Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1902-03-11
EDUCATING THE EAST.
The NeWIands' Bill is Being
Discussed in the States.

Representative Newlands of Neva-
da has contributed to the New York /
Times an instructive article on 'Ir. :,
rieaton in the West" which will with !
ting the Eastern public opinion on
the subject Mr.. Newlands, from his
long service in Washington, is fami-
liar with objections made by Eastern
Representatives to the policy of irri-
CATION, and he is therefore able to
direct his argument especially to the
points on which the East needs en-
lightenment. In that respect his ar
ticle is a valuable contribution TO the
discussion of the subject and may
prove ever more effective than merely
a speech in the House itself.
The first issue with which the writ
er deals is that raised by the question
What right has the West to demand
Government aid in this matter?' lie
answers simply that the Government
is the owner of almost all the arid
lands, having in it, possession of Il
rid and semi ;rii lands upward OF
zoe, 900, 900 acres that it is the dirty
of the Government to fit this land fer
settlement AMI cultivation by conser-
. wing the snow and food waters and by
constructing such bitches and canals
as are necessary to bring water wi: IL
IS -,
improvements the Government will
not be wasting money, nor giving it
away, for the lands when improved
will be more valuable than in their
present condition, Moreover. the
work cannot lie effectively or econo
mically done by rliJa':e parties. J.,
10 therefore strictly governmental
task. one With is in TIC truest sense
national. since il vail BIN u. the en-
tire East ., we'll rs ne SO.
Noting the Eastern objection to
voting money ont of the national
treasury for the enterprise, Mr.. New
lands says the bill now pending be-
fore Congress provides for establish
ing an arid land reclamation fund
out of the receipts from sales Of lands
In the arid region, and adds: IN
this way q revolving fund is created
out of the sale of the lands reclaimed
which is applied to new work and thus
in the end, the West will reclaim it.
self The Secretary of the Interior
can make no contract for irrigation
works unless the moneys therefor are
in the fund. Thus the arid region
will be reclaimed without taxation of
the general public.
One Of the points upon which the
Eastern people most need enlighten-
ment is that relating to the effect the
opening up of the new era for home.
seekers will have upon Eastern farm
ers. Over and over again it has been
said that the irrigation of arid lands
will serve no other purpose than that
of encouraging competition to the
East and injuring Eastern landed in
NClSSlS. Opo4 tAoI A0ouC WI. A>S '"
lands says: sit might as well b.
contended that the people OF the OF
iginal thirteen states suffered from
Western development as that the ei
gh:y millions of people now occupy
ing this country will suffer from tn
development Of the arid region. TIL
arid region will simply furnish ma
ket for Eastern manufactures and tn
Eastern products. 1t will not con
pete with the Eastern or Middl
Western farms, because in the nortl
ern part of the arid region cultivatio
will be confined almost entirely to a
falfa, which is very useful in the ia
tening of cattle and in the sOuther
region cultivation will be confine
largely to the citrus fruits and othe
products of semi-tropical characte
4 It has only to be borne in mind tn:
the entire area capable of reclam
ton does not exceed 100000 acre
and that this area will only equal II
area of the two states of Iowa and
!inois. If nation Of a few million
of people did not suffer from the de
elopment of Iowa and Illinois. no
can it be contended for a momel
that a country with SG,h00 eco of pc
pie can suffer from The deve!opmel
of the arid region?''
To Caiifornians il nay see
strange that issues Of tbs Lind ha,
to be argued over time aStzr Tine.
is. however, not easy to educate pn
tic opinion on q subject 70 NrHici: it
comparatively Indifferent Cal
paigns of popular cduca ion are
ways long and sometimes tiresom
This one. however, is going forwa
at last with gratifying speed. indie,
it is not improbable that the irrie
ton bill may be passed by the prese