Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1902-04-01
IRRIGATION IN THE WEST
Eastern People Are Being Edu-
Gated on This Great Question

60Slctu : 6UpuC nc OCsny eu0 ,
Gated on This Great Question
The following is from the San Fran
cisco Call:
Representative Newlands of Nevada
has contributed to the New York
Times an instructive article on "lrri-
CATION in the West" which will doubt
less have a good effect in educating
Eastern public opinion on the subject.
Mr.. Newlands, from his long service
in Washington, is familiar with objec
tons made by Eastern Representativ
es to the policy of irrigation, and he is
therefore able to direct his argument
especially to the points on which the |
East needs enlightenment. In that re-
spect his article is valuable cOntri- |
button to the discussion of the subject !
and may prove even more effective
than a speech in the House itself.
The first issue with which the writ
er deals is that raised by the question
What right mas the West to demand
Government aid in this matter?" He
answers simply that the Government
is the owner OF almost ali The arid
lands, having in its possession OF arid
and semi-arid lands upwards OF 6OO,-
0,000 acres; that it is the duty OF
the Government to fit this land for set
Element and cultivation by conserving
the snow and food waters and con-
structing sucn bitches and canals as
are necessary to bring water within
reach of settlers. In making such
improvements the Government will not
be wasting money, nor giving it away,
for the lands when improved will be
more valuable than in their present
condition. Moreover, the work cannot
be effectively or economically done by
private parties. 1t is therefore strict
ly a governmental task, one which is
in the truest sense national, since it
will. benefit the East as well as the
West
Noting the Eastern objection to vOt-
ing money out OF the national treasury
for the enterprise Mr.. Newlands says
the bill now pending before Congress
provides for establishing an arid land
reclamation fund out OF the receipts
from sales OF lands in the arid region.
and adds: In this way a revolving
lands reclaimed, which is applied to
new work, and thus, i'll the end, the
West will reclaim itself. The Secre-
tary OF the Interior can make no con-
tract for irrigation works unless the
moneys therefor are in the fund. Thus
the arid region will be reclaimed with
out taxation of the gneral public
One OF the points upon which the
Eastern people most need enlighten,
ment is that relating to the effect the
opening up of the new area for home
seekers will have upon Eastern farm
ers. Over and over again it has been
said that toe irrigation OF arid lands
will serve 10 another purpose than that
of encouraging competition to the
East and injuring Eastern landed in
terests. Upon that issue Mr.. New
lands says: 1t might as well be con
tended that the people of the Origina
thirteen states suffered from Western
development as that the eighty mill
ions OF popie noW occupying this cOun
try will suffer from the development
of the arid region. The arid regiOI
will simply furnish a market for East
ern manufactures and Eastern pro
ducts. 1t will not compete with the
Eastern or Middle Western farms, be
cause in the northern part of the aril
region cultivation will be confined al
useful to the fattening of cattle and il
the southern region cultivation will b,
confined largely to the citrus fruit!
and other products of a semi-tropica
character. 1t has only TO be borne il
mind that the entire area capable O
reclamation does not exceed $4,000
600 acres, and that this area will onl,
equal the area of the two states Of IL
Wd dilu ilj1uOiS. IL d AdtlOu Vi d 1SN
millions OF people did not suffer fror
the development of Iowa and Illinois
how can it be contended for a momen
that a country with S0.10O,0 900 OF pee
pie can suffer from the Development 0
the arid region?'
To Caiifornians it may seem strang
that issues of this kind have to be al
gued over time after time. 1t is, how
ever, not easy 20 educate public op.r
ion On a subject to which it is con-
para,ively Indifferent. Campaigns O
popular education are always Ion;
and sometimes tiresome. This one
however, is going forward at last wit
gratifying speed. Indeed it is not in
probable that the irrigation bill ma