The Washington times., 1902-06-10
IRRIGATION OF ARID
LANDS IN THE WEST

is attainablc only upon irrigated land
The NEST perfect tillage of soil one can
| imagine is that carried on in a modern
| conservatory. or hothouse. This i.
possible because enc can control all Of
| the required soil. temperature. atmos-
! phere, and water supply. The next most
| perfect cultivation is obtanable where
/ this control can be most closely ap-
proSimated to in the Cper air. and this
is possible only where there is rracti
caily no rainfall. but constant sunshine
and an equahle temperature. viz: upon
so-called arid lands. Here one exer-
cisos almost as complete a control ever
vast areas as one could maintain in
4 conservatory. Outlines three crorq
per annura are produced upon the same
tract Of land each one as valuable as
the one that could be raised in Indiana
irrigation is science not understood
by everyone. 1t does not suffice 10 have
an abundance OF water with whieh to
hocd given area. II is not the pres
cncc CT the water which acccmpiishes
he great results. but the passage there
Of through the soil. carrying with it
the plant food held in suspension there
n. to the delicate roots OF the plants 10
he FED. its benefit being that it is the
medium for transmission or the conyeyor
Of feed 10 the plants
anyone who has visited an oasis in
desert. or who has viewed the results
Of intelligent irrigation cannot but be
impressed with its Importance. and its
necessity in some places. Frequently n
c,r o.
an adjunct % successful irrigation as
the water itself. II the water does not
percolatc freely through the soil but
remains stationary, it s0urs. or fer
mcnts the soil and does more harm than
good; if often browns the plants.
Permit me TO express .he hope that
Mr.. Robinson will be courteous and cam
did enough 30 state in detail these
many and for"eUi' facts he has IN
mind. that makes any project providing
fer irrigation = dangerous measure.
and l guarantee HAT he will cause a
hest Of forceful' writer's who thorough
Il understand this subject TO fly TO the
rescue NJ The irrigation enterprises. and
within the COMPASS of 4 readable article
successfully combat every argument he
Fan adduce against this benefcent art.
Any great pGblic benefit may be per-
verted TO the detriment OF some: almost
every good thing may be abused. and
thereby rendered harmful to some. but
in all things should NOT the greatest
coed TO the greatest number be our
guide?
West Never Complained.
For many years the West has borne
its share of taxation uncomplainingly.
although i: all vas devoted to river.
harhor. Notifications. public buildings. |
and other propositions Of no benefit or
advantage. save Q remote one. to the |
West. Seldom ha," our appeals for APP
preparations been honored. yet we have
not complsined. We now request that |
certain appropriations be made that will |
benefit US some. but at the same time |
will prove great public benefit. bless |
ing TO the country at large in that * |
provides a great area of homes for the |
rapidly increasing population of Indiana |
and other States that possess no public |
lands. The experiment of retaining |
these arid areas with private capital has !
been tried and proved a dismal failure. /
Some years ago an irrigation district |
law was enacted In California enabling |
the residents df fifty or more) to or
ganize a quasi municipal corporation to
enable them to bend their lands to OBJ
tain capital wherewith to irrigate them.
This failed because premature, and be-
cause CT innate defects in the law.
Again, arid lands were ceded TO the
several arid land States, in the hope
that said States would reclaim them, but
this failed also
1T is a pity that the Federal Govern
rnent did not early in the history of our
Republic assume control of all flowing
water lakes and reservoir sites. that
he whole subject might be forever under
control; but as this was
not done, the next best thing is for the
to assume the control OF
this proposition so far as possible and
deal justly and fairly by all interested
therein. as the only means for intelli-
gently inaugurating n perfect system of
irrigation to be followed by private
parties later on"