The Washington times., 1902-07-27
Two Departments Divid-
ed Over Proper Method
to Be Followed.
YEAR BOOK OF AGRICULTURE
Saws Government Plan Is All Wrong
Declares That Enterprise Should Be
Conducted by Private Parties to OBJ
tain Best Results.

TAIN DSSh 3NSSuseo-
The question of irrigating the arid
lands of the West has caused some
discord between the heads of the De-
partments of the Interior and of Agri-
culture. Their opinions on the sub
ject are at great variance, and it is
said the relations between them are be-
coming more and more strained as the
days go by.
The friction. it is hinted by those close
to the heads of both departments, is in
creasing daily and may eventually
end in breach between the chiefs OF
these two branches of the Government.
The yearbook just issued by the De-
partment of Agriculture discusses the
matter at length. and very conserva-
lively, but in such a way as to plainly
call attention TO the divergent views
held by the heads of the two depart
ments. The matter is also being consid-
cred by the officers of the Geological
Survey, which has immediate charge OF
the work of irrigation, under the De-
partments of the Interior.
The yearbook of the Agricultural De-
partment, after discussing the success
of several private irrigation enterprises.
suggests that the Government would act
wisely if 1t would not undertake such
work. but leave It entirely to private
parties. 1t suggests, however. that in
the case of very great enterprise of
this kind the Government might take a
hand.
Attitude of Mr.. Mead.
This is the attitude of the bureau OF
the Agricultural Department which has
been doing investigation and preliminary
work in irrigation for several years.
The head of the bureau is Mr.. Elwood
Mead, who has the title of expert in
charge of irrigation investigations" Mr..
Mead has the reputation of a thorough
knowledge of the subject. but he is said
by the Interior Department people to be
somewhat biased by the fact that he
comes from Wyoming. section of the
West iii which many of the largest
rivers originate. Such State, It is said,
is naturally a believer in State irri-
cation projects and against big Govern-
ment works.
A number of the people in Mr.. Mead's
bureau are said TO come from the same
locality and to have the same bias as
Mr. Mead, without quite so much con-
servatism of mind, but this is quoted
entirely as the view of the Interior De-
partment people.
The law passed by the session of Con-
gress just ended provided for the begin
ming of a vast general plan of irriga-
tion. 1t makes Immediately available
something like S6,000.0 900. and provides
for the expenditure in the future of
many times this amount friends of
the bill hazard the prediction that in the
next 100 years irrigation plants costing
500, 1000, 600 may be erected. though it is
not intimated that anything like this
sum will be required as original outlay,
the idea being that the revenues. from
the first plants will be sufficient to build
the others with.
This plan contemplates United States
governmental irrigation on the broad
est scale. II anything 1t frowns on
State projects and private irrigation
corporations as tending to be unfair
to the United States at large.
Roosevelt Favors Plan.
People that know most as to the at
titude OF the Administration say that
in this matter the weight of influence
is overwhelmingly with the Interior De-
partment and against the Agricultural
Department. 1t is even hinted broadly
that the Agricultural Department was
shut out of the irrigation work on this
account largely, when the question
came up which branch of the Govern
ment should be given the big contract
President Roosevelt is an ardent ir-
rigationist. He worked hard for the
passage OF the law and succeeded in
getting it through Congress when none
of it's other friends believed that it
had much chance of passage. 1t is said
that he had many conferences with
both Western and Eastern members of
Congress on the subject and that he
expended almost as much energy on
the project as he did on Cuban reci
procity. He talked irrigation very de-
cidedly and forcefully in his message,
also.
II irrigation becomes a big and pros
porous reality during the next few
years, and If it realizes in the recla-
nation of arid lands all that has been
promised for it, President Roosevelt
VIII De the man 10 De thanked Tor IL
in the opinion of some of the best in
formed people that have interested
themselves in the subject.
Arguments. of Friends.
The arguments put forward by the
governmental irrigationists are, briefly,
as follows:
/. Irrigation by States and by private
parties should not be permitted except
on the most limited scale, because 1t
may be eminently unfair TO other neigh
boring States. The great Western rivers
flow through several States between
their sources and their mouths. Water
used for irrigation purposes near the
head waters of stream is frequently
almost all lost 20 the States and the
people further down the stream. It has
happened before now that rivers of more
or less Importance have disappeared en-
tirely before they reached their destina-
ton because they have all been used up
in irrigation projects.
The United States and Mexico have
not been entirely free of international !
complications on this account. in fact. |