, 1902-03-21
TAKES HAND
GENERAL OF THE ARMY ON THE
SUBJECT OF GOVERN
MENT AID.
He 10 Not a Latter-oay Convert, But
Urged the Matter In an Article
Written In 1s90-0overnment Has
Important Mission To Perform In
Advancement Of irrigation.


Washington DC, March 21.-(Spe-
cial to The Republican.)-The western
members Of congress who are striving
earnestly to secure the passage of a
proper bill providing for the reclama.
tion Of the arid lands of the west are
receiving valuable assistance from
many members of the government.
The recommendations Of the presi-
dent in his message to Congress favor
ing the adoption Of an intelligent and
practical plan Of government aid, the
reports of the secretaries of agricul-
ture, and the interior, urging the adop-
ton Of irrigation legislation and later
the speech of Secretary Shaw along
the same lines, have all tended to en-
courage and stimulate the friends Of
the west. The civil officers of the gov
eminent have not been alone in their
advocacy of this movement. One of the
nose persistent advocates of govern
mental aid to the west is General Mel
son A. Miles, the head of the United
States Army. General Miles is not q
latter day convert to belief In irriga.
tion, but was one of the earliest advo-
Gates of government aid to the west.
His experience on the plains in the
various Indian campaigns In which he
served shortly after the close of the
civil war gave him an insighat into
western conditions and needs such as
few other public men possessed. Cen
eral Miles campaigned, or was station
ed, in nearly every state and territory
west Of the Missouri river. He was
familiar through actual observation of
all parts Of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho,
Utah. Colorado, New Mexico and Ari-
iona, having in the Sioux and Apache
campaigns marched over most Of this
territory as early as 1887, in an address
delivered by him at Tuscon, Ari-
coma, his remarks would serve admir-
ably a. part Of the report upon the bill
now pending In congress. Speaking
Of the expenditure made by the Brit
ish government in aid Of irrigation in
India and Egypt the general said, Sure
tly there can be no reason why the
United States should be outdone in
national enterprise by any other u
try. While millions of dollars are ap-
propriated for river and harbor I'M
proyements. possibly. it would be we'll
to devote some attention to the vast
area Of the vest. portions Of which
| though comparatiyely useless now.
might be turned into busiest scenes
Of industry. II certainly can MOI be- ex-
pected that pioneers and settlers who
take M land as homesteads must. BY
~prtyate expenditure. inauRu-ate a
system Of internal improvements that
would beneat the public domain still
held bv the government"
In a comprehensive article entitled,
Our unwatered Empire." published in
the North American Review of March.
1890. General Miles said: "In view Of
the fact that there are vast res of the
public domain still remaining unccup-
led which seem tn reouire an intelli.
rent and tudictous system Of improve
ment NV the government in order that
the heat resnlts NAV he obtained in
the,, settlement II vould he we'll for
the government to inausurste some
.v.tem NV which these lands NAV bs
utilised and ~colonized for the benefit
Of the home builders who constitute
our best population. That good results
can be produced by q scientific and
judicious control of the water cour.
sea Of the western country is q fact 90
we'll established that 1t does not require
argument. We have reached that PEI.
iod in which attention should be drawn
to this important subject; and It is
not surprising that the question of
water storase and Irritation works in