The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-04-01
IRRIGATION IN THE EAST.
Eastern People Are Being Educated 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 Irrigation in
the West" which will doubtless have
a good effect in educating Eastern pub
lie opinion on the subject. Mr.. New
lands, from his long service in Wash
ington, is familiar with objections
made by Eastren Representatives to
the policy of irrigation, and he is
especially to the points on which the
East needs enlightenment. In that
respect his article is valuable con-
tribution to the discussion of the sub
,ject and may even prove more effective
than speech in the House itself.
The first issue with which the writer
deals is that raised by the question,
What right has the West to demand
government aid in this matter?" He
answers simply that the government is
the owner of most all the arid lands,
having in its possession of arid and
acres; that it is the duty of the gov
eminent TO fit this land for settle
ment and cultivation by conserving the
snow and flood waters and construct
ing such bitches and canals as are nee.
essary to bring water within reacn
of settlers. In making such improve
ments the government will not he
wasting money, nor giving 1t away,
for the lands when improved will be
more valuable than in their present
condition Moreover, the work cannot
be effectively or economic III done by
private parties. 1t is ,ther afoee, slFict-
ly a governmental task, oEe which Is
in the trust 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 treas
ury for the enterprise, sir Newlands
says the bill now pending before Con-
gress provides COR establishing an arid
land reclamation fund out of the re-
region, and adds: ''In this way re-
solving fund is createl oat If tie
sale Of the lands reclaimed, which is
applied to new work, and tEEs, IN tie
end, the West will reclaim Itself. The
Secretary of the Interior can make no
contract for irrigation woISs unless
the moneys therefor are in the fund.
Thus the arid region viii b, reclaim
ed without taxation of the general pub
lic."
One of the points upon which the
Eastern pepoie most need enlighter-
ment is thas relating to the effect the
opening up OF the new area for hcnle-
seekers VIII Rave upon Eastern farm
ers. over and over again it las neen
said that The irrigation of arid lands
Will serve no other purpose tnan that
of encouraging competition to the East
and injuring Eastern landed interests.
Upon that issue Mr. Newlands says:
lit might as We'll be conceded that tne
people of the original thirteen States
suffered from Western development as
that the eighty millions of people now
occupying this country will suffer from
h the development OF the arid region
The arid region will simply furnish
a market for Eastern manufactures
and Eastern products. It Will not COM
pete with the Eastern or Middle West
farms, because in the northern part
OF the arid region cultivation will be
confined almost entirely to alfalfa,
which is very useful in the fattening of
cattle, and in the southern region cul-
tlFauon viii be confined largely to the
citrus fruit and other products OF a
seml-tropical character. Ii has only TO
De borne Ia mind that the entire area
capable OF reclamation does not exceed
oV.V3v,Ov1 acres, and that this area will
only equal the area of the two States
OF iowa and illinois. If a nation Of a
lew hlliions OF people did not suffer
IRON the development or iowa .Ad
liilhols, now can ii be contended for
momen' that a country With so .O0O.-
600 OF pe9nie can suiIer from the de-
yelopment of the arid region ~
To Californians it may seem strange
that issues OF this kind have to be ar
erffn al ftee~