preserver of those beneficial
institutions under which we live.
An Evil Possibility.
1t would be a sad day. full of evil
portent to the republic. if home build
ing should become unpopular. il gravi-
tation towards the cities should over
come the outward march into the ex-
pansive country, if tenantry in an
overcrowded alley should be chosen
in preference to a free quarter section
in valley or upland. Therefore 1 say
the devising of means whereby the
public domain is made available for
homeseekers. and the arid lands are
made habitable and productive. is now
one of the most important lines of
American endeavor. I reiterate the
saying of the keen satirist and wise
philosopher: That whoever could
make two ears OF corn or two blades
of grass to grow upon a spot of ground
where only one grew before. would de-
serve better of mankind and do more
essential service to his country than
the whole race of politicians put to-
gether.
AS Old as the Hills.
The utility of irrigation ceased to
be questioned thousands of years ago.
and We have the records of successful
methods which are as old as the first
pages of written history itself. We
have evidence that the aborigines of
the southwest had perfected a system
of irrigation. and the natives of New
Mexico and Arizona, who brought
their methods from Mexico and Spain.
handed down their skill to posterity.
Water for One Hundred Million Acres.
I am not optimistic enough to be-
1ieve that the ingenuity of men can
encompass the redemption of the six
hundred millions of acres which COM
prise the nations vacant public lands. |
but If, as has been claimed, there is
water enough for the irrigation Of one
hundred millions, of acres (providing
the supply is economically used), /!
can easily imagine ten million of good
citizens finding homes on farms which |
are self supporting. In the state of
Texas there are still many millions of |
NJ xr-It n
lend themselves readily to irrigation |
methods and become valuable settlers. |
The area of this great state may be ap-
preciated by remembering the fact |
that If it were populated as densely as |
the state of Massachusetts, there would |
be over ninety millions of souls within !,
its borders. But it is the immense |
tracts that embrace a large part of |
Arizona, New Mexico. Utah, and Ne
vada, much of Wyoming, Colorado, /
California and Oregon. and the basin |
of the Columbia in interior Washing |
ton, which comprise mainly the public |
domain.
Cooperative Organizations.
1t appears that private or corporate |
enterprise cannot be trusted to con-
troll the Improvement and reclamation |
with justice and equality for all con-
oerned. The states themselves ars as |
yet not financially strong enough to |
the task. 1t seems to me.
therefore. than the plan proposed is /
the most feasible and just. 1t is: Let /
the government build the storage res
ervoirs and the main line canals, and
The settlers provide the smaller dis
lributing system by banding them
selves together in cooperative orga-
National Aid