The Washington times., 1902-06-23
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
TO HANDLE IRRIGATION
Great Care to Be Used in
Going to Work.
Measure Framed on Lines of Presi-
dents First Message to
Congress.

Since the passage of the irrigation bill
there has been good deal of specula-
tion as TO whether new bureau would
be created to take charge OF its admins
tration. 1t is now definitely known,
however. that the great national policy
which the act provides for will be car
ried out by the Secretary OF the In
terror through the Geological Survey. IS
at present constituted, under the i'm
mediate supervision of Charles D. Wal
colt. the director, and F. H. Newell, the
chief of the photographic Bureau of the
Survey.
The friends of the measure are graft
fed to know that this will be done, be-
cause it removes any danger of tho
work falling into the hands of untried
men. The work OF the Survey in ali its
relations to the development of the ir-
rigation resources of the arid region
has been eminently satisfactory to the
people of the West who are familiar
with what has been so far accomplished
MIR. Newell has been in charge of the
work for fourteen years.
To Proceed With Care.
The fact is fully recognized by those
who will have the administration Of the
new law and by the Western Senators
and Representatives who have worked
so hard for its enactment that 1t is the
part of wisdom to proceed with great
care and without undue haste in carry
ing its provisions into effect. 1t is be-
lieved that this view will have the ap-
proval of the people of the West gen
orally and that there will not be any
such wild scramble as some have pre-
dicted to get reservoirs built right away
In every Western Congress district.
The fact is the Western people have
been fighting for principle rather than
for any specific application of it. and now
that Congress has formally adopted the
policy for which they have contended
they are more interested to secure
wise and conservative administration of
that policy, so as to demonstrate its
practical benefits, than to crowd for the
immediate construction of works in
every. local section of the West.
Framed With Caution.
Every feature and provision of the
bill has been framed with the utmost
caution and care to carry out the policy
declared for in President Roosevet's
message to Congress and in the last an
nual report of the Secretary of the In
terror of making the remaining public
lands available for home makers and
creating opportunities for millions of
citizens to become independent home
owners.
The administration OF the measure is
in the hands OF its friends. and the
measure will be so enforced as to carry
out the central idea and guard against
every attempt at speculation or land
grabbing or land or water monopoly
under il. The President is known to
have his heart in this great national
home making plan, and he will not per-
nit it to miscarry.
Not Against East.
During the debate on the bill much
was said by those who opposed it about
the iniquity of taxing the Eastern
farmer to create competition with him.
The fact is that not a dollar of taxes
will be laid on any Eastern farmer
under this law, and no competition with
him will be created. The building OF
these great Government irrigation works
must necessarily proceed so slowly that
the new areas brought under cultiva-
tion VIII not keep pace with our rapidly |
increasing population. and the Eastern
farmer, instead Of being Injured. will be |
benefited by the greatly increased de- |
mand for the manufactured products of |
the Eastern factories, whose operatives |
the Eastern farmer feeds.