The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-02-15
,ATURDAY..... FEBRUARY Is, 1902
THE IRRIGATION MOVEMENT.

The United States Irrigation Com
mission, in it's final report, has recon-
mended that Congress enact laws to
provide for national control of sources
of water supply pon which two or
more of the States may depend for ir-
rigation;" for further surveys of arid
reservoirs and irrigation works by
which to utilize the water supply of
the arid regions to the greatest possible
extent; and for beginning the construc-
ton of one or more large reservoirs,
or diversion works. The argument of
the report, based on a most thorough
ject in general and particular, and
backed by a mass of facts and data,
ought to convince the most ~prejudiced
Senator or Representative hat the ir-
rigation Of our Wetsern arid lands, in
which sixteen States and territories are
vitality interested, is lot only a desira-
biC LII III ~ X u a NloC
public policy, and an imperative duty
as a concrete proposition. 1t will as
tonish many of our own people, not to
speak of Europeans, to know that for
~ per cent of the total superficial area
of the United States proper requires
irrigation for successfully producing
81 ,,caf,l ac n foo1 c,,np1u foy NAN
and animals"
Is all this inconceivably vast and po-
tentiaily fertile stretch of the ma
tional domain to be forever left in the
condition of a desert? The Senators
If twenty-six States of the Union are
reported as standing solidly for the
reclamation of these arid lands. And
the President, in his first message to
Congress, strongly favored action in the
premises. This aggregation of influ-
NICE places the movement in a better
condition than it has eve occupied be-
fnre. Irrigation has been agitated for
more than twenty years, but, until
quite recently, II mas not attracted
either favorable or serious attention at
Washington. Now, there is reason to
hope, it has received an impetus which
will push it along on the road to ul-
nmate success.
Yet, as repeatedly we have remarked,
IL is no macadamized road, shaded by
outrageous trees, and hedged with
roses, that the managers and friends Of
me movement are travelling over In the
effort to win their goal. There is still
hitter opposition to irrigation by the
Federal government in some if not ma
NJ of the Eastern States; and this,
Notwithstanding the demonstration
which has been made, that the total
oost Of the work will be fully and GER
Rinly returned to the treasury, through
ne sale of land and water rights. Yet
there are DIRECTORS, and able and pow
9ful ones, in the Senate, who even
carry prejudice and jealousy so far that
0ey are likely to antagonize the adj
alSSioi VI AIlzoHd, NEW MeAlco anu
Oklahoma as States, because that would
nvolve the seating of six new members
il the Senate, all sure to be earnest and
vigorous advocates of irrigation.
All the same, the ice has been broken.
N the end the good sense and love of
justice inherent in the American people
- a whole will come to the rescue of
ne West, and our desert places one day
vii #lastonish the world with their pro-
duets and support millions of the Ia
uon's hardy sons and their families in
comfort and plenty.-Salt Lake Tele-
gram.