Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-06-13
Newlands on Irrigation.

or any other assemblage having the
subject under consideration. 1t fills
ever ten pages of the Congressional
Record, and aot only touches upon
every argument, pro and con. here
tefore adduced. but embraces null
titnde of points never before pre-
scented by an advocate of the nation
al water storage Its length pre-
cludes our presenting even such an
outline of the speakers remarks as
will give the reader an idea of their
comprehensive scope or of the time
and labor expended by our repre-
sentative in investigation of the sub
ject of such Importance to the resi-
dents of the arid and semi-arid Sec
tions.
As the bill was expected to come
up within few weeks, and as the
limited time allowed for its discus
sion would not permit extended de.
bate, Mr.. Newlands took time by the
forelock, and by permission address
ed the house upon the subject at the
date before mentioned.
In the commencement the speaker
corrected the somewhat prevalent
impression that irrigation was a new
thing, and explained that it was as
old as time, giving history of its
origin, progress and statistical
statement of the acreage it renders
productive at the present time in the
different quarters of the globe. He
gave the boundaries of the arid land
region in the United States, which
contains GOO, 900, 900 acres of vacant
public land, of which 60, 900, 900 may
be irrigated if the water supply is
conserved and distributed. Mr..
Newlands explained deliberately how
and where irrigation is practiced its
success in its small scope resulting
from private enterprise, and the pos
sibiities under the larger scale of
national aid and Development. He
showed conclusively tkat, unlike the
other appropriations for internal i'm
provements, the money for the re-
clamation of public lands, instead of
being a donation from the public
treasury. that no direct or indirect
loss would be sustained by the gov
ernment, as the cost would be COW
cred by the sale of the public lands,
the proceeds of which would go into
a special fund in the treasury.
The objection that land values in
the east would be lessened by open
ing up SO large an area to cultivation
was met by a statistical statement
OF the increasing population of the
coontry, and the possibility of the
Increase of the acreage of the Guilt
tivabie land by irrigation or any
other means was not proportionate
to the increased demand there would
be for land for agricultural purposes.
There are also immense areas of pub
lie land fitted for grazing purposes,
now useless to the stock raisers, ow-
ing to remotenesS from water, which
would find purchasers when that OBJ
lection was removed. Immediate ae-
ton by the government was urged
as everp year increased vested rights
would clog more and more the pro,
gress of national enterprise.
Mr.. Newlands quoted freely from
that part of President Roosevelt's
message relating to the irrigation
question, showing that favorable
legislative action would be approved
by the head of the government. He
showed that the system of storage OF
superfuous water would lessen the
torrential and damaging flow in large
rivers at certain seasons of the year.
The constitutional objection was met
by pointing out numerous things
that had been done by the govern
ment not expressly authorized by. the
Constitution, but which came within
the general power Of that instru-
ment, especially the power, to pro-
mote the public welfare.
Referring to the alleged danger of
injurious competition with existing
farms in the East and West, the
speaker said it might as well be con-
tended that the people of the thir