The Red Cloud chief., 1902-07-04
THOUGHTS ON IRRIGATION
A Few Extracts From Representative
Burkett's Address.

A Few Extracts From Representative
Burkctt's Address.
The bill appropriating the receipts
from the sale and disposal Of public
ands In certain states and territories
to the construction OF irrigation works
for the irrigation Of arid lands was
one of the measure the present con
gress passed which will. when in full
operation, result in incalculable ben
eft not only to Nebraska and other
western states. but to the whole coun-
try. The Nebraska representatives in
congress did valiant service in behalf
OF the hill, and to show what irriga-
tibn means to the west We make the
following brief extracts from a speech
delivered by Representative Burkctt:
Il dare not estimate the value to
those states In particular. and to the
whole OF the United States In general.
OF the provisions of the bill that il
now under consideration. One hun
dred million acres of land. Every foot
OF 1t level, fertile. and productive soil.
II Will make homes for n million and
a half OF families, and sustain n hun
dred millions of people. Ii will make
new mining projects possible. II will
give forage to additional thousands OF
cattle that will pasture the adjoining
hills. In short. II will plant west OF
the Missouri a mighty empire. rich.
powerful and prosperous. under the
American flag. loyal to American in
stitutions Of government. devoted to
the United States and her interests.
ar.t a. L., f-. A. ,lltlI... -.-I
development of the old republic that
We all love SO we'll"
This country Is one homogeneous
whole: one socially, politically. and
commercially. The things that make
for n make for all. To be sure.
some particular legislation may be OF
more benefit to one locality than to
another. but what helps materially one
community Injuries none In the end
After calling attention to the great
floods in the spring. and Of the mil
lions OF dollars spent in protecting the
banks Of the Mississippi river in Miss
issippi and Louisiana. MIR. Burkett
continued:
Now. sir. that Is a dreadful picture
Of suffering. OF want and desperation
there in certain seasons of the year.
But just stop and turn your eyes IL
you an. to another picture that we
might draw. 1t is higher up the
stream. II is nearer the fountain
head and of a different nature. but IL
Is no less dreadful. Ii Is in western
Nebraska. Kansas. Wyoming and Mon
tana during the month of August. The
sun is s.lining forth his fairest. His
rays are delving their deepest and are
warming the tiniest roots Of vcgeta-
ton. All nature. save In this one par
ticular, seems to be vicing with itself
to make plenty and happiness in the
land, but there Is lacking of moisture.
Through mans neglect it has been per-
mitted to waste. Those streams once
torrential are now dry and there Is not
water to supply the land. The ground
bakes. The verdure writhing in the
sun curls and twists its life away.
Sirs. the thought must come to you,
us 1t las so often come to me. surely
there never was intended to he such
waste in nature. That water which
only a few months before, in its anx-
iOus rush for an early playtime In the
ocean. had destroyed so much of life
and property was intended for better
purposes and should have been re-
strained from going until II performed
its mission. If It had been held back
in the %springtime and turned loose
now how the flooded districts down
there would have appreciated II then.
and how the parched districts would
appreciate il now. From this all comes
the Injunction that man must husband
the resources of nature for his W
betterment and ~edificatiOn.
las those valleys are irrigated and
more fodder is produced for winter
feeding. more cattle will pasture in the
hills adjoining. This also means more
people in that vicinity, more towns
and villages. and this means a larger
market. not only for the farmers pro-
ducts. but for everything that Is pro-
duced by the brain or muscle OF man.
! have gone across the continent: !
have gone into the irrigated regions
Of Wyoming and Montana. Utah and
Colorado. and the things there used
all come from the east. There are no
manufactures to speak of in arid
America. The wagons, the planters,
the plows. the harness, n the sad
dies. aye, the furniture In their houses,
all comes from this side OF the one
hundredth meridian OF Longitude,
have seen the trademark OF a Wis
consin firm on their wagons, OF New
York and Massachusetts manufacture
ers upon their clothing. The great
saddles they rode in were made down
II 80 NTaL-nnln nr farther n4Gt y